- Definition
Data is information, like numbers or observations, that is collected to help understand something.
Asking five friends if they like apples or bananas and writing down their answers is collecting data.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Data is like the information you collect when you ask a question, like finding out everyone's favorite snack.
Ask your child: What data could we collect about the shoes in our closet?
Common mix-up: Kids may think data is only about numbers. Data is any information collected to answer a question, like favorite colors, yes/no answers, or how many.
Examples
- Making a chart of how many red, blue, and green cars you see pass by.
- Tallying how many people in the family are wearing socks.
data is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
- Grade 4 The Arts
- Grade 6 The Arts
- Kindergarten Kindergarten
- Grade 4 Language Arts
- Grade 5 Language Arts
- Grade 6 Language Arts
+78 more mentions across the curriculum
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
