Help students turn science data into graphs - and graphs into clear explanations!

Data Detectives gives students in grades 6-9 structured practice with bar graphs, line graphs and pie charts through eight original science investigations. Students compare surface temperatures, investigate absorbency, track cooling and plant growth, and analyze habitats and waste.

Each mission combines graph construction with questions that ask students to explain what the evidence supports. Use these activities to introduce graphing skills, reinforce data interpretation, or review before a science assessment.

WHAT IS INCLUDED

• 50-page complete printable workbook
• 31 student/reference/activity pages
• Eight two-page science graphing missions
• Three mini-lessons covering bar, line and pie charts
• Six-question starting-point check
• Two Graph Repair Lab worksheets
• Sixteen review task cards and a response sheet
• Two-page final investigation
• Two-page, twelve-item assessment with a 20-point key
• Teacher guide and a 12-point final-investigation rubric
• Fourteen pages of answer keys with worked graphs and sample explanations
• Built-in scale suggestions, visual supports and extension questions

Separate student-only and teacher-only PDFs are also provided for convenient printing. These contain the same pages as the complete workbook and are not additional activities.

SKILLS STUDENTS PRACTICE

• Choosing an appropriate graph type
• Reading tables and graph scales
• Labeling axes and including units
• Constructing and interpreting bar graphs, line graphs and pie charts
• Comparing values and calculating differences and percentages
• Identifying graph errors and unsupported conclusions
• Writing explanations supported by numerical evidence

HOW TO USE

1. Begin with the starting-point check to identify students’ needs.
2. Model graph construction using the three mini-lessons.
3. Assign investigations for independent work, partners, science stations or homework.
4. Use Graph Repair Lab and the task cards for discussion and review.
5. Finish with the final investigation and assessment.