Acquire probes

ACQUIRING PROBEWARE: The two companies noted below are well known in student-level, sturdy, well-priced probeware. You may have access to other probeware equipment too. Please locate and purchase at least one data senor or probe. Here are ways to locate equipment:

¾ The companies: To ground you in an application as you begin the reading, take a quick look at the probeware that you can purchase from a company such as www.vernier.com and from www.pasco.com . You can use probeware from other vendors, if that is available to you.

¾ Deciding on the probes & interfaces: The probeware sensors can be connected directly to a computer through the USB port for quick experimentation and for your learning; if you want to minimize costs at the start, you could consider something like this temperature probe with built-in USB interface from Vernier (click here) or this temperature probe from Pasco AND an interface from Pasco . . . or find a probe or sensor that meets your needs and interest – just be sure to get an interface device if it is not build into the sensor itself. The temperature probes are an example of a sturdy, inexpensive probes that adapted to the most science exercises, so it is a good and inexpensive starting point if you do not see a probe more suited to your specific needs and your price range.

¾ Ways to gather and save data: As you will see from the vendors, you can gather many different, useful probes and you can get interfaces that let you collect data remotely onto storage and hand-held devices; for this course, you only need one simple probe but please investigate more options to have more useful studies for your students.

¾ Application videos: As you consider applications, you can gain more ideas by visiting https://www.youtube.com/user/pascoscientific for ideas from Pasco and https://www.youtube.com/user/verniervideo for similar ideas from Vernier.

PROBEWARE VIDEOS: To get you ready to think about how probeware might be integrated into the process of planning for an inquiry-based lab experience with data gathering, please review the videos below:

¾ 2.5 minute video on using probeware in general to encourage inquiry-based teaching and learning of science concepts;

¾ 2 minute video with an instructor talking during data acquisition and where she reviews the type of student questions and conversations that could prompt deeper, inquiry-based learning;

¾ this 9 minute video shows setting up an inquiry session for middle school; the discussion starting around 2 minutes shows how the teacher is guiding students in survey design and then in using data in a spreadsheet;

¾ 2.35 minute video on setting up probeware so it can be brought to a remote location for data gathering; there are newer connection devices available but the concept is still good;

¾ This 1 minute video shows how to bring two probes outside for data collection;

¾ This 2-minute video talks about setting up the lab equipment and the questions that you would ask along the way; this is an older video but still demonstrates an active session.

IDEAS: For example, you may choose to use the temperature probe to study the heat of a reaction in different chemistry experiments; or, you might choose to use the temperature probe to study the heat that gets transferred from a lamp through different types of soil; or, you might use the motion detector in a physics setup to study the speed at which different “vehicles” accelerate with different ramp heights (looking at the graphic data generated as well); or, you might use a light sensor to study the way different clouds block the sun in an outdoor environment.