Teacher tool

Datasets for the data labs

Every data lab has a file ready to download, so students do not have to hunt for data. Each file is labeled Real (collected by an outside source) or Model (built for classroom use). Model data are never presented as real measurements.

Real data

Collected by NOAA, Open-Meteo, and iNaturalist

  • Realdetroit_daily_weather_2015_2024.csv

    3,653 days of Detroit high, low, and mean temperature (°C), precipitation (mm), and snowfall (cm). Columns: date, temp_max_c, temp_min_c, temp_mean_c, precip_mm, snowfall_cm. Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (gridded reanalysis; the grid cell is near 42.36°N, 83.01°W), retrieved October 2026. Licensed CC BY 4.0: credit “Weather data by Open-Meteo.com.” Used in Pothole Season and Fit the Line.

    Download (129 KB)

  • Realdetroit_river_water_level_annual_1970_2024.csv

    Annual mean water level of the Detroit River at Fort Wayne, 1970–2024 (55 years with complete data), in meters on the IGLD 1985 datum. Columns: year, months_reported, annual_mean_level_m. Source: NOAA CO-OPS station 9044036, monthly mean water levels (U.S. government data). Used in Great Lakes Water Level Data Dive.

    Download (1 KB)

  • Realdetroit_river_water_level_monthly_1970_2024.csv

    The monthly version of the same record (660 months). Columns: year, month, mean_level_m, highest_m, lowest_m. Same NOAA CO-OPS source. Good for seasonal-cycle questions.

    Download (20 KB)

  • Realbelle_isle_species_inaturalist.csv

    The 400 most-observed species in Belle Isle Park (951 species total) among research-grade iNaturalist observations. Columns: rank, common_name, scientific_name, group, research_grade_observations. Source: iNaturalist (inaturalist.org), retrieved October 2026. Observations are made by volunteers, so counts reflect where and what people photograph as well as what lives there. Used in Belle Isle Biodiversity.

    Download (22 KB)
Real data, seven more cities

Daily weather for the City Explorer

The same file format as Detroit's, for Washington DC, Savannah, Tallahassee, New Orleans, Nashville, San Diego, and Dallas: 3,653 days from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2024. Columns: date, temp_max_c, temp_min_c, temp_mean_c, precip_mm, snowfall_cm. Source: Open-Meteo Historical Weather API (gridded reanalysis; credit “Weather data by Open-Meteo.com,” CC BY 4.0), retrieved October 2026. Choose a city on the City Explorer to use these in the simulations and data labs.

Classroom models

Built for teaching, not measured

These files simulate realistic patterns so labs have predictable, checkable answers. Tell students they are models.

  • Modelhousehold_energy_model_2024.csv

    Monthly electricity (kWh) and natural gas (therms) for an illustrative single-family home, paired with real 2024 Detroit monthly mean temperatures. The energy values are modeled and are not DTE customer data. Used in Does Temperature Predict Energy Use?.

    Download (1 KB)

  • Modelheat_island_sites_model.csv

    Twelve illustrative site types (parking lot, park, school yard, and so on) with pavement percent, tree canopy percent, and a modeled mid-afternoon air temperature. Used in the Urban Heat Island Explorer.

    Download (1 KB)

  • Modelqline_braking_model.csv

    Assumed streetcar mass, braking force, and speeds for loaded and empty cars. These are teaching assumptions, not manufacturer specifications. Used in QLine Momentum & Braking.

    Download (1 KB)

  • Modelpeople_mover_stops_model.csv

    Thirteen stations with schematic positions (tenths of a mile, not to scale) and illustrative daily boardings, loosely inspired by the Detroit People Mover loop. Used in People Mover Route Optimization.

    Download (1 KB)

Citing and updating

Cite the original source (NOAA CO-OPS, Open-Meteo, iNaturalist) when students present results. To refresh the real datasets, the same sources are open: Open-Meteo's historical weather API and NOAA's CO-OPS data API both return CSV, and iNaturalist exposes species counts for any place. Teachers can swap in a different city or year with a one-line change to the request.