In a world increasingly shaped by data, developing primary school students’ creative disposition toward data science is essential for fostering informed, critically engaged, and active citizenship. Creative disposition -defined as the inclination, ability, and sensitivity to generate novel ideas with data- is recognized as a core mindset in justice-oriented data science. The creative framing of data problems, inclusive ideation, and flexible representation are emphasized across data science, STEAM education, and design thinking, and are closely connected with related dispositions such as critical thinking, curiosity, metacognition, empathy, and collaboration. This study presents the design and implementation of the scenario “Fire Alert! We detect fires, we protect our future!”, output of the Data Science Education In STEAM For Civic Engagement And Social Justice From The Early Years (DataScEd4CiEn) project, involving 50 sixth-grade students (ages 11-12). Employing a qualitative, design-based research (DBR) methodology, the study explores the question: How does the teacher challenge students’ creative dispositions, and how do students respond to and engage with these challenges?

Findings indicate that the teacher effectively scaffolded an active, interdisciplinary, and civically oriented learning experience through:
(a) fostering critical inquiry and curiosity via problem-based learning grounded in real-world, open-ended questions that encouraged divergent thinking;
(b) linking creativity with authentic societal issues through the integration of data science, environmental awareness, and civic engagement;
(c) promoting technological innovation and design thinking through student-led ideation, prototyping, and testing of robotic fire-detection solutions;
(d) supporting self-expression through activities emphasizing originality, expressiveness, and audience awareness;
(e) nurturing reflection and growth mindset development; and
(f) applying evaluative tools, such as rubrics, to assess originality, innovation, design creativity, and civic participation.

Students meaningfully engaged with divergent thinking, valued working with complex, real-world data, and demonstrated increased awareness of environmental justice. The findings also highlight students’ development of collaborative agency, their ability to bridge imagination with technological application, heightened audience awareness, and emerging reflective practices around their learning processes, achievements, and limitations.

Keywords: Data Science Education, STEAM Education, Social Justice, Creative Disposition, Design-Based Research.