• Created by: Taryn Shelton, NCSU DSA
• Grade(s): 8th – 12th
• Subject(s): Science, Social Studies, Math

This lesson is designed to walk students through the data-wrangling process. Students learn how to clean up raw datasets to get them ready for analysis. It is intended as a case study approach to encourage students to decide how they may want to analyze the data. The case study focuses on PFAS levels at various water collection sites along the Cape Fear River. It is a simple dataset with only 3 variables and introduces students to the CODAP platform for low-entry analysis. The Teacher Guide offers suggestions for group activities and ideas about their possible datasets that students can use to look for correlations and to build a data story.

How did it go?:
Using local data played a powerful role in driving engagement. Students felt a deeper connection because the information was directly relevant to their community. The local context encouraged them to take ownership of their learning and inspired them to ask deeper, more thoughtful questions. Additionally, by drawing and naming their own river organisms, the My River: An Introduction to PFAS activity personalized the lesson, built student agency, and made the data investigation more meaningful.

• My River: An Introduction to PFAS
• Student Self-Guided Lesson
• Teacher Guide

• Created by: Taryn Shelton, NCSU DSA
• Grade(s): 8th – 12th
• Subject(s): Science, Social Studies, Math

This lesson is designed to walk students through the data-wrangling process. Students learn how to clean up raw datasets to get them ready for analysis. It is intended as a case study approach to encourage students to decide how they may want to analyze the data. The case study focuses on the results from the 2021 and 2022 NC Surveys on Human Health and the Environment. These datasets are more complex, using Likert Scale data and a large number of variables (100+). The lesson introduces students to the CODAP platform for low-entry analysis. The Teacher Guide offers suggestions for group activities and ideas about other possible datasets that students can use to look for correlations and to build a data story.

How did it go?:
This lesson was presented to 8th-grade through high school science teachers during a professional development workshop. The teachers appreciated the community-based relevance of the data and the ease of use of the CODAP platform. They found the data cleaning process easy to follow, but did struggle during some parts of the analysis, particularly with making decisions about how to analyze the data.

• Student Self-Guided Lesson
• Teacher Guide

• Created by: Megan Lenaghan, Pioneer Springs Community School
• Grades 6-8 
• Subject(s): Math (primary), cross over with Social Studies

These paired lessons introduce students to the basics of public health data science through a hands-on exploration of survey design and real-world data analysis. Using data from a 2021 CHHE survey on social media use, students first learn what surveys are, why they’re used, especially in government and public health, and how to create and interpret simple data visualizations. In the second lesson, students use the CODAP platform to explore actual adult survey responses, compare them to their class trends, and reflect on assumptions versus evidence. Together, the lessons emphasize statistical thinking, digital literacy, and civic relevance.  

How did it go?

We had a very long discussion about whether or not YouTube was social media. They never thought of it that way, which was interesting. Some kids were surprised that adults were on social media as often as they were, and others said that their parents were on it more than they were. It was interesting to see the different opinions, even with the kids. I think the initial formatting was overwhelming, but they did well with explanations. You really need to laser focus on your takeaways and the strengths and growth areas of your audience. I will say, though, that they stayed engaged!

• Intro to Surveys
• Social Media and Policy

• Created by: Tommy Johnson, Carolina Friends School
• Grades 6-9 
• Subject(s): Science

In this interactive environmental science lesson, students take on the role of EPA scientists investigating a mysterious PFAS contamination affecting fish and water quality near a treatment plant. Using a hands-on plume simulation and real-world-style groundwater data, students develop hypotheses, test well samples, and analyze data to trace the pollution back to its source. Along the way, they learn about point-source pollution, groundwater flow, and the real-life health impacts of Forever Chemicals. The lesson integrates data analysis, critical thinking, and environmental stewardship, culminating in student-designed citizen science projects.

• Teacher Guide
• Student Lesson

• Created by: Craig Lazarski & Heidi Malloy, Cary Academy
• Grades 9-10
• Subject(s): Math, Science

This cross-curricular investigation engages students in both scientific reasoning and mathematical modeling as they analyze PFAS research and evaluate how evidence is presented. Students analyze a published study on PFAS uptake in lettuce to model how scientific inquiry is structured and communicated. They explore each section of the paper – abstract, introduction, methods, results, and conclusion – while practicing data analysis using the original dataset. Students compare their findings to the researchers’ published results and evaluate data visualization choices. Building on this model, they then design and conduct their own experiments (using salt as a stand-in for PFAS), analyze their data in CODAP and with AI tools, and present their work in the format of a scientific paper or poster.

• Teacher Guide and Lesson Plan

• Created by: Katie Sherman, West Carteret High School
• Grades 9
• Subject(s): Math I, cross over with Science

In this lesson, students are introduced to PFAS (“forever chemicals”) through an engaging party-planning game that highlights their presence in everyday products. Building on this context, students analyze real experimental data from NC State University to investigate how adding compost to contaminated soil affects PFAS absorption by lettuce plants. Working in groups, they create scatterplots, fit regression models, and evaluate residuals to compare linear and exponential trends. The lesson emphasizes statistical reasoning, collaborative data analysis, and the intersection of environmental science and public health.

• Teacher Guide and Lesson Plan

• Created by: Oana Risden, Innovation Early College High School,
• Grades 9 – 12
• Subject(s): Environmental Science, Chemistry, Civics

This lesson introduces students to the chemistry, history, and public health relevance of PFAS. Through guided notes, prompts, and inference-making, students explore the molecular structure and bonding properties of PFAS, their development and widespread use, and their accumulation in living systems. By connecting chemical principles with real-world issues, the lesson builds foundational knowledge for later data analysis of PFAS in the Cape Fear River, emphasizing both scientific understanding and civic awareness.

• Teacher Guide and Lesson Plan

• Created by: Oana Risden, Innovation Early College High School,
• Grades 9 – 10
• Subject(s): Environmental Science, Chemistry

In this lesson, students investigate the hidden presence of PFAS in common household items through observation, discussion, and reasoning. Working in groups, they analyze objects or images to decide whether PFAS may be present, justify their choices, and research safer alternatives. An extension allows the class to pool predictions into a dataset, create bar graphs, and discuss trends, fostering critical thinking about environmental health, consumer products, and real-world solutions.

• Teacher Guide and Lesson Plan