More on Lab Reports: Can You Make Two Grams?

Formal lab reports should be type-written; some instructors even dictate the font and type face. The first item is the title, usually centered on the first page.  Next, is a section with background information about the lab.  For example, a report on a stoichiometry lab should include an explanation of stoichiometry, and for this lab, precipitates.  Lab reports have several pitfalls; one is that too often background information is lifted, cut and pasted into the report instead of being paraphrased or quoted.

The materials and procedures should be written in complete sentences rather than bullet points.  For example, "The materials include the following: two beakers, a glass stirring rod, 50 mL of distiller water, a filtration assembly, and 2.9 grams of calcium chloride."  Note that ideally the report is written in the third person, present tense, active voice, and indicative mood.  Students may use the past tense instead.

The balanced chemical equation may be neatly hand written; typing in subscripts and formulas can bring students to tears.  Some of my students have simply written the word eqypuation in their reports.

The results should be concise.  For example, "There are 2.4 grams of precipitate."  Explanations, possible sources of error are confined to the discussion.  If more than two grams of precipitate are recovered, one potential source of error is that the precipitate is still wet or the mass includes the filter paper.

One standard conclusion is "More study is indicated."  Students might conclude that more trials are indicated or a different combination would produce more precipitate; the acetates are always tricky.

Kids find lab reports onerous.  I assign mine to coincide with their two least favorite labs.  Then, they won't hate lab, just stoichiometry.

Lab Reports

Students should be able to write a formal lab report.  I have my chemistry students write two formal reports: Can You Make 2 Grams? and Leftover Aluminum Wire.  Below is a score sheet for the lab report and a sample of the background portion of the lab.  (I am sorry to have to use such a clumsy work around to post these two documents.)  The students should explain the underlying science, use complete sentences, provide a balanced equation, include the materials and procedures, cite the results, be able to discuss possible sources of error, and draw conclusions.




Leftover Aluminum Wire

Apologia Chemistry Atomic Theory

Snow, Science Fair, and flu have contrived to impede our progress in Chemistry.  The kids bogged down in Stoichiometry and we are finally clawing ourselves out.  We are scheduling extra classes to catch up because we want to finish by the end of May; June is already packed with camps, the church yard sale, and VBS.  We are going to start Atomic Theory.  My kids are creating a time-line of scientists who contributed to the development of Atomic theory and Quantum theory.  The time-line must be done to scale and include the following: birth date, death, and major contribution.  I have my kids create one or two time-lines to ensure they know how to make one.  Students can use Online timeline technology, Excel, or a sheet of graph paper.  I usually have the kids work out the timeline in pencil on a sheet of graph paper and encourage them to color code the different scientists.

Apologia and WA: Physics Fun

These labs are terrific for Physics demonstrations or Science camp!

The Physical Science classes are still working on forces.  After the kids finished a concept map and more problem sets, they did several fun labs.

Shenandoah Regional Science Fair

The kids had a great experience at the Shenandoh Regional Science Fair.  Look here for some photos on Pinterest Board.  It was a long day.  Doreen Devore at James Madison University does an outstanding job recruiting judges, organizing the categories, providing yummy treats.  Kudos!

Apologia: Physical Science Physics Resources

Readers may appreciate some sources for Physics materials appropriate to Physical Science.  Apologia's Young Explorers Chemistry and Physics text for Middle ?School has clear text and simple experiments.  I encourage students to read elementary books if the material is confusing; often then, the information in a higher level text is easier to understand.  NSTA's Take Home Physics book has loads of simple labs.  The web site has a sample.  Ask your library to see if they can get a copy through an inter library loan because the book retails for around $25.

TOPS Science is another place for top notch materials.  The authors once worked with the Peace Corps and developed high quality science experiments that use simple materials.  I use the Electricity and Magnetism manuals for Physical Science and let the kids work through the activities.  Many home-school families use their manuals to teach the majority of elementary science.

For exciting, original experiments, it is hard to beat Steve Spangler Science.  Steve has excellent videos and kits to buy.  Another favorite for supplies and cool materials is Educational Innovations.  The prices are very fair.  Check out this site for balancing birds and the soda bottle balance board, perfect for Center of Gravity.

Another reliable source for cool Physics demonstrations or activities is The Exploratorium; posted here, is an idea to use a meter stick to demonstrate center of gravity.

One last tip.  Every summer, I host a science camp at my church.  Last year's theme was Mad Science.  Check out my Pinterest board.  You might be interested in the Discrepent Events board, too, which depict a range of Physics principles.

