SIW Level 8 - Data Science

DATA SCIENCE SCIENCE DATA

This book belongs to:

STEM Innovator’s Workbook - Level 8 Copyright © 2026 Author: Erin Goodwin Editors: Asma Mahamedi, Lindsey Own, Natasha Karampela, Hari Mukul Sagar, and Rebecca McDowell ISBN: 978-981-17494-2-1 Published by: SKOOL21 PTE. LTD. 71 Robinson Road, #14-01, 068895, Singapore First Edition published by SKOOL21 PTE LTD - Singapore, 2024 Second Edition published by SKOOL21 LLC - United States, 2026 No part of this book may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law.

For permissions or inquiries, please contact: Email: info@skool21.org Website: https://skool21.org Address: 600 California St, #13-021, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States

02

Hello, STEM Innovator!

Welcome to your book!

📊 You are a STEM Innovator.

Innovator. An Innovator is a Data Scientist and an Engineer who uses smart sensors to find evidence, solve environmental problems, and protect our communities!

Meet Your Data Science Kit. Kit. Inside you have:

The Brain: The Databot, a smart multi-sensor device that runs your Microblock Coding to collect information from the world.

The Senses: Built-in sensors that measure Air Quality, UV Light, Sound, Altitude, and Tilt.

The Memory: The power to save your findings into .CSV files so you can analyze data just like a professional scientist.

In this book, you will:

Monitor Landslides by using tilt sensors to track the stability of hills and keep people safe from natural disasters.

Analyze Air Quality by measuring invisible gases to understand how we can keep our planet’s air clean for everyone.

Build a Maglev Train by exploring the physics of magnets to design the high-speed transportation of the future.

Earn Your Rewards!

As you master data collection and complex system logic, you will earn your Innovator Stickers.

Stickers.

At the end of this journey, you will receive your Certificate of Innovation in Data Science to show the world that you are a Master of Information and Technology!

Let’s analyze and innovate together!

Table of Contents S. NO

CONTENTS

PAGE NO.

1

INTRODUCTION TO THE KIT

05

2

LESSON I: USING THE TILT SENSOR

07

3

LESSON II: SENSORS

10

4

LESSON III: SAVING DATA TO A .CSV FILE

12

5

LESSON IV: CONTROL OUTPUTS WITH AN INPUT

15

7

PROJECT 1: AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS

17

8

PROJECT 2: UV-PROTECTION PRODUCT TESTING

26

9

PROJECT 3: JUMP COUNTER

35

10

PROJECT 4: SOUNDPROOF WALLS

44

11

PROJECT 5: GREENHOUSE EFFECT

54

12

PROJECT 6: LANDSLIDE PREVENTION

62

13

PROJECT 7: BLACKOUT CURTAINS

70

14

PROJECT 8: PACKAGE PARACHUTE

78

15

PROJECT 9: SPLIT THERMAL LUNCHBOX

87

16

PROJECT 10: MAGLEV TRAINS

96

17

PROJECT 11: BLIND SPOT SENSOR

104

18

PROJECT 12: CONDUCTOR CONVERTER

113

19

PROJECT 13: BALANCE BALL CHAIR

122

20

PROJECT 14: ALTITUDE SICKNESS ALARM

132

21

PROJECT 15: BIKE STABILITY MONITOR

140

22

CAPSTONE PROJECT: INNOVATOR’S CHALLENGE

149

23

GLOSSARY

155

24

INNOVATOR STICKER SHEET

157

25

STEM CERTIFICATE

159 04

Introduction to the Kit MEET YOUR DATA SCIENCE KIT! The Data Science Kit is an interactive learning solution that combines programmable mini-robots with real-world data analysis. It provides students with the tools to explore fundamental concepts in data collection, visualization, and AI-driven decisionmaking. Whether in the classroom, STEM labs, or extracurricular programs, this kit fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and computational skills.

SET UP YOUR DATABOT

Databot is a cuboid with 16 sensors that can send data to a free application called Vizeey for visualization.

Take your databot out of the package and locate the charging port, which is the side with a single port and has the “<- X ->” axis. It also will say “Power” in small letters on the printed circuit board (PCB). Plug it into a standard 5V source to charge for an hour to charge. The battery will last for 4-6 hours.

05

While it is charging, you can turn it on with the “on” switch that is on the “<Y->” axis side. The switch is very small and embedded in the PCB. The red and blue LEDs (labelled LED1 and LED2 on the PCB) should turn on while it is charging. Note that the device can be used while it is charging.

Look at the databot and identify where the different sensors are located on the cuboid.

The Databots Kit is more than just a coding tool—it’s a gateway to the world of data science, preparing students for careers in AI, machine learning, and beyond.

Let the journey begin!

06

Lesson I: LED Test

LEARNING OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: Understand what a Databot is and what it can do.

