Early Atlas

Skill

Draws Conclusions from Data

Child looks at what an investigation showed, draws a conclusion, and shares the results.

Ages 36–66 months

data conclusions inquiry communicating-results preschool

Why it matters

Gathering data is only useful when a child makes sense of it. By counting, comparing results to a prediction, explaining cause and effect, and telling others what they found, children learn to ground their ideas in evidence and to communicate conclusions through talk, drawings, graphs, or maps — the final and most reflective steps of scientific inquiry.

Builds toward this milestone

  • analyzes results, draws conclusions, and communicates results. — Head Start ELOF

Explore milestones →

What mastery looks like

  • With support, interprets simple data and states a conclusion, such as which group of seeds grew taller.
  • Compares the result to the original prediction and tells whether it matched.
  • Communicates results to others through at least one method, such as telling an adult, drawing, or adding to a class graph.

How to observe it

  • After an investigation, can the child say what the data showed?
  • Does the child connect the result back to what they predicted would happen?
  • How does the child share conclusions — by talking, drawing, charting, or pointing?

Accessibility

  • Let children show conclusions by sorting result cards or pointing to a graph rather than only explaining aloud.
  • Provide sentence starters such as "We found out that ..." to support children building expressive language.

Activities

Learn first

Evidence

Early Atlas