CECsci.202


TITLE:  Finding Mass (Problem Solving)

AUTHOR:  Jim Haskett, Vallivue School; Caldwell, ID

GRADE LEVEL:  Used at the eighth grade; Physical Science

PURPOSE:  Measuring mass when given a problem and an open
ended process to discover the answer.

     Note:  The activity does not just require an answer for
     the mass but continued effort to discover a meaningful
     relationship between mass and a student's daily life.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:
Two student's are given a set of pennies with one penny
representing each decade.  They are to mass each one
recording the year and the mass in grams.  When analyzing
the data, a definite change occurs in the average mass of
the pennies during the l980's decade.  If the students
record for the class their data, the apparent change of
metal use during l983 will be seen in the data showing all
pennies after that date will mass 0.5 grams less than the
previous pennies.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  This has been a great education tool
and many diverse ideas occur in the minds of the students.
A post lab discussing the reasons the Government has done
this, what type of metal was added, is it more or less
expensive, and other questions help the student have some
ownership in the activity.



Science                          Name ___________________

Problem:  Find the year when the U. S. government started
          to devalue the penny.

Facts:  Pennies are usually made of copper.
        Pennies are made to be the same volume or size.
        A copper penny would have a certain mass.
        Other metals do not have the same mass as copper
          it they are the same size.
        Different metals have different values.
        Mixing metals could increase or decrease the
          value of the total.

Hypothesis:  We can find the year in which there was a
change in the value of the penny by _____________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

Experiment:  Mass each penny and record the results in
             the table below.

Data:
           Year                Mass

          ________            _______

          ________            _______

          ________            _______

          ________            _______

Conclusion: ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Concepts: ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Principles: ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

Theory: ________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________