Connect the Databot to a computer using a USB cable.

Open Microblocks and install the correct firmware for Databot.

Load the Databot library in Microblocks.

Use block-based coding to change the LED lights on the Databot.

VOCABULARY Word

Meaning

Databot

A small cube-shaped device with 16 sensors and LED lights that collect and show data.

Firmware

Special software that controls the Databot’s hardware.

Microblocks

A coding tool that uses blocks to program devices like the Databot.

MATERIALS

Computer

Databot

INTRODUCTION 1. What is Databot?

A Databot is a small, cube-shaped computer with many built-in sensors and colored lights called LEDs. It can send and collect data and be programmed using a tool called Microblocks. This lesson will show you how to connect your Databot, update it, and create a fun light display using code blocks.

2. What is Microblocks?

Microblocks is the coding software we use to program the Databot.

It works like Scratch and other drag-and-drop coding tools.

You don’t need to type — just drag colored blocks to create your code!

07

GETTING STARTED 1. Connect your Databot to a USB port on your computer. You may need a USB to USB-C adapter or dongle if your device does not have a USB port, which is common on Mac laptops.

2. Navigate to https://microblocks.fun/run/microblocks.html in your web browser. You will see the Microblocks page open.

LOAD FIRMWARE

⚙️

1. Click the gear wheel ( ) at the top of the page.

2. Select “Databot” to update the firmware on your board.

3. Wait for the firmware to update, then press “OK” when it finishes.

LOAD THE LIBRARY 1. Click on “Libraries”.

2. Select “Databot” from the list.

3. Look for the green Databot menu to appear.

08

CREATE A TEST CODE 1. Click on the “Control” tab.

2. Drag out the “When started” block. This block tells the program what to do when it begins.

3. Create a simple code to make all LEDs the color of your choice.

4. Press the green “Run” button.

5. Look at your Databot and watch the LEDs change color.

6. Create another code to make each LED a different color.

7. Press “Run” again and see the lights change.

09

Project 1:

Air Quality Analysis INTRODUCTION If you visit a beauty salon, you probably aren’t thinking about being exposed to VOCs, or volatile organic compounds. However, unfortunately, products like hairspray, nail polish remover, and candles release VOCs into the air as they are used. Hairsprays release solvents, and nail polish remover contains compounds like acetone that quickly evaporate. Candles emit VOCs through combustion, especially if scented. These invisible compounds can be measured using a VOC sensor like the SGP30.

Invisible Risks in Everyday Air

How Do Scientists and Engineers Analyze Air?

Common salon products like hairspray and candles release invisible VOCs into the air, risking human health.

Long-term exposure to VOCs can lead to respiratory illnesses and worsen asthma.

(Source: CDC, 2021)

Cleaner Air, Healthier Workplaces Without Ventilation

Scientists collect and graph data to understand if the air is safe to breathe. We use measurements, averages, and comparisons to make smart, healthy decisions based on evidence.

DEFINE THE PROBLEM A beauty salon owner wants to test her salon’s ventilation to ensure that it is safe to use hairspray, nail polish remover, and candles inside. Can you program the databot to test the air quality and alert the client with an alarm if the air quality is unhealthy?

18

With Ventilation

Using science to reduce VOC exposure creates healthier workplaces and happier lives.

MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS

Criteria

Constraints

Your air quality analysis should: Your air quality analysis must: Report the VOCs in the environment Use only the materials provided Notify the user when the VOCs are Save the data in a file for later above an unhealthy level review

TEAM ROLES Work with your team to determine who will complete each role for this project.

Project Manager Resource Manager Project Communicator Project Tester

MATERIALS

Databot

Hairspray

Nail polish remover

Candle

Lighter

Fan

VOCABULARY Review the following vocabulary terms and their corresponding definitions, which you will encounter throughout this challenge.

Term

Meaning

VOCs

Volatile Organic Compounds, gases emitted into the air from products or processes and may be harmful

PPM

PPM, or parts per million, is a unit of measurement expressing the concentration of a gas in the air

Solvent

A VOC that contributes to air pollution

Acetone

A VOC that can cause eye, skin, and lung irritation 19

GETTING STARTED TECHNOLOGY IN FOCUS A 4×4 membrane keypad is a small input device that lets us press buttons to send commands to the Raspberry Pi. We can use it to:

Unlock doors using a passcode

Control a menu on an LCD

Start/stop devices with a button press

WIRE Step 1: Ensure the databot is charged. Connect the databot to your device with the USB cord.

CODE Step 1: Navigate to https://microblocks.fun/run/microblocks.html Step 2: Select the USB connection button and ensure the code highlights in green.

Step 3: Add the databot library.

Step 4: On start, setup the SGP30 sensor to let the program know you are going to use it.

