PIT-BC Continued

During class on Wednesday, we wrote the instructions for our density lab.  I asked you to work with your table groups to try to come up with a set of directions on your own.  Then we used your ideas to create a master set of instructions.  Here are the links to the instructions we together wrote in each class.

Period 4
Period 5
Period 6
Period 7

Then on Thursday, we wrote a prediction for the lab, made a data table, and then started collecting our data.  We had to go back in our notes to remember the format we use to write predictions.  Here is a link to the prediction format and the data table we used for this lab.

Predictions / data table

Writing Instructions

The next section of our lab write-up is the instructions.  Today, we practiced writing instructions for a simple task so that tomorrow when we write directions for the lab, we can just focus on the lab procedures.  We started out by suggestion some general guidelines for writing instructions.  Here is what you guys came up with.  First, we thought that the instructions should be as detailed and specific as possible.  They should also be numbered, written out step by step, organized and in order.  If any materials are required for your task, the instructions should include a list of those.  Finally, someone in the last class suggested including pictures or diagrams to help make your instructions clearer.

Your goal today was to write clear instructions so that your classmate could get from my room (415) to some other place within the school just by following your directions.  Tomorrow, we will talk about any challenges you may have faced both in writing the directions and in trying to follow your classmate's.

Remember:
1.  Quiz retakes must be done by Friday!
2.  That's because grade reports are coming out next week.
3.  So get any missing work turned in ASAP.
4.  Dress like a science-themed super hero tomorrow and get some extra credit points.

PIT-BC Day One

Today, we talked about PIT-BC's.  A PIT-BC is a specific format that students will follow when writing lab reports.  This week, we will be writing a PIT-BC for a density lab.  We wrote the first section today, the problem statement.

PIT-BC Checklist

We also practiced identifying variables today using these Sponge Bob scenarios.  Remember that the experimental (or independent) variable is the thing we change in an experiment.  The dependent variable is what we measure to see if our hypothesis was supported or not.  The control is what we compare our experimental groups to.  We should already know what the results of our control test will be.  Without a control, there's no way we can know for sure that the experimental variable is the thing causing our results.

Finally, we took a quiz today over measurement and the metric system.  Retakes for this must be done by the end of the week.  Also, if you are going through the effort of coming in to retake a quiz, please spend some time studying for it.  Look through your notes, make corrections on your old quiz, read the blog, or just ask me to explain something better.  It is impossible to get a better grade on the retake if you don't do anything prepare for it.