9.

8 CSP Example Project #4

Name(s)_______________________________________________ Period ______ Date ___________________

Project Guide - Tell a Data Story

Background
Computing tools allow people from all different fields to learn from data. By transforming and visualizing data we can
find patterns that help us learn about our world.

For this project you will

● Select a dataset from the Data Library

● Use the Data Visualizer to make a visualization that helps us learn something interesting about the data
● Write a response that explains:
○ what your visualizations show
○ new insights or decisions that can be made based on this visualization
○ possible problems with your analysis including potential bias in the data or your interpretation

Tell a Data Story

Data Analysis Written Response

Process

Select a dataset from the Data Library. Read the metadata to understand what information is
available in the table

Dataset Name: Daily Weather

Short Description: Five day weather forecast for 100 US cities, updated every five days,
including a description of the conditions.

Did you filter or clean the data? Why or why not?

Yes, I filtered the data to just look at the state of California since that is where all the wildfires
have been happening this summer.

Create a visualization. Copy/paste the chart below.

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 9.8 CSP Example Project #4

What information does your visualization show:

My crosstab visualization shows that California is expected to have mostly clear sunny weather
the next five days (8/26 - 8/30) across most of the state. In fact, in all places besides the SF Bay
Area, at least four out of the next five days are forecast to be clear days. There is no rain
forecast in any part of the state over the next five days.

What new insights or decisions can be made based on this visualization:

This visualization shows me that the weather will continue to be unfavorable for slowing the
wildfires that are already burning in the state. The fact that there is no rain at all in the forecast
means that fire crews will have to continue to fight fires without the help of Mother Nature. If I
was in charge of coordinating the response to these fires, I would make sure to ask for more
help and reinforcements from neighboring communities and states because judging from this
data the fires may continue to get worse and the effort required to contain and fight them will
only grow in size.

What are the possible problems with your analysis including potential bias in the dataset
or your interpretation:

I am making assumptions about other conditions such as temperature and humidity. I am not
sure what those conditions are forecast to be and how they will affect the spread of wildfires.

There is also potential bias in what constitutes a few clouds vs scattered clouds vs sky is clear.
Who decides what percentage of the sky must be covered in clouds as the threshold for each
category? Depending on how these distinctions are made, there could be a bias toward more or
less clouds which could have an effect on planning on where to distribute firefighters to fight
fires.

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 9.8 CSP Example Project #4

Rubric

Extensive Convincing Limited Evidence No Evidence

Category
Evidence Evidence

Collect or Choose Data Dataset is correctly Dataset is correctly Dataset is correctly Dataset is not
identified and identified and identified and identified or
description is description is mostly description is description is
complete. complete. somewhat missing.
complete.

Clean/Filter Data Explanation for Explanation for Explanation for Explanation for
cleaning and/or cleaning and/or cleaning and/or cleaning and/or
filtering is complete filtering is complete filtering is somewhat filtering is
and reasonable. and mostly complete or incomplete.
reasonable. somewhat
reasonable.

Visualize and Find Visualization is Visualization is Visualization is Visualization is

Patterns readable and mostly readable and somewhat readable unreadable or
includes a title, and includes a title, and and/or is missing a missing.
citation. citation. title or citation. .

New Information: The visualization is The visualization is The visualization is The visualization is
Interpreting the thoroughly mostly explained. somewhat not explained.
visualization explained. explained.

New Information: Insights or decisions Insights or decisions Insights or decisions Insights or decisions
Insights or Decisions are reasonable and are mostly are mostly are missing.
effectively linked to reasonable and reasonable and
information effectively linked to somewhat
displayed in the information effectively linked to
visualization displayed in the information
visualization displayed in the
visualization

New Information: Possible problems Possible problems Possible problems Possible problems
Bias with analysis or with analysis or with analysis or with analysis or
potential bias are potential bias are potential bias are potential bias are
reasonable and mostly reasonable somewhat not addressed.
thoughtfully and thoughtfully reasonable and
addressed. addressed. addressed.

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