Rain gauges:
Level: Physical Science Inquiry level: high
Exploration: moderate Tech:
low
These are low-tech experiments. No Vernier products appear. I submit them here to show an extensive example of guided inquiry.
This is a long series of labs and exercises that I developed for a "science for future elementary teachers" class. It is designed to develop proportional reasoning skills very early in the course. (Note: these have been used, published, and widely shared.)
http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/ids/101/Modulesf12/RainF12_Handout-I.pdf
http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/ids/101/Modulesf12/RainF12_Handout-II.pdf
Slide Challenge:
Level: Algebra based Physics Inquiry level: high
Exploration: low Tech:
moderate
This is a modificaiton of a lab that I have used in the algebra-based physics course. It would be equally suitable in any high school physics class and it is within the range of calc-based physics courses.
It can be used in place of a straightforward "friction lab" but it encourages the students to focus on the specific question of why similar objects slide down ramps with equal acceleration even in the presence of friction.
Slide challenge (friction) lab
Center of mass lab:
Level: any
Inquiry level: high
Exploration: high Tech: high
This is a write up of a lab that I use near the conclusion of the first term of the calc-based physics course but it could be modified for use in just about any physics or physical science class. My students do this with a Motion Detector and a WDSS.
The lab runs smoothly when I walk the students through the calibration steps. To be honest I have not tried simply handing them the instructions and seeing how they do on calibration on their own.
I also included a screenshot of student data. Notice that two sharp collisions are clearly visible in the data from the Motion Detector (and a little thought might convince you that there was another collision between those two) and yet the graph of position of center of mass is a perfectly straight (and nearly horizontal) line at those times.
Transistor lab:
Level: Calc-based Physics
Inquiry level: high
Exploration: variable Tech:
variable
This is a essentially a lab that I use as an introduction to transistors. Transistors can be touchy and it is hard to write instructions that will cover all possible sets of equipment, but a standard equipment package could be developed to go with the Vernier circuit board.
Technical detail: the lab runs smoothly if one has two voltmeters and one ammeter running at all times. This is a complication if one is using one voltage probe and one current probe. There are ways to work around the problem, the most efficient are unfortunately the least transparent.
