Finding trends and patterns in data gives Grade 5 Computer Science students practice explaining what recorded values show and using that evidence to predict what might happen next. This worksheet connects increasing book returns and alternating computer club attendance to a central idea: a prediction depends on a pattern continuing.

The lesson distinguishes a trend, which describes change over time, from a pattern, which is a repeated or organized arrangement. Students examine examples that show why the same data can contain both an upward trend and a repeated numerical change.

From recorded values to supported predictions

Classroom library returns of 12, 15, 18, and 21 provide evidence of an increase of three each week. Computer club attendance of 8, 12, 8, and 12 provides a contrasting example of alternating values. These familiar contexts give students specific evidence to reference when explaining their reasoning.

Data interpretation practice also addresses decreases, the role of tables and graphs, and the difference between organizing information and deciding what it means. The reading explains that computers can organize recorded values while people still need to interpret the results.

Students consider how a special event or a different schedule could affect an expected result. They identify assumptions behind predictions and explain why new observations may lead to a revised conclusion. This emphasis gives teachers a way to address the misconception that noticing a pattern guarantees the next value.

What you receive

• A student worksheet featuring a dialogue, vocabulary matching, a cloze passage, diagram labeling, and an informational reading passage.
• Multiple-choice questions, true-or-false statements, brief written responses, and an extended response that compares the two examples.
• A separate Teacher Guide PDF with Learning Objectives, Teaching Tips, Discussion Questions, and Common Mistakes.

Build a lesson around evidence

Use the reading during a teacher-led introduction to data and information, then assign selected tasks for independent practice. Written responses can support a follow-up discussion about which observations justify a prediction and what might cause it to change. The comparison task can also serve as a review of students’ reasoning.

The resource’s value lies in moving beyond naming an increase or finding the next number. Students explain the evidence, state the condition under which a prediction holds, and recognize its limits. That combination supports both data literacy and clear written explanations within a Grade 5 computer science lesson.