Activities designed around packaged items such as toothpicks are used to teach students to identify variables, gather and analyze data, use statistics, and draw conclusions based on evidence. A computer database used to keep track of data is described. Curriculum extensions in writing, math, and art are included. (KR)

This document suggests that the activity described can be used from kindergarten through adulthood. The activity involves measuring, counting, categorizing, group processes, construction of computer data base files, construction and/or use of data tables, data gathering, making observations, the study of shape, the computation of area, the…