What+is+good+science?

Good Science vs. Bad science toc

Essential Question
How can you tell if the conclusions from an experiment is valid?

Content Knowledge

 * Hypothesis.
 * Manipulated, Responding, and Controlled Variables
 * Measurements
 * Best value/average
 * Outliers
 * Data as evidence
 * Data Tables
 * Uncertainty
 * Fair test/validity
 * Experimental conclusions

Skills

 * Identify, in writing, manipulated and responding variables
 * Evaluate, orally, good and poor experimental design
 * Label and define in writing that best value and average are the same data
 * Determine the manipulated and responding variables based on the labels in a data table
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Solve for best value in a data set
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Distinguish outliers from valid data in a data set
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Solve for uncertainty in a data set
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Analyze an experiment to determine if it is a fair test/valid
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Formulate, in writing, an experimental conclusion, incorporating data
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: Verdana,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: small;">Debate, orally, with classmates, the validity of an experiment

Background knowledge
You are an engineer and have been approached by a group of small amusement parks. You need to develop a swing for two people. The parks want to have many swings going at the same time and want to make sure that the swings all finish at the same time. The goal is to give the maximum amount of ride time, even though the mass of the two people could be different. The swing could have two teens, a teen and an adult, or two adults on it. The swing can only be pulled back 90 degrees. Your job, as an engineer, is to design a presentation to describe a ride that would meet this criteria, and to present the data to support your design.

Evidence of knowledge
Data table with evidence of trials Explanation of results Recommendation to parks in form of presentation

Links
@Example procedure and data table

How Stuff Works

PhET virtual lab

School for Champions

Worsley School

Mini-lessons
Mini-Lesson on Variables media type="youtube" key="A5UZdCNTbjs" height="315" width="420"

Mini-lesson on Data Table Creation

media type="youtube" key="UI_FRbpfJ3w" height="315" width="420"

Conclusion 1. I conclude... because... (evidence) 2. Should be comparing two or more things 3. Should use the data as evidence 4. Evidence should be in the form of best value or average

Video on conclusions media type="youtube" key="7GLF3gsZXRw" height="315" width="420"

Variables and Data Tables

media type="youtube" key="iJeFQsytxXg" height="315" width="420" Potential and Kinetic Energy

Video 1 media type="custom" key="20774338" Video 2 media type="custom" key="20774342" Video 3 media type="custom" key="20774346" Video 4 media type="custom" key="20774350"