Vernier - One to One: Student Directed Science Lab

Reflection Paper based upon the results of the students efforts. Project Description: Part 1. Topic Student Directed Science lab using Vernier software (provided by Vernier on each students MLTI MacBook) and the appropriate Vernier probe/sensor to collect data, allowing the student to conduct every phase of the lab. 1.a Goal Statement A critical piece of good science learning is to conduct, collate, and analyze data from a laboratory experiment. All too often students rely on the teacher to supply them with every facet of experiment. In order for students to obtain data that is essential to reach the anticipated conclusion teachers often have to give students everything. The whole process is often lost when students fail to understand the concept being demonstrated or proven by the experiment itself. Due to the easy access of the software (already loaded on their individual laptops as provided by Vernier) and the simple operation of the probe/sensor, collection of useable data should not be a problem. Students will have to establish goals for the experiment, discuss type of results they anticipate collecting and then required to discuss how the data supports their initial predictions. The teacher will only provide the goals of the lab, some background material and the appropriate probe/sensor the student will need for their lab. Project Overview: Rather like this assignment students will be told early in the semester that they will be conducting the student directed lab. Every semester starts off with many simple labs to allow the students gain understanding of motion and gain knowledge of how to use the simple software and equipment. Shortly there after they will be told of the assignment and allowed to pick from a long list of topics which one they will complete as student directed. When it comes time for that topic, the students will design a pre-lab, required to discuss that data and information gained and then design their complete full lab. As they have completed several prior to this, they know the requirements for lab completion.