Science Data Analysis Progression

New Resource — Teacher Feedback Welcome!
These data analysis activities are a new addition to VST, built from feedback from hundreds of teachers. We’re continuing to improve them and would love your ideas.


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The Science Data Analysis Progression includes ready-to-use, graph-based activities designed to support whole-class discussion and independent student practice.

 

Each graph begins with a Gradual Graph Reveal, intended for teacher-led, whole-class exploration and discussion. Students observe how information is revealed step by step and make predictions before seeing the full data.

 

After the graph reveal, each accordion section includes three Depth of Knowledge (DoK) activities:

  • DoK 1 – Auto-graded multiple-choice questions focused on reading values and identifying information directly from the graph

  • DoK 2 – Auto-graded multiple-choice questions focused on identifying patterns, trends, and relationships in the data

  • DoK 3 (CER) – A free-response Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning task where students use data from the graph to construct a scientific explanation

Select any activity to open it in a new tab. From the student-facing page, you can copy the page URL or use the Embed button in the bottom-left corner to add the activity directly to your LMS.  A student CER guide and a grading rubric are provided above.

 

What is DoK?

Depth of Knowledge (DoK) describes the level of thinking required for a task, progressing from basic graph reading (DoK 1), to analyzing patterns and relationships (DoK 2), to written scientific reasoning using evidence from data (DoK 3).

Line graph titled “Speed of Sound in Water at Different Temperatures.” The graph shows water temperature on the x-axis, measured in degrees Celsius, and the speed of sound on the y-axis, measured in meters per second (m/s). As water temperature increases from 0°C to 40°C, the speed of sound increases steadily from about 1400 m/s to about 1530 m/s. The graph shows an upward trend, indicating that sound travels faster in warmer water.

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Step-by-Step

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Free response

(not auto-graded)

Bar graph comparing the approximate speed of sound in different materials. Sound travels slowest in air, faster in water, and fastest in solids such as wood, glass, and steel.

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 auto-graded multiple-choice questions

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 auto-graded multiple-choice questions

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response (not auto-graded)

Horizontal bar graph titled “Food: greenhouse gas emissions across the supply chain.” The graph shows greenhouse gas emissions measured in kilograms of CO₂-equivalents per kilogram of food for different food products. Each bar is divided into colored sections representing stages of the food supply chain: land use change, farming, animal feed, processing, transport, retail, packaging, and losses. Beef from beef herds has the highest total emissions at about 99 kg CO₂e per kilogram, followed by lamb and mutton at about 40 kg, and beef from dairy herds at about 33 kg. Cheese is about 24 kg, farmed fish about 14 kg, pig meat about 12 kg, and poultry meat about 9.9 kg. Plant-based foods have much lower emissions, including eggs at about 4.7 kg, rice at 4.5 kg, milk at 3.2 kg, peas at 0.98 kg, and bananas at 0.86 kg. For most foods, farming and land use change contribute the largest share of emissions, while transport and packaging contribute much smaller amounts.

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response 

(not auto-graded)

A line graph showing atmospheric methane concentration in parts per billion from about 800,000 years ago to 2024. Methane levels remain relatively stable for most of the timeline and then rise sharply in modern times.

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response

(not auto-graded)

Our world in Data Black Carbon Emissions Graph

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response

(not auto-graded)

Bar graph showing gallons used for different household activities. Baths, washing clothes, and showers use the most gallons, while brushing teeth and hand washing use the least.

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response

(not auto-graded)

Ice Sheet Mass Balance Graph

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response

(not auto-graded)

Moose and Wolf Population Graph

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response

(not auto-graded)

Relative Sea Level Change at Sewells Point, Virginia

Select a data analysis activity to launch in a new window.  

Gradual

Graph Reveal

Class Discussion

Activity

DoK 1

Graph Reading

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 2

Interpreting Patterns

5 multiple-choice questions

(auto-graded)

DoK 3

Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

Written response

(not auto-graded)