Escaping from a volcanic eruption in Year 5 – Analysing data in context.

The article focuses on a Year 5 STEM-based educational activity designed to teach primary students statistical investigation and data analysis through modelling lava flow from a volcanic eruption. Using a model volcano and the software TinkerPlots, students collected timed data on lava flow across intervals, then created and extended trend lines to predict the time for lava to reach a hypothetical village, thereby engaging with concepts of variation, covariation, and extrapolation. The activity integrates Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics curriculum outcomes from the Australian Curriculum and emphasizes the importance of data consistency, interpretation, and real-world application in forecasting natural events. Student reflections highlighted their understanding of data variation and the challenges of prediction, while the use of digital tools supported visualizing and analyzing bivariate numerical data earlier than typically introduced in formal curricula.