Examples of Data Projects
These example Web Inquiry Projects are all based on primary sources. The math and science projects especially tend to rely heavily on data as primary sources and provide great examples of integrating data sources into a broader project. However, other subject areas can also use data. The Civil War and the Southern Family project includes census data as a primary source.
Questions for Data Projects
One way to engage students into data analysis is to ask them a question that requires more than a simple answer. The most effective questions will have one or more of the following characteristics:
- Open ended
- Ask for deep meaning
- Encourage collaboration
- Encourage higher order thinking
- Relevant to students’ lives and environments
For Activity 3-B-1, you will create a question for investigation that can be answered with primary source data.
Here’s an example of some possible questions which could be investigated with data:
- If current trends continue, what might land use in a specific region look like in another 20 years?
- What trends correspond with decreases in school violence? What measures might be effective in reducing school violence? (Use the Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2006 as a starting point.)