This module is intended for use by a high school science course. The project is specifically designed for a Chemistry course, but could be altered by simply changing the phenomenon that is being explored in the experiment. Students would be expected to complete the work related to this module at any time that is convenient for them, but a majority of the time committed outside of class.
The goal of this module is to develop students’ abilities to:
These are all aspects of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Science and Engineering Practices. For more information about the NGSS Standards, please visit: http://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/NGSS%20DCI%20Combined%2011.6.13.pdf.
The goal of this module is to develop students’ abilities to:
These are all aspects of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Science and Engineering Practices.
Objectives:
The most important aspect of any laboratory activity or procedural write-up is the safety precautions. When scientists perform a lab, they need to ensure that those performing the lab are going to be safe as well as all of the individuals around them. This week, you will be asked to locate or create a resource that helps inform your peers about laboratory safety. After posting your update and reviewing and commenting on others’ posts, you will be asked to complete a knowledge survey to ensure that you have the knowledge necessary to safely perform the experiments associated with this course.
Update:
Please create an update that contains a resource that can be used to inform your peers about laboratory safety and/or how to safely perform labs in chemistry class. This resource can be something that you create yourself or a pre-existing resource that you think could be helpful.
Comment:
Please comment on at least three other updates. In your reply, please identify similarities and differences between the resource in the update and the resource that you posted. Please also specifically identify aspects of laboratory safety that are included in this resource that you have seen missing from others (including your own) and items missing from this resource that could make it more comprehensive.
Justification:
It is essential that students are capable of safely performing a laboratory experiment before they are allowed to attempt to carry out a lab. For this reason, the inclusion of the knowledge survey is appropriate for this component of the module. The knowledge survey should give the instructor a clear idea of who needs more support and instruction regarding lab safety and who is ready to begin executing scientific procedures. There is a vast amount of information available regarding laboratory safety. A very large percentage of these resources contain accurate and useful information. For this reason, no media or resources are provided to students regarding this topic. Students should be able to find graphics, videos, explanations, and practice quizzes that they can include in their updates to help inform their peers. By allowing students to choose the resources they share, it gives them the freedom to choose items that they know would be most helpful for them as students. For example, if a student has a difficult time understanding an explanation of how to safely heat a test tube of solution, they could post a video regarding this topic. The knowledge survey also allows the teacher to ensure the resources catalogued by the students accurately reflect all necessary aspects of safety.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)
Objective:
Please review the following material regarding independent, dependant, and controlled variables in an experiment.
The video linked below contains information about definitions of the different types of variables and a roller coaster example to illustrate each type:
The following webpage has definitions of independent and dependant variables as well as examples of each and a helpful acronym (DRY MIX):
The site linked below includes explanations and examples of types of variables in both a math and science context:
The information found at the following link explains controlled variables and why they are important: http://www.visionlearning.com/en/library/Process-of-Science/49/Controlling-Variables/163/reading
This video provides an example experiment and discussion of the types of variables as they relate to the experiment:
Update:
Please choose one of the following options for your update this week:
Create a post that provides an additional resource that may be helpful in understanding, identifying, and/or interpreting. Then explain what information the resource contains and why/how it could be helpful. The resource may be one you create or something pre-existing.
Create a post that describes an experiment and identifies the various types of variables present in the experiment.
Comment:
Please comment on at least three other updates. In response to additional resources, please comment on their usefulness, strengths, and weaknesses. In response to sample experiments, please explain whether you agree or disagree with the identification of the variables, add any additional variables that could be controlled to increase validity, and alternative approaches/experiments that could be used to address the question.
Justification:
This activity allows students to learn about independent, dependant, and controlled variables in an experiment. It provides students with choice in their update, allowing them to take advantage of their specific skills in the creation or identification of additional resources. It also allows students to demonstrate their knowledge of the topic by identifying the types of variables in an experiment. The choice associated with this module along with the opportunity presented to students to be the knowledge creators and distributors are components emphasized in authentic and transformative education. Additionally, the interpersonal communication supports the students as social learners.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)
Objectives:
Please review the following material regarding the reliability, validity, and accuracy of scientific experiments.
Resources dealing with reliability, validity, and accuracy:
https://www.beep.ac.uk/content/573.0.html
https://explorable.com/validity-and-reliability
http://sciencehsc.com.au/2013/04/15/practicals-reliability-accuracy-validity-and-errors/
Resources addressing experimental error:
http://www.physics.nmsu.edu/research/lab110g/html/ERRORS.html
http://www.digipac.ca/chemical/sigfigs/experimental_errors.htm
http://www.ece.rochester.edu/courses/ECE111/error_uncertainty.pdf
Update:
Please choose an experiment, one that we have done this year or one that you find, and critically analyze its reliability, validity, and accuracy. Please also discuss experimental errors that would affect data collected in the lab. Then propose changes to that lab that could help minimize the experimental errors.
Comment:
Please comment on at least three other updates. In your comments please discuss your assessment of the reliability, validity, and accuracy of the experiment. Also, please comment on the proposed changes to the experiment and suggest other potential methods of revising the experiment to improve experimental error (the changes do not have to be “better,” just different ways to minimize the experimental errors).
