Activity Description/Rationale
This lesson will give students the background on what a lab report is and what we are looking for throughout this assignment.
NYS/CLL Standards (Content Knowledge, IAD)
WHST.9.12.1
WHST.9.12.7
RST.11.12.1
Goals: Process Skills (Basic & Integrated) and Attitudes/ (Enduring Understandings & Essential Questions)
The students will learn the components of a lab report, and how to break down each section. This is a start to time management and assessing the necessary skills for writing a lab report.
Universal Design for Learning/Differentiation
The activity is designed for students who haven’t written a lab report before, however it will provide opportunities for experienced students to offer information and for other students to ask questions.
Materials
Several handouts can be made available:
Water Quality Lab Report Assignment
Estimated Length of Activity:
2 class periods (1.5 hours -1 hour 40 minutes)
Pre-Activity
Prior discussion of the water cycle and field trip to collect data.
Activity Instructions:
(5 minutes) For a do now students are instructed to define what a hypothesis is, and when we may come across one.
(40-45 minutes) The rest of the period will be spent introducing the concept of a lab report. Ask students why we may find it helpful to create lab reports, and if they have any prior experience with one.
You will go over the lab report description with the students first, to make sure they understand the concept. Next you will go over the different components of a lab report, and finally you will go over the grading rubric so that the students understand what they will be graded on, and how they will be graded.
The last bit of class will be spent discussing hypothesis appropriate to the lab report. Try to get them to think using the prompts on the sheet.
The second activity is a peer editing of the hypothesis. It is included in the materials section.
Assignments
The homework assignment is to write a one sentence hypothesis that will be used in the lab report assignment.
Assessment and Reflection
Assessment will be based on classroom discussion, as well as the satisfactory completion of the assignment.
Instructor’s Notes:
Potential challenges may be a range of hypotheses. If you want to steer them in a certain direction for your sake use a few examples or specific questions. The majority of the students will likely closely follow the example in their hypothesis.