Topics:
Scientific processes such as making measurements with uncertainty, significant figures, unit conversions, and percent error.
Reminder:
Please do not request access to Slides or Docs. Feel free to "Make a copy" of any of these materials for your own use and/or to edit them.
The Email Lab
Notes for teachers:
I print the emails on half sheets of paper as a set. I put all 16 emails into a large envelope.
Students will only pull 10 of the 16 emails. I have them pull 4 for the first and second rounds and 2 for the final round. I usually give them about 5 minutes for rounds 1 and 2 with a little less time for round 3.
I allow students to conference with other groups before writing their final tentative explanations. This conference period usually lasts about 5 minutes.
FYI: we don't know the actual story behind the emails - which drives students crazy! But it makes for a great discussion as to how this activity relates to the scientific process.
Mars Probe Lost Due to Simple Math Error
Paired Reading Activity
(teacher reference page on pg. 11)
Metric-to-Metric Unit Conversions