Step 5: Create a variable named VOC to store the value of the sensor reading.

Step 6: Since the SGP30 has two values, first CO2 and second VOC, set the VOC variable to the second item. The “item” block comes from the “input” tab. Note that the colors of the commands match the colored tabs, which should help you locate them.

Step 7: Run the program with the green “play” button and then open the graph to view the values.

20

a) What VOC levels in ppm (parts per million) are unsafe for an indoor space?

YOUR

THIS IS WHERE YOU USE YOUR OWN THINKING!

CHALLENGE

Create a way to notify the user when the air quality is above an unhealthy‌ level.

DESIGN AND PLAN How will you make your program such that the databot sounds an alarm when the air quality is unhealthy?

TEST a) Go back to the 'Measure Your Success' section and check the boxes. Does your project meet all the criteria and constraints?

21

Yes No

b) While wearing a mask, expose the databot to the following substances and take note of the VOC values on the graph. Were they high enough to set off the alarm?

VOC after 1 minute of exposure

Nail polish remover

Hairspray

Candle

Inside, windows closed, no fan Inside, windows open, no fan Inside, windows open, fan Inside, windows closed, fan Outside

c) Put a check underneath the measures you recommend. Consider the drawbacks as well as the benefits of each measure. For example, an outdoor beauty salon or having the windows open may not be feasible in most places all year.

Outside

Inside, Open Windows

Fan

d) What else can a beauty salon do to properly protect its employees and customers?

SHARE AND DISCUSS Present your findings to the class and discuss the following questions.

1. What other consumer products would you like to test for VOCs to make sure you are using them in properly ventilated spaces?

22

2. If you discovered there were businesses near you that are not properly ventilating their spaces, what can you do to help the customers and employees?

MATH AND SCIENCE CONNECTION 1. The following VOC samples in ppm were collected over 10 hours in a study of two restaurant where chefs with and without a hood range were exposed to Without Hood Range With Hood Range VOCs. a) Predict: will the mean, median, and mode of these two data sets be rational or irrational values? How do you know?

b) Solve for the mean, median, and mode of the two data sets. Was your prediction correct?

1,200

350

800

250

2,000

600

400

150

1,200

400

600

200

900

250

700

300

850

280

300

100

Yes

No

c) What are the standard deviations of the two data sets rounded to the nearest hundredth? Why might one data set have a larger standard deviation than another?

23

REFLECT SUSTAINABILITY IN FOCUS Good Health and Well-Being (SDG 3) aims to ensure that everyone can live a healthy life and improve well-being. This includes:

Healthier eating habits

Community health awareness

Expanding healthcare access

1. How does your scanner help people stay healthy? Circle the correct answer.

Checks inside bodies

Grows plants faster

Makes food tastier

2. Which job helps mothers and babies? Circle the correct answer.

Obstetrician

Air Quality Monitor

Firefighter

Checks baby health

Tests air safety

Puts out fires.

FEEDBACK Show your project to 3 friends and collect stickers!

24

Try to model and print the solution yourself. If you are having trouble, look at the images below for guidance.

SAMPLE SOLUTION Try to come up with functioning code yourself, but if you need help, you may refer to the example below.

25

Project 2:

UV-PROTECTION Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

OBJECTIVES At the end of this activity, the learner will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the following:

Next Generation Science Standards Waves and their Applications in Technologies MS-PS4-2 Develop and use a model to describe that waves are reflected, absorbed, or transmitted through various materials.

Cambridge Science Light and Sound 8Ps.04 Describe how colors of light can be added, subtracted, absorbed and reflected.

ISTE Standard 1.1.c Empowered Learner Students use technology to set goals, work toward achieving them, and demonstrate learning.

Stanford Data Science | K-10 Big Idea #3: Analyze 8-10 Make inferences or predictions based on analyses, recognizing that the accuracy depends on the model and the data used to build the model.

Common Core Mathematics Expressions & Equations 8.EE.C.7 Solve linear equations in one variable.

Cambridge Math Expressions, equations and formulae 8Ae.04 Understand that a situation can be represented either in words or as an algebraic expression, and move between the two representations (linear with integer or fractional coefficients).

STEM Careers Connection

This project includes tasks that reflect the work of professionals in the following careers: Quality control technician

Researcher

26

Project 2:

UV-Protection Product Testing INTRODUCTION Though your polarized sunglasses might diminish the glare of the sun, they may not have a coating that blocks Ultraviolet or UV rays. UV sensors such as the GUVA-S12SD can test the intensity of UV radiation that passes through the lenses to determine whether the sunglasses provide adequate protection against exposure to UV light, which can cause eye damage such as cataracts and photokeratitis.

The Invisible Danger of UV Rays

How We Measure and Analyze UV Protection?

Eye damage can occur within hours after UV exposure without proper eye protection.

