STAAR Grade 8 Science Reference Materials
Science and Technology Facilities Council
What’s the smallest thing in the universe? – Jonathan Butterworth
‘Big Bang Machine’ Switched On CBS News, Sep 10, 2008
Class #1: 4 Virtual Labs
1/14/17
Download this Worksheet: virtual_1
Click on the following web links, which will take you to a “virtual lab.” Do the experiment and fill out the worksheet section for each lab.
pH Scale
At the top of the screen select the compound listed in the first column of the worksheet. Write down the pH value in the second column. Click on the red button at the top of the pipette, and drop the volume specified into the beaker. If you drop in too much, click on the drain valve at the bottom left of the beaker and try again. Once you have the specified amount of the compound in the beaker, fill with water to the 1 Liter mark, and drag the pH meter on the left of the screen into the beaker. Measure the new pH level. Repeat for all listed compounds
Concentration Lab
Drag the Concentration Meter on the right side of the screen into the water in the beaker. Select the green Nickel II chloride solution. Shake the shaker at the top of the screen until the Concentration Meter reads 0.5. If you shake too much in, pull the drain value at the right of the beaker and try again.
Beer’s Law Lab
Click the red button on the laser on the left of the screen. Click the variable button right below the laser. Drag the slider to the various colors listed on the Worksheet and write down the wavelengths for each color. Set the Concentration slider at the lower right of the screen from 100 mM to 200 mM. Write down the color appearing in the test tube in the middle of the screen.
Now drag the variable wavelength slider at the left of the screen, until you find the minimum percentage of transmittance going through the test tube, and received by the green spectrometer. Write down the wavelength at which there is minimum transmittance. Click the Absorbance button and repeat, this time finding the maximum absorbance. Repeat for all of the compounds listed on the Worksheet.
Ohm’s Law
Drag the sliders on the right side of the screen to the values for Voltage and Resistance listed on the Worksheet. Write in the value for current in the table.
Class #3: Evaluating online Biology Labs
1/28/17
Download this Worksheet: virtual_2
The following list of websites each have a list of virtual bio labs you can work through. Each student will browse the lists, and choose three labs to complete. Once you find one you would like to do, post a reply all the way at the bottom of this page with the following information:
- Your name
- website name
- experiment title
Once you post your comment, no one else can do that lab!
Here are the virtual bio lab websites:
- HHMI
- McGraw-Hill
- GlenCoe | Site 2 (ToC)
In your lab write up, answer the following questions:
- Restate your answers to Questions 1, 2, and 3 above.
- Why you chose that lab. (What did you like about it? Do you have a special interest in that topic? ) 1-2 paragraphs
- Summarize the scientific concept investigated in that lab. 1 paragraph.
- Write a procedure (sequence of steps) for how you begin and completed the lab. List of steps
Choose and complete 3 of the listed labs for credit for this weeks lab.Gr