Data can change — Data, 4–6 years
A record made at one time tells us about that moment, not always about every other time. Data, 4–6 years.
A record belongs to a time
Data is not always fixed like the number of wheels on a bicycle. Some data can be different tomorrow, this afternoon, or after a change. Writing down when we collected it helps us understand what the record is really telling us.
Why check more than once?
A single observation can make something unusual look normal, or something normal look unusual. People began keeping records over time because they wanted to notice changes instead of trusting one moment. Repeated data gives a fuller picture, though it still cannot tell us everything.
Watch the puddle
On Monday morning, a puddle has 6 leaves in it. After a windy night, Tuesday morning has 9 leaves. The two records are not a counting mistake: the time and weather changed. We can say there were 6 then and 9 later, not that the puddle always has 9 leaves.
One moment is not always
A reasonable mistake is to treat the first number we see as the number forever. We often assume a toy box, a plate, or a room stays the same because it looks still. Ask when the data was collected and whether something could have changed before making a bigger claim.
Notice changes around you
People record the temperature each day, the height of a growing plant, or the number of eggs in a nest over time. These records help them see whether something is changing. They must still remember that one garden, plant, or nest may not represent every one.
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