Board Meeting - Post Game Analysis Checklist

As a group, the goal of the discussion is to create a detailed model that explains what was measured and observed. The group must agree to all of the details of the model and summarize them on a model summary board. The focus should be on making scientific sense of the experiment/s the class just did. Every claim or statement should be justified with a reference to collected data or observations. The discussion questions below will help you make sense of your experiments and create a model. Note: You dont have to answer these in any specific order. Just let the discussion flow and use them as a guide.

Discussion Questions
Uncertainties ______What caused uncertainties in our experiments? How did we try to minimize these?

Brief Notes

______How much uncertainty was there in each measurement?

______How might uncertainties affect how were interpreting this data? Graphs ______How do the shapes of our graphs compare? What type of pattern exists in our data?

______Are we being fooled by the graph appearance? How would our data look differently if it was graphed differently?

______What does the slope (number and units) tell us about the experiment?

______Try to make multiple slope statements...For every (so much change in horizontal variable) there was (so much change in vertical variable) or Every time the (horizontal variable) changed by (insert amount), the (vertical variable) changed by (insert amount).

______What does the y-intercept (number and units) tell us about the experiment? ______Should the y-intercept be zero? Explain why or why not.

Board Meeting - Post Game Analysis Checklist

Discussion Questions
Equations ______How do all of our equations compare?

Brief Notes

______Are they written with variables, numbers, and units, in the correct places?

______What do our equations suggest about the relationship between variables in our experiment?

______How can we write a general equation that applies to everyones data? As a group, try to write one...you may have to make up a general name for the slope and the y-intercept.

Model Summary _____What model rules should we establish about the phenomena we just experimented with?

_____In what other situations would our model apply? Under what conditions?

_____How could we improve our current experiment to get a better idea of what the model rules should be? What other experiments could we do to refine our model?

Now summarize the model (in its current form!): On a single whiteboard, have a student write out a summary of the model. The summary should include: -Multiple representations of the model: Graphs, diagrams, general equations, words, proportionalities. (think of these as different ways to communicate the model rules...As a group, decide which details are most important to include.) -Some brief information about situations where the model might apply and conditions under which the model might apply We think our model applies to (insert situations), and only when (insert conditions). Note: We will refine our understanding of the model as we practice with it and actually try to apply it to other situations. After practicing with the model, our summary may look different and we may think different things are important or have new information to include.