Understanding how scientific conclusions are drawn from data is central to learning about the nature of science. Many students struggle with aspects of reasoning from data, including identifying relationships among variables, interpreting graphs, coordinating theory and evidence, and not allowing personal beliefs to outweigh the data when forming conclusions. This article describes five activities in which students collect and analyze data with increasing sophistication. The second author implemented all five activities in her chemistry classes in a school in which almost half the students are designated as socioeconomically disadvantaged. During each activity, students collected data, identified patterns, collaborated in different ways, and justified their ideas, citing their level of confidence in their conclusions. Each activity helped prepare students for the final lab--Who Tagged the Bench?--which served as a summative assessment of students' skills in data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The activities, conducted throughout the school year, provide multiple opportunities to discuss how scientific knowledge is constructed and the intersection of science and technology. They also demonstrate that uncertainty is inherent in science and therefore the scientist's degree of confidence in the data must be reported. The activities align with the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013).