Teacher guide · Real Life Lab · Harder · about 35 min

📊 Data Detectives

Pupils practise problem solving and real life thinking through "Data Detectives": Collect data, make tables and spot patterns.

Lesson guide

1. 1. Hook · 5 min

   Show the 📊 mission title and read the opening: "Which chart best shows how a plant grows each week?". Take three quick guesses.

2. 2. Model · 5 min

   Think aloud through the first step together. Use Coin the Raccoon's line as your prompt: "Smart call. Money and time both count."

3. 3. Do · 10 min

   Pairs work through the 4 steps on screen or on the printed sheet. Circulate and ask "why?"

4. 4. Discuss · 10 min

   Use two or three of the discussion questions. Ask pairs to share different answers, not just correct ones.

5. 5. Reflect · 5 min

   Exit ticket: one sentence on how they used problem solving today.

Discussion questions

• What was the hardest choice in "Data Detectives", and why?
• Which chart best shows how a plant grows each week — explain your reasoning to a partner.
• In a spreadsheet, what does =A1+A2 do — explain your reasoning to a partner.
• Plan a survey for your class: what question, and how would you show the results — 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?

Adapting it

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.

Curriculum links

• National Curriculum: Computing: algorithms, debugging and online safety
• National Curriculum: Maths: money, measures and solving real-world problems
• PSHE: Living in the wider world: economic wellbeing — money, saving and choices
• PSHE: Health & wellbeing: keeping safe and everyday responsibilities