I begin many school years in IB Chemistry by explaining how the work of science is done. We discuss that explaining phenomena in nature requires measurable observation. I work all year to encourage my students to make measurements that are precise. Technology makes this easier.
I teach IB chemistry to 10th-12th grade students.
They are keen and eager to learn. They have good access to technology and are interested in using it in most aspects of life. We learn and teach in a large urban school that serves a diverse and engaging student population. My students often strive for perfection and sometimes have difficulty learning how failure can be a great lesson too. They have dreams that are in the stars and the skills to achieve them, but they need my help.
My Project
The technology I am requesting is amazing to allow my students to take precise and detailed data in my chemistry labs. Students perform one particular experiment in my class where they determine the melting point of a solid substance and the changes in temperature that occur during the phase change process. The probes that I am requesting will allow them to accurately record and plot these changes in a way that is conducive to analysis and visualization. The pH probes are used in a similar way, but students instead are guided with a question about the effect of acid rain on local water systems. The probes then allow students to take measurements on simulated environments and make thoughtful, scientific explanations.
These probes are amazingly powerful tools that can help students explain phenomena that occur in the natural world.
Without them, we can only observe and make attempts to explain. With their help, we can now use the data they allow us to collect to make inferred explanations about the patterns and laws of the universe. The integrated software can allow for a wide variety of analysis and with it student understanding is much easier to achieve.
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