Designing Your Own Experiment: M & M Lab

Transcription

1 Name: Teacher: Period: Date: Designing Your Own Experiment: M & M Lab Testable Question: State the question you are testing? (The I.V. and D.V. should be included in your question.) Hypothesis: Write your testable hypothesis. If (tell how you test the I.V.), then (tell your prediction about the D.V) Experiment Design: Draw and label an illustration that shows the independent variable and dependent variable. Independent Variable Dependent Variable Levels of the I.V.- List the levels you are testing. Constants- List 3 of the most important constants you kept the same during your experiment. Data Collection: Will you be collecting quantitative or qualitative observations? Highlight one below. Quantitative Observations: (I m going to measure my D.V.) Qualitative Observations: (I m going to record observations about the quality of my D.V.) Control- Is there a variable or group in your experiment that you will use for comparison? If so, what is it?

2 Method of Procedure: - Write a step-by-step procedure with illustrations that show and tell how to do the experiment. Once your flowchart has been assessed, corrected, and approved, then we will do the lab.

3 Data Table: Make a data table before you start your experiment! (The I.V. and D.V., with units, should be included in your table headings.) Conclusion: Use COMPLETE SENTENCES to answer the following: 1) What was your independent variable? What was the dependent variable? After doing the experiment, how do you think these two variables relate (How did your independent variable affect the dependent variable?)? 2) Look back at your hypothesis from the first page of the lab. Did the results you obtained support or disprove your hypothesis? If your hypothesis was disproved, what do you think caused the difference between your hypothesis and your results? If your results supported the hypothesis, what do you think caused the results to behave that way? 3) What factors related to the design of your lab or related to its execution caused error(s) in the results you obtained? How could you have avoided that error?

4 4) Using the answers to the above questions, create a well-supported concluding paragraph for this experiment. Include a topic sentence, supporting sentences with details from the experiment (including the information you provided above) and a concluding sentence to wrap it all up. 5) If you wanted to make the lab you designed better, what changes would you make in your design or procedure? What would your next lab look like if you wanted to extend this lab further?

5 7 th Grade Lab Grading Rubric Criterion B: Inquiring and Designing Category Task Indicator Very Low Low Medium High Very High Problem or Question Hypothesis/ Expected Outcome You can write a specific question to be tested Your hypothesis follows the if, then or lists the outcome in a clear manner No Not a question Is a question but, nature of the lab is not mentioned No Doesn t use if, then statement but makes a prediction Uses if, then statement but doesn t make a prediction of outcomes Question is missing details or reference to what is tested or Uses if, then but is incomplete in outcomes Question gives details as to what is being tested and Uses if, then statement with outcomes Experiment Design Your procedure follows a logical sequence based on physical properties Only sentence fragments used Written narrative is incomplete, many sentence fragments used Written narrative explains some steps or is not detailed. Some mechanical Written narrative is logical and explains each step in detail. No mechanical Variables Can explain variables and how they are relevant to our investigation Has variables but are incorrect Has either words or pictures to describe variables Criterion C: Processing and Evaluating Outlines variables with words and pictures with little detail Uses pictures and words to describe how variables will be manipulated and measured Category Task Indicator Very Low Low Medium High Very High Present Data Interpret and Explain Results Validity of the Hypothesis Validity of the Experiment Design Improvements Totals Your data table includes correct units of measurement and a main title. Interpret and explain results using scientific investigations Evaluate the hypothesis based on your outcomes Evaluate the experiment design Suggests extensions that are beneficial to the improvement of the experiment mostly incomplete or no data table to explain results missing all units and some data Partial explanation given or many No explanation or incomplete ideas Description of validity is not based on outcomes, many No extensions suggested or multiple missing most units but contains all data Interpretation and explanation is lacking some understanding, many Explanation of discrepancies are lacking, many Description is partially based on outcomes, some One improvement or extension is suggested or several missing either title or some units but contains all data Interpretation and explanation is mostly correct Explanation of discrepancies but no reasons, few Describes the validity of the design based on the outcomes, few Two extensions suggested or a few Data table includes all units of measurement, title, and is complete Accurately interprets data and explains results Clear explanation for discrepancies and gives reasons for them Clear description of the experimental design based on the outcome of the investigation Three extensions are suggested using complete sentences IB Level of Achievement 1 Very Low 2 Low 3 Low-Med 4-5 Med 6 High 7-8 Very High 69 and Below