2.4.
1 Assignment: Exploring One Column
Code.org: Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
The Data Analysis Process
For the next three lessons
we're going to focus on how
data is used to make new
information. Afterwards we'll
start thinking about how this
process is useful in many
different contexts.
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
Using Programs with Data
Programs can be used to process data to acquire information. (DAT-2.D.1).
The process of examining very large data sets to find useful information, such as
patterns or relationships, is known as data mining. Once data is structured in a
uniform way, we can write programs to store, process, manipulate, and visualize the
data!
Programs we can use with Data:
Tables, diagrams, text and other visual tools can be used to communicate
insight and knowledge gained from data. (DAT-2.D.2).
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
Tables
Programs such as spreadsheets help efficiently organize and find trends in
information. (DAT-2.D.5).
A common example is a spreadsheet program, such as Google Sheets or Microsoft
Excel. You can use these programs to record, modify, and organize data. If you're
using numbers, you can write equations and perform operations on your data as well.
You can also process text data using text analysis (or text mining) tools. Text analysis
looks for patterns within a written piece (anywhere in length from a clause to a novel
and beyond) to categorize or classify it. If you've ever had a program tell you what
the tone of your writing was, you've seen text analysis at work. Text analysis can be
used to sort product reviews, detect trends in public opinion and identify anonymous
authors.
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
Visual Tools
Data Visualization: the process of representing data in a visual format, such as
charts, graphs, or maps, to make it easier to understand and analyze.
Data processing programs can also allow you to make tables and diagrams, such as
line or bar graphs, to visualize your data. Creating visualizations of data allows you to
convey what the data means and to make trends apparent. It's much easier to see
positive or negative trends from a line chart, for instance, than when the data's sitting
in a table. This is especially true when a lot of data is involved.
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
Visualizations can help us:
● Answer questions
● Look at lots of data at once
● See patterns that are "invisible" if you just
look at the table
Today we're going to learn how to make two
different types of visualizations
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
DO THIS: Answer the question by typing directly into the box below.
Why do people make visualizations out of data?
To further understand the data.
?
Unit 5 Data → Lesson 2: Exploring One Column
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Which of these questions does this chart answer?
Highlight the correct answer
Question 1: What is the most common maximum lifespan of a dog?
Question 2: What is the fluffiest breed of dog?
Question 3: What is the shortest maximum lifespan of a dog?
Question 4: How long will my dog live?
Question 5: What is the longest maximum lifespan of a cat?
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Bar Chart: Used to show how many times each value in the column
appears and raises the bar higher with each count.
Information we can get out of bar charts:
● What value(s) are most common in this column?
● What value(s) are least common in this column?
● What is the unique list of values in this column?
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Let's practice making bar charts!
First, access your activity guide, by
clicking here: Activity Guide and
make your own copy!
Use the upcoming slides to assist
you with the guide!
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Do This: Make the Dogs Bar Chart Click "Visualize Data"
● Go to Lesson 2, Level 1
● Open the Dogs table in the Data Tab
● Open the Data Visualizer
● Set the following values
○ Chart Type: "Bar Chart"
○ Values: "Maximum Life Span"
● Once you've made the chart, help others
around you
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Do This: Fill out page 1 of your activity guide
● Make a bar chart for every column in the
Dogs table and decide if the chart is "useful"
or "not useful"
● Paste one of the charts you think is "useful"
into your activity guide
● Answer the questions at the bottom
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
This bar chart of "Temperament" isn't very useful because all of the values are unique.
In general if your column has too many unique values it gets difficult to make any sense of
them or find patterns.
There are cases where your column has many different values where a different kind of chart
is useful. Let's go look at an example.
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
This is the bar chart for "Max Weight." It's a little difficult to read
In the Visualizer, make a "Histogram" for "Max Weight" with a "Bucket Size" of 20
Prompt: Which of these makes it easier to understand the data?
What do you think the "histogram" is doing to visualize the data differently?
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Histogram: Similar to a bar chart, but first all numbers in a range or "bucket" are grouped
together. For example, the chart below has a bucket size of 20 so the numbers 41, 48,
and 53 would all be placed in the same bucket between 40 and 60.
Histograms can only be created with numeric data but can be useful when a normal bar
chart may be difficult to read.
Information we can get out of histograms:
● What range of value(s) are most common in this column?
● What range value(s) are least common in this column?
● What ranges of values do or do not appear in this column?
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Do This: Fill out page 2 of your activity guide
● Try out different bucket sizes for the dogs "max weight" and decide which
one you think is most helpful for reading the chart.
● Make a histogram for another column in the "Dogs" table and decide on a
range size that helps you find an interesting pattern.
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity Guide
Do This: Paste the link to your completed Activity Guide here. Click “Share”
and select “Anyone with the link can view.” Instead of posting the full URL,
use a descriptive title for the link. Ensure your link works before posting! If it
doesn't, your assignment will receive a zero.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N1sbMEuIuY_chf6XLlvxHykB6Vq59G
3jSbfP9cvs_wQ/edit?usp=sharing
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity
The Data
Analysis
Process
Prompt: Which steps of the Data Analysis Process did you see in
today's activity? Where did you see them?
Hint: There's one step we didn't do at all!
Unit 5 Lesson 2 - Activity
Key Takeaways
● Programs (like the Data Visualizer) can help process data so we
can understand it and learn.
● Charts and other visualizations can help both find and
communicate what we've learned from data
● Bar charts and histograms are two common chart types for
exploring one column of data in a table.
