Chapter 4: The Adventure Kit
Survey Says Coloring Page
"Asking questions is a great way to get data."
A clipboard with checkboxes. Some are checked, some are empty.
About this page
A humble clipboard takes center stage here, checkboxes half filled, a survey mid-count. This page shows kids that data can come from simply asking people questions and marking down their answers. Every checked box is somebody's voice, tallied. It is an easy scene to bring to life immediately, since a four year old can poll the family on favorite ice cream flavors before dinner. Surveys are also wonderfully hands-on and paper-based, a small win for screen-free STEM at home. The Squad is learning that gathering answers neatly is what turns curiosity into something you can count.
The research skill
The smiling clipboard on this page holds rows of checkboxes, some ticked and some still empty, with a happy pencil waiting for the next answer. The skill is writing a question with set choices, so every answer lands in a box you can count. Open questions gather stories, but checkboxes turn many voices into numbers you can compare. Chapter 4 uses surveys as a planned way to collect data. Classroom polls, sign-up sheets, and many research studies depend on choosing those answer options carefully.
Try it at home
Make a family survey on one sheet of paper.
- Help your child pick a question, such as "Which is the best breakfast?"
- Choose three answer choices and draw a checkbox next to each one.
- Ask every family member (and a stuffed animal or two) to tick one box.
- Count the ticks together.
Then ask: did anyone want an answer that was not on the list? That is how researchers learn to add an "other" box next time.
Talk about it while you color
- If you made a survey for our family, what question would you ask everyone?
- What do you think the checked boxes on the clipboard stand for?
- Why is writing answers down better than trying to remember them all?