Interactive Chart Builder Activity: Two Sides of the Same Data

Objective: Your group will explore how different choices in data visualization can dramatically change the story a dataset tells. You will create two distinct charts from the same provided data, each designed to convey a different message or support a different conclusion.

Materials:

• Data Set for Analysis
• Computers/Tablets with Spreadsheet Software (e.g., Google Sheets, Excel) or Online Chart Tool (e.g., Flourish, Datawrapper)

Instructions:

1. Form Your Teams: Work in groups of 3-4 students.

2. Access the Data: Open the provided Data Set for Analysis on your device. Familiarize yourselves with the variables and the overall information presented.

3. Brainstorm Stories (5 minutes):

   • As a group, discuss what kind of stories or conclusions could be drawn from this dataset. Are there any trends, relationships, or surprising points?
   • Now, brainstorm two different, potentially opposing, narratives or conclusions you could try to emphasize using this data. For example, one chart might highlight a positive trend, while another might emphasize a negative aspect, or one might show a strong correlation while another downplays it.

4. Design Chart 1: The First Story (10 minutes):

   • Choose a specific message or conclusion you want to convey with your first chart.
   • Select an appropriate chart type (e.g., bar chart, line graph, scatter plot, pie chart) that best supports your chosen message.
   • Carefully consider and adjust:
     • Axis Scales: Should they start at zero? What range best highlights your story?
     • Labels and Titles: What title will reinforce your message? Are your axes clearly labeled?
     • Color Choices: Do colors enhance or detract from your message?
     • Data Points: Are you highlighting specific data points or averages?
   • Create your first digital chart using your chosen software/tool.

5. Design Chart 2: The Second Story (10 minutes):

   • Now, keeping the same underlying data, design a second chart that tells a different story or supports a different conclusion.
   • This might involve:
     • Choosing a different chart type.
     • Adjusting the axis scales dramatically (e.g., compressing or expanding them).
     • Changing the title and labels to frame the data differently.
     • Focusing on a different subset of the data if applicable.
   • Create your second digital chart.

6. Prepare for Presentation (5 minutes):

   • Discuss within your group the specific choices you made for each chart (chart type, scales, titles, etc.) and how those choices achieved your intended

Data Set for Analysis: "Happyville's Teen Wellness Survey 2023"

Introduction: This dataset contains anonymous responses from a survey conducted among 100 high school students in "Happyville" during 2023, focusing on aspects of their wellness and daily habits. Your task in the Interactive Chart Builder Activity is to use this data to create two different charts that tell two different stories.

Survey Data Table

(Note: For the purpose of this exercise, assume the remaining 90 students have varying data points within reasonable ranges, reflecting similar patterns to the first 10, allowing for diverse interpretations. Teachers can expand this table with more rows of synthetic data if a larger dataset is desired for deeper analysis.)

Data Columns Explained:

• Student ID: A unique identifier for each anonymous student.
• Hours of Sleep (per night): The approximate number of hours each student sleeps on a typical school night.
• Hours of Screen Time (per day): The approximate number of hours each student spends on screens (phones, computers, TV, gaming) per day.
• Feels Stressed (1-5, 5=Very Stressed): Students rated their general stress levels on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means "Not Stressed at All" and 5 means "Very Stressed."
• Participates in After-School Activities (Yes/No): Indicates whether the student regularly participates in school-sponsored or organized after-school activities.
• Grade Level: The student's current grade level (all 11th grade for this dataset).

Possible Avenues for Exploration (Examples):

• Impact of Screen Time: Does more screen time correlate with higher stress levels or less sleep?
• Benefits of Activities: Do students involved in after-school activities report lower stress or more sleep?
• Sleep and Stress: Is there a relationship between hours of sleep and perceived stress?
• General Wellness Snapshot: What does the data generally say about the wellness of Happyville's teens?

Your Goal: Choose two distinct

Are the Numbers Lying? Teacher Script

1. Warm-up: Where do you see statistics? (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Good morning/afternoon everyone! Today, we're going to become data detectives. To start, I want you to think for a moment: Where in your daily life do you see statistics used? Think about news, social media, sports, financing, advertisements, or even conversations with friends. Don't be shy, just shout out your ideas!"

