After reviewing the process for making proper, precise measurements via a bellringer activity, students broke into small groups and began a POGIL activity on "Significant Digits & Measurements".  We made it through 3/4 of the activity this period.

I must say, that even though this is only the 3rd activity these students have completed using the POGIL model, working collaboratively in small teams, each person serving a distinct role within the group, they have really embraced the process.  I am regularly seeing/hearing students keep each other on task, asking each other for input, explaining questions to each other, and generally maintaining a positive attitude about the learning process...things that I'm ecstatic to be seeing and look forward to seeing throughout the year.

We reviewed the main points of last night's EDpuzzle video assignment:

• Types of Observations
  
  • Qualitative observations speak to the presence or absence of a particular quality  (Example - The boy's shirt is blue.)
    
  • Quantitative observations refer to some sort of measured quantity (Example - There are 28 desks in the classroom.  The student stands 5' 11" tall)  - Note, the presence of a number in an observation does not necessarily mean that the observation is quantitative - (Example - The clock has a 12 on it.  This is not measuring anything, so even though there is a number present, it is a qualitative observation
    
• 3 Essential Considerations when Making Measurements
  
  • Know what quantity you are measuring (length, mass, volume, luminous intensity, etc.)
    
  • Have an appropriate unit of measure (appropriate for the quantity being measured, but also appropriate to the magnitude of the quantity being measured)
    
  • Have an appropriate tool to measure with (again, appropriate for the quantity being measured, but also appropriate to the magnitude of the quantity being measured)
    
• How to make the most accurate, precise measurement possible
  
  • Avoid parallax - error in measurement due to the position of the observer - by making sure that you are eye-level with and reading perpendicular to the instrument's scale
    
  • Read to the precision (number of decimal places) allowed by the instrument in use...determine the smallest increment given by the marking on the instrument, and estimate one additional decimal place.
    

Practice making accurate, precise measurements by completing the first part of the Measurement & Uncertainty Tutorial from Frostburg State University.  You only need to complete sections IA.-ID.

Students should be studying for their next element quiz on Inner Transition Metals & the "Other Metals" for next Wednesday using Quizlet.

Today: Element Quiz on the Transition Metals.  Next week's quiz will be on two groups...the Inner Transition Metals & the "Other Metals".  For tomorrow, students should watch the video "Making Measurements" on EDpuzzle (or "1_Scientific Measurements" if you are seeking it on the S: drive)

Following a brief discussion about detecting & avoiding bias in graphing of data, and taking a short quiz on graphing, we reviewed Scientific Notation.  We practiced converting between scientific notation & long (or standard) form, proper scientific notation form, and calculating with scientific notation.

Continued work on the "Organizing Data" POGIL activity.  Discussed situations where either a scatter plot or a bar graph might be preferable.  We will have a brief quiz on organizing/graphing data tomorrow.

Forming new groups, students began work on the next POGIL activity, "Organizing Data".  We discussed the need to organize raw data (usually based on the independent variable) to allow trends and patterns in the data to become more apparent.  As a secondary objective, we also examined how each team did with respects to the process skill "Teamwork"; each team's Process Analyst was asked to share with the class what his/her group did best with in this domain, as well as where they could improve.

Don't forget the next element quiz (on Transition Metals) is on Wednesday, 9/28.

Pds. 1 & 2 began with their weekly element quiz.

All classes then continued work on the Experimental Design POGIL activity, working towards completion of this exercise.

Meeting in the library today, students first took their weekly element quiz on the Alkali & Alkaline Earth Metal families. (Due to technical issues, Pds 1 & 2 were unable to take their quiz today, so they will take the element quiz on Friday, 9/22)  Students also signed up for an account on EDpuzzle (a platform we will utilize for delivery of content videos to be watched for homework)...students signing up should click here to create an account.

After registering for an account and being oriented to the interface, students continued working on their POGIL activity "Fundamentals of Experimental Design"

We reviewed the different roles that will be used within each team in our POGIL activities, and began our first POGIL activity, "Fundamentals of Experimental Design".  We completed up through question 10.

Tomorrow, we meet in the library for the element quiz; students should bring their element packets and POGIL packets for afterward.

Students viewed a series of short video vignettes and analyzed them for the process skills that were exhibited (both good and bad examples).  Tomorrow, we start the first POGIL activity; Wednesday will be the first element quiz.