Bootstrap: Data Science

What factors make some people live longer than others? Are more expensive restaurants really better? Is voter fraud a problem? What data would you need to gather to answer these questions, and how would you measure that data to get your answer? Answering real questions in the world involves analyzing data large datasets, from sports stats to record sales to census information. In Bootstrap:Data Science, students form their own questions about the world around them, analyze data using multiple methods, and write a research paper about their findings. The module covers functions, looping and iteration, data visualization, linear regression, and more. Social studies, science, and business teachers can utilize this module to help students make inferences from data. Math teachers can use this module to introduce foundational concepts in statistics, and it is aligned to the Data standards in CS Principles.The final project in Bootstrap:Data Science can be used as the Create Task for AP CS Principles!

If your department is looking to partner with local schools, districts or departments of education to broaden participation, Bootstrap can serve as a third-party partner that provides tested, high-quality curriculum and training – along with a decade of experience in the K12 field – allowing your department to focus on recruiting and supporting teachers and building local relationships instead of re-inventing CS curriculum.Bootstrap crafts research-based curricular modules for grades 6-12. Our materials reinforce core concepts from mainstream subjects like algebra, enabling non-CS teachers to adopt our introductory materials while delivering rigorous and engaging computing content drawn from CS classes at universities like Brown, WPI, and Northeastern. By leveraging the existing network of math, social studies, and science teachers nationwide, Bootstrap is built to scale. We work with school districts across the country, reaching hundreds of teachers and thousands of students each year. Most of our teachers have also attended a Bootstrap Workshop, where they received specialized training to deliver the class.