This document discusses data analysis tasks for the classroom. It defines data analysis as organizing and looking for patterns in data from various sources like facts, numbers, words, etc. Students are asked to draw their own conclusions from raw materials. Examples of data analysis tasks are given across various subjects from kindergarten through high school. Reasons for using data analysis include making learning more meaningful, providing a visual way to view information, and teaching problem solving skills. Tools for data analysis discussed include numbers, tables, and graphs that can be created using programs like InspireData, Excel, Google Spreadsheets, and Tinkerplots. Word clouds and tag clouds are also presented as tools for visualizing verbal data.

1. DATA ANALYSIS TASKS
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2. WHAT ARE DATA ANALYSIS TASKS?
• It’s all about organizing and looking for patterns in
data.
o Provide students with raw materials
• facts, numbers, words, etc
o Asks them to draw conclusions on their own (based on the
data)
o Not limited to numbers – it’s about patterns of all types
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3. EXAMPLES:
• Kids Science Projects
• Statistical Analysis to Rank Baseball Player
(Grades 11-12, Math, Statistics)
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4. MORE EXAMPLES OF ANALYZING DATA
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Taking measurements of three different plants over the course of a month
(science)
Looking up the parties of presidential election winners and recording them for each
election year (social studies)
Looking at multiple poems and finding the common meters, themes, structures
(ELA)
Measuring angles and using these measurements to create “rules” for geometry
(math)
Using surveys to compare favorite style of music, favorite instrument, favorite
concept studied in Music Appreciation class across grade levels (Fine Arts)
Children use the balance scale to compare a variety of small objects and determine
which item is heavier and record it on the sheet (early childhood)
Investigating the number of football related deaths in high schools across the
country for the past 30 years to detect trends (Health/Physical Education)
EDUC W200 Week 9

5. WHY BOTHER WITH DATA ANALYSIS TASKS?
• Analyzing your real data makes learning more
meaningful
• Provides a visual way to view information (Ex: Wordle
or InspireData)
• It also teaches problem solving
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6. TOOLS FOR DATA ANALYSIS TASKS
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7. TOOLS FOR DATA ANALYSIS
• Numbers, Tables and
Graphs
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InspireData
Excel
Google Spreadsheets
Tinkerplots (4th – 8th
grade)
o Fathom
EDUC W200 Week 9
• Visualizing verbal data
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o
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Wordle
Tagxedo
Excel/Spreadsheets
Visualization Tools
(Mashable)

8. TINKERPLOTS (VIDEO)
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9. WORDLE EXAMPLES
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12. How can a tool like this be used in the classroom?
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13. 5 minute presentation on using Wordle
ULA DEMONSTRATION: WORDLE
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14. Hand-On Activity
HANDS-ON ACTIVITY: INSPIREDATA
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15. INSTRUCTIONS
• Watch the video on the next slide on your own
• Follow the directions on the following slides to
complete the Hands-On Activity
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16. VIDEO INTRODUCTION TO INSPIRE DATA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=g1mKHldLUi0
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17. HANDS-ON ACTIVITY: DATA ANALYSIS
• Open InspireData, then click “open”
• InspireData contains sample data sets
o Choose one appropriate to your subject area (or close to it)
or grade level
o Play around with the data:
• Create different graphs using InspireData
• Take screenshots of only 3 graphs and save to to
your desktop as Picture 1, Picture 2 and Picture 3
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18. HANDS-ON ACTIVITY: DATA ANALYSIS
• Post it to your Teacher Website  Tech Resources
o Title: Link to the InspireData website
o Screen shot: create a table (1 x 3) and insert your 3
graphs into each cell
o Description: Describe how InspireData can be used
in your subject area/grade level (using a teacher
voice).
o Educational Value: Discuss 3 E’s in terms of using
InspireData.
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