UV radiation is responsible for up to 20% of cataracts cases worldwide.

(Source: WHO, 2021)

Choosing Wisely for a Healthier Planet Without Testing

Unsafe sunglasses might let harmful UV rays reach your eyes.

Scientists measure how much UV light different materials block to check if they really protect us. We use math and probability to prove which sunglasses are safest to wear!

DEFINE THE PROBLEM The product review board would like to compare the amount of UV rays their polarized sunglasses block to other materials to ensure they provide significant and sufficient protection from damaging UV rays. Can you help?

27

Support responsible production by choosing products that work.

Using science to test UV exposure informs and protects consumers from harmful rays.

MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS

Criteria

Constraints

Your UV protection tests should: 1. Report the amount of UV transmitted to the sensor 2. Notify the user when the UV levels are above an unhealthy level

Your UV protection tests must: 1. Use only the materials provided 2. Save the data in a file for later review

TEAM ROLES Work with your team to determine who will complete each role for this project.

Project Manager Resource Manager Project Communicator Project Tester

MATERIALS

Databot

Polarized sunglasses

Non-polarized sunglasses

Reading glasses

Window

Car window

VOCABULARY Review the following vocabulary terms and their corresponding definitions, which you will encounter throughout this challenge.

Term UV Electromagnetic Wavelength

Meaning Ultraviolet, a type of electromagnetic radiation that has shorter wavelengths than visible light A wave that transfers energy The distance between two identical points on two consecutive waves

28

GETTING STARTED WIRE AND CODE 1. Ensure the databot is charged. Connect the databot to your device with the USB cord.

2. Navigate to: https://microblocks.fun/run/microblocks.html 3. Select the USB connection button and ensure the code highlights in green.

4. Add the databot library.

5. On start, program the databot to print the UV index to the screen.

Risk of Sun Damage

5. Run the program, holding the databot up to the sun, and look at the values.

Note: If you cannot hold up the databot to the sun while it is connected to your device, you may use the Vizeey app and read the UV values directly. However, you should still create the code so that you have it as a starting point for the challenge.

29

What levels of UV radiation are considered unsafe to look at directly? Look up the UV index scale and record your findings below.

UV Index Values

Risk of Sun Damage

CHALLENGE Design a system for the databot to signal the UV Index value through distinct beep or light patterns, enabling users to interpret the sensor readings directly without needing a computer.

DESIGN AND PLAN How will you make your program such that the databot can inform the user of the UV index range without a computer?

EVALUATE Disconnect the databot from the computer after downloading the code.

Locate the UV sensor on the databot. Notice how there is a hole in the polycarbonate case above the sensor. This is because polycarbonate naturally blocks UV. To expose the sensor to the UV, the databot will need to be held at an angle that allows the sun rays through the hole.

30

Hold the databot up to the sun first with nothing in front of it, ensuring the sun can get through the hole above the sensor, to fill in the control column. Then, hold it up with a variety of items in front of it to test their UV protection capability.

Options include: direct sunlight, non-polarized sunglasses, polarized sunglasses, normal eyeglasses, reading glasses, classroom window, tinted car window, and more!

Test Condition

UV index result

Direct sunlight Non-polarized sunglasses Polarized sunglasses Normal eyeglasses Reading glasses Classroom window Tinted car window

TEST Go back to Measure Your Success and check the boxes. Does your project meet all the criteria and constraints?

31

Yes

No

SHARE AND DISCUSS Present your findings to the class and discuss the following questions.

1. What other materials would be useful to test?

2. Which material had the most surprising UV result?

3. Will you change your behavior based on these results?

MATH AND SCIENCE CONNECTION Assume the UV Index UVI decreases linearly with the degree of polarization P of sunglasses. For a particular pair of sunglasses, the relationship between the UV Index and the degree of polarization is given by: UVI = 20 - 0.2P. 1. Find the UVI when the sunglasses have 50% polarization.

2. Determine the degree of polarization P required to reduce the UVI to 2.

3. Interpret the real-world meaning of the slope in this linear relationship.

32

REFLECT 1. How does your parachute test help sustainability? Circle the correct answer.

Uses less waste

Makes wind stronger

Makes things heavier

2. Which STEM career uses parachute tests? Circle the correct answer.

Fitness Analyst

Aerospace engineer

Chef

Studies step data

Designs flying machines

Cooks food daily

FEEDBACK

Complete the following sentence and practice saying to your friends: 1. I built a

2. It helps 3. One way I made my model effective was Show your project to 3 friends and collect stickers!

33

Try to model and print the solution yourself. If you are having trouble, look at the images below for guidance.

SAMPLE SOLUTION Try to come up with functioning code yourself, but if you need help, you may refer to the example that is partially completed below.

34

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Who successfully completed the STEM Innovator's Challenge Level 8 - Data Science.

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