(Allow students to share responses. Write key ideas on the board, like 'sports scores,' 'weather forecasts,' 'product reviews,' 'social media trends,' 'news headlines,' 'health claims,' etc.)

Teacher: "Excellent examples! As you can see, statistics are everywhere. They help us understand the world around us. But how we see those numbers can change everything. That brings us to our big question for today: Are the numbers lying?"

2. Direct Instruction: How data can mislead (15 minutes)

Teacher: "Let's dive deeper into how data can be presented. I'm going to show you some examples using our Data Storytelling Slides. Pay close attention, because what you see might not always be the full story."

(Display Data Storytelling Slides, moving through each slide and using the teacher notes as guidance.)

Teacher (Slide: The Power of Presentation): "As this slide says, the same data can tell many stories. Visuals are powerful, and they can influence our understanding. Our goal is to be aware of how graphs can be misleading."

Teacher (Slide: When Data Gets Tricky): "Data can be presented to support very different, even opposing, conclusions. What makes a graph seem trustworthy or untrustworthy to you? And how can a small change in a visual, like the scale of an axis, make a big difference in perception?"

(Facilitate a brief discussion, encouraging students to share their initial thoughts.)

Teacher (Slide: Correlation vs. Causation): "This is a big one! Just because two things happen at the same time, or seem to be related, it doesn't mean one causes the other. For example, did you know that ice cream sales and shark attacks both increase in summer? They're correlated, but eating ice cream doesn't cause shark attacks, does it? It's the summer heat that leads to both! Always remember: correlation is not causation."

Teacher (Slide: Skew & Outliers): "Sometimes, just a few data points can really mess with our perception of the 'average.' We'll look at how data can be 'skewed' or how 'outliers' – data points far from the others – can change what we think the data is telling us."

Teacher (Slide: Spot the Difference!): "Now, let's look at some specific examples. On these slides, you'll see graphs of the same data presented in two different ways. Think about: How do these graphs make you feel? What choices did the creator make with things like the axes or the colors, and how do those choices change the message?"

(Guide students through the examples on the slides, prompting them to identify the misleading elements or persuasive techniques.)

3. Collaborative Work: Telling different stories with data (15 minutes)

Teacher (Slide: Your Turn: Data Storytellers): "Alright, now it's your turn to be the data storytellers – or should I say, data detectives! I'm going to divide you into small groups."

(Divide students into groups of 3-4.)

Teacher: "Each group will receive the Data Set for Analysis and instructions for the Interactive Chart Builder Activity. Your task is to review this dataset and, using the available software on your computers or tablets, create two different digital charts. The trick is, both charts must come from the same data, but each should tell a different story or support a different conclusion."

Teacher: "Think carefully about your choices: What type of chart will you use? How will you set your axis scales? What titles and labels will you use? These choices are powerful, and they will help you convey your specific message. I'll be circulating to help if you have any questions."

(Circulate among groups, offering guidance, prompting critical thinking about their chart design choices, and ensuring they are using the tools effectively.)

4. Wrap-up: Group presentations and reflections (7 minutes)

Teacher: "Time is almost up for creating! Let's bring it back together. Each group will briefly present their two charts to the class. For each pair of charts, explain the specific representational choices you made and how those choices led to two different interpretations or stories from the same data."

(Call on each group to present. After each presentation, facilitate a brief discussion, inviting other students to ask questions or share their observations.)

Teacher: "Great job, everyone! It's clear you're starting to see how much power the presenter has over how data is perceived."

5. Exit Ticket: Data presentation and conclusions (3 minutes)

Teacher: "To wrap up today's lesson, I have one final question for you. On a piece of paper or digitally, please respond to this prompt: 'How can the way data is presented lead to a wrong conclusion? Provide at least one specific example from today's lesson or your own experience.'"

(Allow students 2-3 minutes to write their responses.)

Teacher: "Please hand in your exit tickets as you leave. Thank you all for being such keen data detectives today!"