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Activity 3.2: Data Analysis
Activity Description
Activity Description
Using math to help understand results, students will analyze their foam glider data from the second round of testing. They will calculate the mean and range for their data for each wing type and reflect on how following the class procedure affected their results.
Getting Started
Introduction:
E.Q.: How does wing shape affect flight distance?
Preparation needed for the Activity:
Students should have their Data Collection Sheet results and any reflections, histograms or graphs from the testing days.
Part 1 - Data Analysis: 10 min
Review with students the math and science vocabulary or concepts used in this challenge:
Mean
Range
Controlling variables
Have a class discussion about why these are important for an engineering test. Prompt questions could include:
The goal of this experiment was to determine how wing shape affects flight distance. Why is it important to only change the wing shape, and no other variables?
How does having a standardized procedure help decrease the number of variables that are involved and that might impact the results? In this test, can we ever realistically eliminate all variables?
What is the Mean? How does that help you determine which wing configuration is the best?
What is the Range? What relationship does the range have to the reliability of the data?
Part 2 - Comparing Round 1 and Round 2: 25-30 min
Students should compute the mean and range for each wing type and enter the information on the Data Comparison Sheet. They will compute and compare the data from both experiments.
Assist students in examining and understanding the data for each type of wing tested
Instruct students to examine the data for each type of wing, and compute the mean and range for each type.
Compare the data to the results of the previous experiment
Part 3 - Discussion and Reflection: 10 min
Instruct students to fill out the “Glider Experiment Reflection” student sheet or Google form. Discuss and recap the results of the tests. Do all the student groups agree about which wing type worked best?
Classroom Materials
Glider Comparision sheet.pdf3.2.2 - Glider Data Comparison (PDF)
3.2.2 - Glider Data Comparison (Google Form)
Glider Reflection Sheet.pdf3.2.3 - Glider Experiment Reflection (PDF)
3.2.3 - Glider Experiment Reflection (Google Form)
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