Measurement in the Science Lab

Funded Dec 23, 2016

We first used the balances in a lesson to teach the students how to care for and calibrate the balances and measure mass of objects with known masses as well as an object with an unknown mass. The students felt like real scientists using real science lab equipment! When a group of students had gotten a different mass, it was rewarding to see them independently repeat their steps to see why there was a discrepancy.

The students were touched that strangers cared enough about them to send them such expensive items to use. All of my middle school students have been in the United States from 1 week to 4 years only. To be able to go to school safely is one of the reasons, many of them have to the United States. Now they had the opportunity to use lab equipment because someone they never met provided it for them. They were definitely overwhelmed! As one student commented, if the donors believe in us this much, we better do well.

Now that the students know how to use the digital balances properly, we are using the balances to actually measure the mass as it is needed in the lab. The digital balances are more reliable and easier to use, so we can concentrate on the lab report with its procedure, calculations, and conclusion write up with less worrying if our data is correct. When labs results match the hypothesis, the lesson really is meaningful to the students.”

With gratitude,

Mrs. Bravo