1st Day Lab Activities---Lori Suess

Density Determination for Liquid and Solid Samples: I really liked doing this lab. I do something similar but this gives a different tweek to using Excel and graphing data. I would have to get some different metal samples to use because we do not have any samples like these in our lab. I was wondering where you got the different metal samples?? Also, how many different metal samples would you recommend to use in a Middle School Lab setting? For middle school, I do like the repetition of the data collecting---3 samples---this allows them the chance to make sure they are collecting their data correctly. I also use the water displacement method in labs for volume. This would be more practice for them. I would have them record the mass, volume and density because this is something I already do in labs. I don't know if I would go into the Standard Deviation----it would depend on the level of the students that I have in a particular class and if they could handle the math calculations at this age.
Light, Brightness and Distance: In this lab our calculations fit what we expected to happen except at the very end we did have a different reading due to getting closer to a outside light source that was affecting the data. I have used some of the Vernier products before so was familiar with the basic set up. We did have to change our first Lab Quest because it wouldn't collect the data---possibly due to a low battery charge. Once we got it working the lab went fine. I think I could use this lab in Earth Science when I talk about stars and Absolute and Apparent Magnitude. It would be useful in comparing the intensity of stars and how distance affects the light we see from earth.
This 1st day was enlightening--teaching an old dog new tricks!! The math was a new challenge because I haven't used some of the calculator options before. That is why I have friends in the math department!!!! Keep crunching those numbers!! LSuess