Ant Picnic Data Analysis

Grades 6 – 12

2-3 hours

Biology / Math / Statistics

Introduction to Ant Picnic Data Analysis

About this activity

When someone conducts an experiment they always collect and record data. For instance, when they count how many drops it takes for a solution to change color, how many nuts a squirrel hides in a day, or how many ants come to a certain food type then they are doing an experiment. The data alone is not quite enough to answer the research question but rather the data needs to be analyzed. For instance, if the question was whether squirrels hide more nuts on a cold day or a warm day, then you need to add up the nuts hidden per day, calculate an average of the nuts per day and compare the average number of nuts collected on a cold day to the average on a warm day.

In this activity students can try their hand at analyzing data using an interactive online platform called CODAP (Common Online Data Analysis Platform). The activity is directly related to the Ant Picnic lesson. Students can explore an existing data set collected by scientists around the world or they can add their own Ant Picnic data and use this online tool to compare it to the existing global data set. CODAP allows students to create and analyze tables and graphs and draw conclusions to answer their own research questions.

Curriculum alignment

Middle School Next Generation Science Standards Alignment
MS-LS2-1; MS-LS2-2; MS-LS2-4; MS-LS4-4
North Carolina Essential Standards Alignment (Science)
6.L.2.3; 8.L.3; 8.L.3.1
North Carolina Essential Standards Alignment (Math, 2018-19 implementation)
NC.6.SP.1; NC.6.SP.2; NC.6.SP.3; NC.6.SP.4; NC.6.SP.5; NC.7.SP.1; NC.7.SP.3; NC.7.SP.4; NC.8.SP.1; NC.8.SP.2

Here’s what you’ll need

Computers with reasonably fast internet access
“My Ant Picnic Data Analysis” Student Activity Sheet + Answer Key
Link to CODAP

Optional Extension Activities

Mini lessons
- Orientation to graphs — what a graph is and how to interpret CODAP graphs
- Reading data stories — drawing inferences from graphs
- Asking scientific questions — how to ask research questions
Tutorial videos
How to enter Ant Picnic data into CODAP — to allow comparison of your data to global data in CODAP
Biomes Student Activity Sheet — “Ants Around the World” with Biome Facts, specific to 6.L.2.3 standard
Presentation Guide + Rubric — students extend Part 3 of “My Ant Picnic Data Analysis” with class presentation

Directions

Step 1

Introduction to CODAP -- Watch CODAP Tutorial video with students.

Step 2

Distribute "My Ant Picnic Data Analysis" Activity Sheet. The activity sheet is divided into 3 parts; each part teaches a specific skill:

Part 1: Get to know CODAP -- Practice reading tables & graphs
Part 2: Build a Graph -- Learn how to manipulate data to answer scientific questions (optional mini lessons: Orientation to Graphs and Reading Data Stories & tutorial videos on how to change graph attributes, hide data points and organize columns)
Part 3: Ask a Question -- Learn how to ask a research question and answer it using a graph (optional mini lesson Asking Scientific Questions, also consider letting students incorporate their own Ant Picnic data (see Step 3) here)

Allow time for students to complete the activity sheet (Part 1 & 2 ~45 min, Part 3 ~ 1 hr). Every student will need access to CODAP during this step.

Artwork by Emilia Rubæk Holm & Magdalena Sorger © Natural History Museum of Denmark

Step 3

OPTIONAL -- If students have completed the Ant Picnic experiment: Let students enter their own Ant Picnic data in CODAP and allow them to answer their your own research questions by comparing their data to the global data set already in CODAP.

Artwork by Emilia Rubæk Holm © Natural History Museum of Denmark

LINK TO CODAP

Before you start (some helpful hints)

This activity works best when combined with the Ant Picnic lesson. It will also allow students to enter and compare their own ant picnic results to global data in CODAP. If you have not completed the Ant Picnic lesson, it might be helpful to watch the videos on the Ant Picnic website with your students.
Computers with large screens will work better – will eliminate excessive scrolling!
Please note that the CODAP website may load slowly depending on the speed of your computer and internet connection. If any section of the main interface appears blank, reload or reopen the page.
CODAP allows the sorting of columns (ascending/descending) by double clicking on the column title. Please, DO NOT USE THIS FUNCTION! It does not work properly and corrupts the data beyond repair. If a student uses this function and cannot undo it, they will need to return to the original CODAP link.

Ant Picnic Data Analysis downloads at a glance

Lesson PDF

Student Activity Sheet

Student Activity Sheet Answer Key

Optional extensions:

Enter Ant Picnic Data in CODAP

Biomes Activity Sheet + Fact Sheet

Presentation Guide + Rubric

Optional mini lessons:

Orientation to Graphs

Reading Data Stories

Asking Scientific Questions

About the Scientists

Dr. Magdalena Sorger is a postdoctoral researcher at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science. She’s an evolutionary ecologist interested in the diversity, distribution, and behavior of ants and other insects. More on her website theantlife.com

Follow Magda

Kristin Bedell is a doctoral candidate at the University of North Carolina School of Education. She is interested in how students make sense of their worlds through science.