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Qualitative or Quantitative Data

Sixth graders learn that some data is numbers you can count or measure and some is descriptions in words, and sort real examples into quantitative and qualitative.

Grade 6Qualitative or Quantitative Data50 minutes1 class periodCSTA / ISTEExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Define quantitative.
  • ✓Define qualitative.
  • ✓Tell them apart.
  • ✓Sort each example.
Essential Question

A dog can be described as 12 kilograms and 40 centimeters, or as brown, fluffy, and friendly. Both are data, so how do numbers and descriptions differ?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Sort the Data · Interactive

Sort the Data

Project this and sort each example into quantitative or qualitative — tap an example, then tap which kind of data it is.

📊 Sort each example: quantitative or qualitative data?Try it
🔢 Quantitative
📝 Qualitative
Tap an example, then tap whether it is quantitative (numbers) or qualitative (descriptions).
The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Numbers or Words?

5 min

You could describe a dog two ways: 12 kilograms and 40 centimeters tall, or brown, fluffy, and friendly. Both are data about the dog. How are the two kinds different?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Describe an object with numbers.
  • Then describe it with words.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Think.
  • Share.
  • Get ready.
2

Use — Sort the Data

12 min

Students sort examples into quantitative and qualitative.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Sort the Data.
  • Drop each example.
  • Explain each choice.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Sort.
  • Say.
  • Explain.
3

Modify — Gather Both

13 min

Students collect two kinds of data.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Pick something to observe.
  • Record one number about it.
  • Record one description of it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Pick.
  • Record.
  • Record.
4

Create — My Data Table

15 min

Students build a mixed data table.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • List four facts about an object.
  • Mark each quantitative or qualitative.
  • Explain how you decided.

🎒 Student Actions

  • List.
  • Mark.
  • Explain.
5

Reflect — Two Kinds of Data

5 min

Students reflect on data types.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • What is quantitative data?
  • Give an example of qualitative data.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and the ISTE Standards for Students.

CSTA
2-DA-07

Represent data using multiple encoding schemes and explain how it can be collected and used.

CSTA
2-DA-08

Collect data using computational tools and transform it to make it more useful.

CSTA
2-DA-09

Refine computational models based on the data they generate.

ISTE
1.5.b

Computational Thinker: collect data and identify patterns to make sense of information.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Data example cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is ___ because it is ___ .”
  • Sort two examples at a time.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with a weight and a color.
  • Sort one example together.
  • Sort all the quantitative ones first.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Turn qualitative data into categories to count.
  • Design a survey that collects both kinds.
  • Explain when each kind of data is most useful.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 📊Data example cards
  • 💻Sort the Data
  • 📏A ruler and scale to gather data
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

datafacts and information collected about somethingquantitative datadata that is counted or measured as numbersqualitative datadata that describes qualities in wordsmeasureto find an amount using a number and a unitobserveto watch carefully and note what you noticecategorya group that data can be sorted intosurveya set of questions used to collect data from peopleattributea feature of something you can describe or measure
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is quantitative data?
Data that is counted or measured as numbers, like weight, height, or how many.
QUESTION 2
Give an example of qualitative data.
A description in words, like red, salty, friendly, or loud.
QUESTION 3
Is the color of a car quantitative or qualitative?
Qualitative: it describes a quality in words, not a number.

Create: my data table.

Have students list four facts about an object, mark each quantitative or qualitative, and explain how they decided, so the two kinds of data become easy to tell apart. A printable data-types worksheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Qualitative or Quantitative DataFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Nice work!

Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Qualitative or Quantitative DataQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
0%

Nice work!

Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Qualitative or Quantitative DataPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: attribute, category, data, measure, observe, qualitative data, quantitative data, survey
  1. to find an amount using a number and a unit
  2. to watch carefully and note what you notice
  3. a set of questions used to collect data from people
  4. a feature of something you can describe or measure
  5. data that describes qualities in words
  6. a group that data can be sorted into
  7. facts and information collected about something
  8. data that is counted or measured as numbers

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is quantitative data?
  2. Give an example of qualitative data.
  3. Is the color of a car quantitative or qualitative?
Answer key — Part A: 1) measure · 2) observe · 3) survey · 4) attribute · 5) qualitative data · 6) category · 7) data · 8) quantitative data
Part B: 1) Data that is counted or measured as numbers, like weight, height, or how many. 2) A description in words, like red, salty, friendly, or loud. 3) Qualitative: it describes a quality in words, not a number.