Apologia and WA: Physical Science More Physics

I try to locate activities for every key concept.  Apologia's Young Explorers: Chemistry and Physics has a number of interesting activities for Forces and Motion, such as a balloon and penny to demonstrate centripetal force.

M

Rocket balls are a terrific way to demonstrate momentum or simply a transfer of energy.  

Another fun activity is Egg Toss, or Egg Throw.  Kids love this!  You can throw a raw egg as hard as you like against a sheet and it will not break.

Why? https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090203182517AA4PB7Z

WA and Apologia: More Physics Activities for Physical Science

I like to locate labs or activities that connect to discrete concepts.  The more, the better.  Newton's First Law Lab has several of the activities in the Young Explorer and Apologia's texts.  One simple activity from Young Explorers is to blow up and release a balloon to watch the direction the balloon sails around the room.

Newton's Third Law labs often have some type of rocket, such as Experiment 10.4 from Apologia and Chapter Investigation in McDougall.

NASA Quest has an excellent overview for kids, too.

Apologia and WA: Physical Science Forces Lab Activities

Years ago I taught when I taught Physical Science at another private school, my colleagues regularly reviewed the entire science curriculum in terms of the AAAS Benchmarks and NSTA standards, now incorporated in to The Next Generation Science Standards.  Most of Physical Science is an introduction to Chemistry and Physics.  The Physics teacher, Charles, felt that the kids should be well grounded in classic Newtonian Physics in the Physical Science course along with the foundations of electricity and magnetism.  So, my Physical Science course is evenly divided between Kiddie Chemistry and Kiddie Physics. (Apologia also has an Earth Science component.)  I end up spending a great deal of time on Motion and Forces because kids will need these ideas for Physics and Earth Science.

Now for the activities.  My references are Apologia's Physical Science text, the Middle School Exploring Creation with Chemistry and Physics, McDougall-Littell's Physical Science, and NSTA's Take Home Physics.  McDougall has an introduction to Forces with two activities, Popping Ping Pong Balls and Take Off!  The ping pong ball mini lab demonstrates the relation ship between force, mass, and acceleration.  Take off! shows how forces work in pairs or the idea of action reaction.

Both Apologia and McDougall have activities with a paper plate or pie plate and marbles to investigate Motion and Force.  (I chalk the marble.). Apologia uses this lesson as an example of Newton's First Law and McDougall uses it to demonstrate circular motion.

If you have not done the ball drops, now is the time!  We drop and time several different balls: golf, bouncy, tennis, foam, etc from the same height and time the drop with a stop watch.  The objects should land at the same time, owing to gravity.  My kids discuss potential sources of error, such as the lag between the drop and hitting the timer.  The more ball drops, the better to see that the time is roughly the same.

Next up are a series of lesson which demonstrate more Physics principles.

Apologia and WA: Physical Science Forces

After the kids create a concept map I check it and ask them to explain their reasoning.  I review terms, formulas, and units orally with the kids frequently, such as asking for the unit for velocity or acceleration.   Usually, I would do a series of fun labs or activities before tackling problem sets.  This material is Physics and hard!  The formulas, symbols, and ideas slip out of their minds like sieves.  So, I promise the activities after some problem sets.  We allow notes and calculators; I bring out a set and allow the kids to use cell phone calculators, too.  Now is the time to explain that p is the symbol for momentum and that a Newton is a unit of force.  My kids are plowing through this Physical Science Forces and Motion Worksheet.  I use similar problem sets as quizzes, too.  The problems take time to calculate, review, and correct.  The kids work at different speeds.  As the kids finish, I circle incorrect problems to recalculate, including the correct units.  This process allows me to work individually and monitor progress.  Typically, a strong student will finish quickly and then help another class mate who is struggling.   Now, the kids can do a bunch of fun activities.

WA and Apologia: Physical Science Forces

My classes at WA, a small private school, meet two days per week with double classes.  My home-school group meets one morning a week for three hours.  Both classes have been hit by snow, Science Fair, ice, vacations, flu, and general inertia.  Consequently, both groups spent an inordinate amount of time on motion.  The other big issue is math.  Students are generally reluctant to drag their math skills into their science classes.  Every time the kids miss a class, it takes time to review even briefly the last lesson or two before proceeding.  At last both groups have begun to study Forces.  The first step is to review the terms, formulas, and units.  I made idex cards which had all the vocabulary, units, and key concepts for Motion and Forces.  The kids can arrange the cards into a concept map on the table or floor or online using IHMC free concept mapping software.  I think the kids need to understand the terms and how they relate to the formulas all while identifying the correct units.

IHMC