Week 7 Lab Blogpost

1. What is the big question addressed in the lab, and what did you do in the lab?

Today in the lab, we designed and conducted an investigation using slides that focused on the steepness variable. Our table group came up with a hypothesis that steepness affects the speed of an object; the steeper a slide is, the faster an object's speed will be. We tested our claim by using 2 dependent variables: the Golf ball and the length of the ramp, and 1 independent variable: the steepness of the ramp. We changed the steepness to four different levels and recorded how fast the ball traveled. We found that the steepest ramp had a time of .63 seconds, the steep ramp had a time of 1.13 seconds, the less steep ramp had a time of 1.20 seconds, and the least steep ramp had a time of 2.45 seconds. We know that the faster an object travels, the less amount of time it takes, helping us understand that speed relates to time, and steepness relates to speed. Therefore, we found out from our recorded data that our claim was true. The steeper a slide is, the faster you will travel, making you reach your destination in a quicker time.  We then collaborated with other groups who talked about different variables like surface and mass. We shared each other's findings from the experiment to get a better understanding of what variables can affect the speed of a rider going down a slide. This informed me that the surface of the rider, the steepness of the slide, and the mass of an object affect the speed of a rider going down a slide.

2. What did you learn from the Lecture?

In the lecture this week, I learned that position 0 is where the data on a graph starts. Position tells us where we are, and distance tells us how far are position has changed. I learned how height, steepness, and surface/clothing affect the speed at which riders go down a slide. The higher the slide, the faster the speed of the rider will be. This is because riders accelerate as they go down a slide, and the higher a slide is, the more time the rider has to accelerate or speed up. I learned that steepness also affects the speed of a rider going down a slide. The steeper the slide, the faster a rider's speed will be. This is because of the forces at play with the rider and slide. The slide and a rider act as an unbalanced force, which allows for the rider to speed up and accelerate at a faster rate. A steeper slide cancels less of the downward force of gravity, because an object (rider) will always accelerate in the direction of the unbalanced force acting upon it. I also learned that the speed of a rider is affected by surface/clothing, because of a force called friction. Friction is the force that opposes sliding across a certain surface, and the magnitude of how fast an object will slide depends on the different types of surfaces and how hard the surfaces are pushed together. It's important to note that the friction force is opposing the sliding motion of an object; therefore, the amount of friction depends upon the materials that are sliding against each other, which will affect the speed at which a rider travels down the slide. Finally, I learned that the weight of the rider does not affect the speed at which the rider travels. This is because gravity pulls more on heavier riders, and heavier objects are harder to accelerate, which exactly cancels out, causing the weight of a rider to have no effect on the speed at which a rider travels down a slide. 

3. Answer questions about the weekly reading

1. What did you learn 

From this week’s reading, I learned how the storyline approach can make science learning more meaningful and engaging for elementary students. The article taught me how teachers can use a phenomenon to spark students' curiosity and drive a unit with multiple lessons. I learned that by letting our students ask and generate their own questions and then investigating those questions makes our students more invested and interested in learning/figuring out different science concepts. This article has shown me that when we connect students' learning to real-world experiences, it helps them develop a deeper understanding of science and the concepts being discussed. This article was a great read and has left me with activities I want to include in my future teaching. 

2. What was most helpful?

The most helpful part was seeing concrete examples of how teachers guide students through the process of asking questions, making models, and revising their ideas based on evidence. The article showed me how teachers can support students in brainstorming, encourage all ideas, and help them design investigations that answer their own questions. I found it especially useful to read about the Driving Question Board and how it helps organize and prioritize student questions, making the learning process visible and collaborative.

3. What do you need more information on?

I would like more information on how to balance student-driven inquiry with the need to cover required science content. Specifically, I’m curious about strategies for ensuring that all students reach the targeted learning goals, even as they follow their own questions and investigations. More examples of how to adapt the storyline approach for different grade levels or science topics would also be helpful.

4. What questions/comments/concerns do you have?

One question I have is how to support students who may struggle with open-ended inquiry or who are hesitant to share their ideas in class discussions. I also wonder about ways to assess student learning in a storyline unit, since the process is more student-driven and may not follow a traditional sequence.