Class 9/9/08

Today's class period consisted of a video titled, "5 Minute University". After watching this video we moved on to completing an in class lab in which the main focus was learning about and calculating out response time. We began the period by breaking into cooperative groups and assigning each person a role. After gathering all materials we then began the lab. During we lab we used a graphing calculator and a thermometer to measure the temperature when moving the thermometer from cool water to warm water. The graphing calculator than displayed a graph of the data. Obviously from moving the thermometer from cold to hot water the graph went up, and then eventually leveled off. By reading the graph and using a formula, we were able to measure the temperature response time. After completing the lab we moved on to answer questions pertaining to the lab. An example of one of the questions states, "Determine probes response time by subtracting 20 seconds from your value for the elapsed time when the maximum temp was released". In order to do so we took our elapsed time of 177.5 -20 and we came up with 157.5 for a response time. Since we finished this lab early, we then moved on to the second lab in which each person in our group held the thermometer in our hands until the highest temperature was reached. We then added together the total of every ones highest temp and divided by 4 to find the team average. At the end of the day, us students walked away with an understanding of temperature and response time, along with an understanding on how to integrate technology into the curriculum.