Teacher guide · Think Lab · Easier · about 30 min

🤖 Pet Data Detective

Pupils practise problem solving through "Pet Data Detective": Sort information and read a simple tally.

Lesson guide

1. Hook · 5 min
Show the 🤖 mission title and read the opening: "Pets voted for: cats 4, dogs 6, rabbits 2. Most votes?". Take three quick guesses.
2. Model · 5 min
Think aloud through the first step together. Use Cog the Owl's line as your prompt: "Good thinking. Show me the why."
3. Do · 10 min
Pairs work through the 5 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"
4. Discuss · 10 min
Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.
5. Reflect · 5 min
Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used problem solving today.

What was the hardest choice in "Pet Data Detective", and why?
Pets voted for: cats 4, dogs 6, rabbits 2. Most votes — explain your reasoning to a partner.
What is data — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Which is a fair way to count favourite pets — explain your reasoning to a partner.
Where could you use problem solving outside school this week?
If you did this again, what would you change?

Support: Read prompts aloud, pair with a confident partner, and accept spoken or drawn answers for writing steps.

Stretch: Ask pupils to create their own extra step for a partner and explain the correct answer.

Pupil sheet

Name: ____________________ Date: __________

1. Pets voted for: cats 4, dogs 6, rabbits 2. Most votes?
☐ Cats
☐ Dogs
☐ Rabbits
2. What is data?
☐ A type of pet
☐ Information we can collect
☐ Only a computer game
3. Which is a fair way to count favourite pets?
☐ Ask each person the same question once
☐ Choose the answer yourself
☐ Count one friend five times
4. Connect the clues to their meanings.
Tally → ________________
Category → ________________
Total → ________________
5. Invent a vote for three imaginary pets. Give each a count and explain which wins.