I. Basic
Knowledge of Scientific Measurement and Resource
Included in this section are topics
of measurement, definition and documentation. Also, the subject
of research is an essential component of science. Without such
a component the most explanatory theories would not have come to
fruition. This section will also breakdown the scientific research
method and simplify its segments.
Lessons:
Measurement
Length, volume, density
Units of measurement
Accuracy and exponential notation
How to record measurements
Measurement
Purpose:
To review
the basic rules of measuring in length, volume, and density especially
with live ocean subjects such as fish and ocean plants.
Background Information: Pure scientific
data begins with a measurement. Whether it is with a spectrograph
to measure light or a ruler to measure length, measurements are
the simplest and most basic type of data. In these lessons and
project samples, simple measurements such as length and volume
were measured by and therefore, as we all know subject to error
especially if not done correctly. Other measurements in this high
school unit were done by computer based detection kits and therefore
not a susceptible to random errors.
Objective: The students
will be able to perform correct measurements of length and volume
of marine life in 95% of the trials.
Materials:
Overhead of a large
ruler with both English and metric system units
Rigid Ruler with both
English and metric system enough for each student
Soft ruler with both
English and metric system enough for each student
Medium-large sized test
tube 10-15
100ml flask 10-15
Procedure:
explain briefly to the class
the use of a ruler with both English and metric measurements.
This may be elementary and redundant to your students but it
is shocking the amount of 15 year olds that do not know how
to use a ruler or how to read one.
on the English side of the ruler
each major line must be rehearsed either once or as many times
as needed. This means actually pointing to the ruler or overhead
black line master of a ruler and saying: “this is an inch,
this is 1/4, this is 1/2, this is 3/4, and this is another
inch.”
on the metric side, the same
is done with millimeters, centimeters and decimeter, then lastly
meter. Show the students on the overhead how many small millimeter
lines are there before you get to the centimeters, and how
many centimeter lines are there before you reach a meter and
so on.
in most instances lengths as
long as a yard or meter will not be used in measuring marine
organisms however, both are still important units.
Procedure for measuring Pua
(young fish)
with a net, obtain a specimen
from the pond or tank
using the soft (such as a sewing
tape measure) gently lay the soft ruler against the fish with
the nose at one end and the tail at the other.
record measurement then place
fish in a separate tank or holding area then continue steps1 & 2
with another specimen.
OR another method of measuring
fish or other organisms of slight stature is the usage of a
test tube.
place eh fish in the medium to
large sized test tube and measure length from nose to tail.
it is to the teacher to fill
the test tube with pond or tank water first then place fish
in the tube however, the measurements must be taken with a
variable of obscurity because of the water.
Procedure for measuring weight
fill a volumetric flask with
pond or tank water to the 50ml line
place marine organism in flask
now read the line in which the
water raised
remember the rule of meniscus
subtract 50ml from the new volume
after introducing the fish or other organism
the difference is the “weight”
of the object
Assessment of understanding
for procedures 1-3
choose out 10 different objects
from around the classroom that you can either pre-measure or
measure it after along with the students.
choose commonplace objects such
as the length of the window, or the height of a desk,, but
also in order to hold the students interest and intrigue choose
out of the norm objects such as the length of a student's foot,
or eye, or the difference in height between two students etc.
have the students write down
the object and the measurement. REMEMBER TO REMIND STUDENTS
TO INCLUDE THE UNITS WHEN WRITING DOWN THE MEASUREMENTS.
in order to complete this activity
expediently and in an organized fashion grouping them by two's
or three's would be best.
have the groups then team up
with another team to compare answers and write their comparisons
on the board. And example would be:
after this is done the teacher
will display his results and compare with the results on the
board OR go through all the measurements his self to demonstrate
proper measuring techniques and readings.
all measurements that are closest
or equal to the teacher's will demonstrate understanding of
the ruler, English and metric system and measuring techniques.
