Data Analysis and Statistics are all around us. From understanding the median home price to the average rainfall in a year, "statistical literacy is needed by all students to interpret our world" (Van de Walle et al., 2013, p.435). When practicing data analysis, "data is gathered and organized in order to answer questions about the populations from which the data come" (Van de Walle et al., 2013, p.434). Data is collected from only a sample of the population, which in turn represents and is proportional to the larger population and allows us to make inferences about the population as a whole. This is what doing statistics is all about, and it differs from doing mathematics.
When teaching students about statistics and data analysis, we do it through the combination of Mathematics and the Scientific Method. This 4-step process involves: formulating questions, collecting data, analyzing the data, and finally interpreting the results. This is what educators should focus on as they are teaching Data Analysis and Statistics. Following this simple outline will lead educators to developing curriculum geared toward the CCSS.