Lessons

= Lessons =

There are many lessons that lead to the mastery of finding the IV and DV in an experiment.


 * Penny Lab**- Objective-A guided experiment for the students to see and use the steps of the Scientific method including finding the IV and DV with a high level of guidance


 * Helicopter Lab** - Objective - Another guided experiment for the students to see and use the steps of the Scientific method including finding the IV and DV with a high level of guidance


 * Mythbusters(helium football)** - Students see the Mythbusters go through an experiment using the scientific method along with them finding the IV and DV in the experiment.


 * Sponge Bob experiments** - Hypothetical experiments designed for the students to figure out the IV and DV along with a couple other aspects of the scientific method.


 * ABSTRACT**:

There is not really 1 single lesson that will have the students mastering the concept of independent and dependent variables. Throughout many different labs using the scientific method such as the penny lab and the helicopter lab have the students figuring out the IV and DV. Dispersed within these lessons are hypothetical experiments presented to the students in an effort to get them more practice with the concept. We also have them actually take notes on the IV and DV and how to find each of them. The big practice lesson comes with the Sponge Bob experiments which is really a set of many different Hypothetical experiments that the students read and determine the IV and DV along with a few other concepts. This is then discussed in groups and within the class to check for understanding. I would expect 90% of my students to get over 80% on the assessment the first time it is taken and with some added instruction these numbers should both increase with a second attempt. Overall, there are many concepts we focus on in this unit, but determining the independent and dependent variables would be the most important one due to the fact that it has the most carryover in future grades.