Justification:
The review of resources then application of knowledge will, hopefully, help students in their understanding of reliability, validity, accuracy, and experimental error. The commenting portion of the module allows students to improve one another’s understanding by being knowledge makers in their production of examples. This aspect will also highlight the fact that there are often multiple ways that an experiment could be preformed or modified to improve results. By the conclusion of the week, the students should have access to a plethora of examples regarding the reliability, validity, accuracy, and experimental error associated with different procedures and lab techniques. This should be helpful as they begin to develop their own procedure in the coming modules.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)
Objective:
Please review the following material regarding the writing of scientific procedures for a lab report.
The following webpage contains information regarding the use of the passive voice in laboratory procedures:
http://guides.lib.purdue.edu/c.php?g=352816&p=2377936
The following site has more information about sequencing a procedure and the use of appropriate language when writing a procedure:
http://www.usyd.edu.au/learningcentre/wrise/chemistry/procedure/proc_sequence.html
The following document provides information about the detail required when writing a procedure in Chemistry class, including some specific tips and hints:
http://web.clark.edu/nfattaleh/classes/241_251/lab/f07experimentalguidelines.pdf
The link below provides an example and non-example for strong lab reports (careful though… the non-example is listed first):
http://homepage.smc.edu/gallogly_ethan/sample_lab_reports.htm
Update:
Use the following procedure to create a product. Then upload a picture of your product. Along with the picture, please include a revised procedure or a detailed procedure on the production of a different product. Post the picture and procedure as an update to our community page.
Procedure:
Comment:
Please comment on at least three other updates. In each comment, please attempt to provide at least two pieces of positive feedback and at least one constructive criticism of the procedure.
Justification:
This activity allows students to take a more in-depth look at how procedures should be written and the reason for writing them in such a manner. The creation portion of the activity will allow students to demonstrate their artistic strengths that otherwise may not come to light through the writing and communication associated with this module. Also, by allowing students to choose to write their procedure about any topic, the activity addresses each student’s unique background, experiences, and strengths.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)
Objective:
This week you will need to design an experiment that you can carryout in our classroom related to the factors affecting the rate of a chemical reaction and/or the rate of dissolving. Use what you have learned throughout this module in the design and communication of your proposed experiment.
Update:
Please create an update containing your proposed experiment. Include a basic purpose statement along with your detailed procedure and safety precautions.
Comment:
Please comment on at least three other updates. In your comment provide potential improvements to the proposed procedure. The suggestions you make should focus on improving reliability, validity, accuracy, reproducibility, or communication of the experiment. Aim to provide at least two potential improvements and two strengths of the procedure as it is currently written.
Also, feel free to post any resources you come across that you find useful or believe that your peers may find useful while completing this week’s tasks.
Justification:
This week’s tasks allow the students to explore and propose a procedure that will be the basis of their laboratory report. The peer feedback should allow them to craft an experiment that is strong enough to collect relevant data that can be analyzed for the lab report. Without a reliable, valid, and accurate experiment, the lab report would be difficult to complete. The communication and peer feedback also provides students the opportunity to learn in a social environment, supporting one-another and, hopefully, reinforcing self-esteem by providing strengths in each comment.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)
Objective:
This week you will need to carryout the procedure you created for last week with any necessary revisions brought to light through the feedback from your peers. You will then need to use the Creator space in Scholar to write a formal laboratory report. This report should explain your findings and contain the following sections:
Please use the information you have learned and acquired in this module along with the information provided in the project rubric within the Creator Space to guide your work.
Justification:
The formal laboratory report project allows students to put the knowledge they have gained throughout the module into practice. It is an appropriate summative assessment for the tasks that have been addressed throughout the course.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)
Project Rubric:
Objective:
This week you will need to use the feedback and annotation tool in Scholar's Creator space to provide feedback to the three people whose projects you have been assigned to review. Feedback will be assessed on its helpfulness to the creation of the final product. You are expected to provide both positive comments and constructive criticism in a polite and helpful manner. You are required to provide a score and comments for each section as well as at least three annotations.
Justification:
This week’s tasks allow the students to participate in a peer review of the first draft of the laboratory report. It will give the students practice providing both praise and suggestions for potential improvements. During this process, students will also be asked to make annotations on each work; these annotations may correct grammatical errors, provide praise, suggest structural changes to the work, or provide insight regarding ways to improve specific aspects of the laboratory report based on what they have learned in this course and/or what they know from previous experience.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)
Objective:
This week you will need to use the feedback from your peers to improve your work. Once the final product is complete, please use the feedback tool to explain how you incorporated the feedback you received and how you improved your product. Also, provide the scores that you believe you deserve for each section.
Justification:
This week’s tasks allow the students to use the feedback they have received to improve their draft. It also encourages self-assessment, reflection, and metacognition by asking the students to complete feedback for themselves. This weeks tasks will give students practice negotiating multiple opinions on the same topic in order to produce the best possible result.
Standards:
CCSS (& NGSS)