Avatar Maker · Lesson 2
Lesson 2: The Data Dojo
Students explore what counts as data and sort cat data cards across three rounds — reading dot plots, bar charts, and heatmaps and describing center and range.
Class time
about 50 minutes
Prep time
about 20 minutes the night before
Lesson
Lesson 2 of 5
Adventure
Student Objectives
I can…
- ✓ I can show that many things can count as data, like graphs, photos, or words.
- ✓ I can identify and read a dot plot, bar chart, and simple heatmap.
- ✓ I can calculate the mean (average) to describe the center of the data.
- ✓ I can describe the minimum and maximum values within a dataset and the range.
At a Glance
Total: about 50 minutes| Section | Time | Slides | What happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Welcome & Grounding | 5 min | 3 | Daily warm-up. Give students the Data Habits of Mind tracker to use throughout the week, or hang them as posters / display on screen. Students read two of the Data Habits of Mind and connect to one by choosing a question to answer in their journal or notebook. |
| Agenda & Classroom Agreements | 2 min | 4–5 | Walk through the agenda for the day and revisit the classroom agreements before students move into the sorting rounds. |
| Introducing the Basics of Data | 10 min | 6–11 | Orient students to the basics of data. Different students and grade levels learn about data at different times, so this lesson gives everyone the foundation to succeed in Lesson 3, where they explore the Dataverse and analyze avatar data in pairs. Topics: defining data, categorical vs. numerical data, and reading a data card and bar chart. |
| Round 1 — Sorting by Category | 10 min | 12–16 | Review the Round 1 directions and an example of sorting cards by a categorical value. Form small groups of 2–3, pass out a Round 1 direction set (class set) and a set of Cat Data Cards (5–9 per group), and have students sort the cards by a categorical variable. When the timer ends, invite a few groups to share how they sorted. See slide notes for tips. |
| Round 2 — Numeric Data, Range & Mean | 15 min | 17–24 | Prepare students by reviewing the numeric-data slides (~7 min). Groups then sort and analyze their cards by a numeric variable, describing the range and computing the mean. A Round 2 handout summarizes how to work with numeric data. |
| Round 3 — Reading a Histogram | 5 min | 25–28 | If time permits, or for early finishers: have students figure out how the data cards are sorted in the histogram and apply the correct labels on their group handout. |
| Reflection & Closing Ritual | 5 min | 29 | Students reflect on how they used the Data Habits of Mind and the Graphic Organizer. The organizer serves as a tracker to record reflections across the different Data Adventures. |
Materials & Prep
- Data Case Card · 1 per student (print 2 per page, cut in half)
- Avatar Build Card · 1 per student (print 2 per page, cut in half)
- Cat Data Cards · 1 set per group (5–9 cards per group of 2–3 students)Used across all three sorting rounds.
- Round 1 Directions · Class set
- Round 2 Handout · 1 per groupSummarizes working with numeric data; also used to label the histogram in Round 3.
Gather
- Data Habits of Mind Tracker / PosterCarried over from Lesson 1. Use as student trackers, hang as posters, or display on screen.
- Graphic OrganizerReflection tracker that records student thinking across the Data Adventures.
- Optional supportsNoise-reducing headphones, pause cards, sentence frames, bilingual vocabulary cards, and examples of completed avatars.
Digital
- Slide DeckNeeds a computer with sound, a projector, and internet access.
- Avatar Data Google FormPrint or set up access. Student tools can also be shared as a Hyperdoc.
Before You Teach
- ☐Print the Data Case Card and Avatar Build Card (2 students per page, cut in half).
- ☐Print or set up access to the Avatar Data Google Form.
- ☐Prepare your own avatar to model for students.
- ☐Review the slide deck.
Open slide deck to project launches the fullscreen slideshow in a new tab. Open with speaker notes opens the deck in Google Slides with the speaker-notes pane below each slide — read these to prep, or open presenter view while projecting. The preview above is just a quick look.
A note on this lesson
Lesson 2 builds directly on Day 1: students move from making a single avatar to thinking about data more broadly — what counts as data, how it can be represented, and where it comes from. The heart of the lesson is the three sorting rounds, where pairs and trios work hands-on with the Cat Data Cards to sort by category (Round 1), reason about numeric values, range, and mean (Round 2), and read a histogram (Round 3).
This lesson is also the on-ramp to Lesson 3. The “basics of data” stretch near the top gives every student the shared vocabulary — categorical vs. numerical data, reading a data card and bar chart — they’ll need when they explore the Dataverse and analyze avatar data on the computer.
What to watch for
- Pacing across the rounds. Round 2 carries the most weight (15 minutes) and the most new ideas (range and mean). Protect that time; Round 3 is designed to flex for early finishers if the clock gets tight.
- Mixed prior knowledge. Students arrive having met data at different points in their schooling. Lean on the slide-6–11 orientation so no one is lost when the numeric work begins.
- Group size. Keep groups to 2–3 so every student handles the cards. Hand each group 5–9 Cat Data Cards rather than the full set.
- Sentence frames and vocabulary supports. Have the optional supports ready for students who need a scaffold to describe a sort or explain the mean.
After class
Collect the group handouts and reflections, and note any pacing or comfort issues to share with the project team. Students will build on this work when they move into the Dataverse in Lesson 3.