Data Visualization

Data Visualization is one of the places where art and science naturally combine– it’s a creative way to collect and synthesize information. Children/students can apply their knowledge and demonstrate comprehension without quizzes or worksheets. In its simplest form, data visualization is the graphic representation of data using color, shape, symbols, length, thickness, placement etc. It encourages children/students to think like scientists and collect data and then to use their creative brain to display it in a visually pleasing way. You can find examples throughout history ranging from Incan Quipus (a complicated system of knotted ropes historically used to store data or knowledge) to Natalie Meibach (a contemporary artist who makes large woven sculptures with climate data).

“Retiring Bob” by Natalie Meibach
Photo By Claus Ableiter

A fun example of a data visualization that you may already use is the 1000 Hours Outside Hours tracker. When you physically color in each hour you spend outside you become so much more aware of that time than if you were just making a list of numbers. Here are some more easy examples of data visualization:  

Graph of the bugs found en route to our Special Spot. We photocopied the original drawings to make multiples and then pasted them into the journal.
Try drawing four lines (tree trunks) in your nature journal. Record how many trees of each type you see (in this case: evergreen, bare branches, flowers and leaves in early spring) and add a line for each one you count.

Click here for an easy data visualization printable that you can download and try out in your journal!