Learning the Scientific Method: Self Assessment

Artifacts: Egg Drop

Side View of the Egg Drop Device
Egg Drop Device with egg in it

Artifacts: Golf Tower

On the floor
Free standing

Curricular Response:

The build process of the golf tower, was quite different from my build process of the egg drop. The build process of the golf tower was quite disappointing because, it took a long while for the tower to build, but it could not withstand the weight of the golfball. In the end, I took the initiative to make a small cylindrical tube to put the golf ball on, so we could get at least a singular point. The final height was around 1’2 if I recall correctly. The egg drop was equally as disappointing as a result, because my device could not protect the egg from the fall. When it came for my time to drop, I had a microscopic amount of hope when the device was dropping, because from what I saw at the top, the device was falling slower than at the speed of the ones that my peers had made, but in the end the egg cracked.

Both of these experiments have greatly improved my understanding in the scientific method because I learned that experiments are trial and error, and also how to make a proper hypothesis.

Core Competency Self Assessment and Creative Thinking

  • I’m most proud of my egg drop assignment because, I actually had fun, and hope during the experiment process, and the build process.
  • A challenge I had to overcome was in the golf tower challenge, where my partner wanted to build it by himself, and due to this we became short on time, and if we didn’t have any structure to hold a golfball by the end of the class we would get no marks. So I took one for the team, and built a structure that would at least get us that mark.
  • My experience understanding the two Scientific Methods is, since that both of my labs, we mostly failures I understand experiments are trial and error.
  • Tell me how you did the following:

A) I demonstrated that I can create new things when I have prototypes as ideas that I can build on, and have a good hypothesis to test.

B) I demonstrated that I can build on the ideas of others when I can communicate with my partner and talk to them, to discuss ideas that we both agree on and can improve.

C) When trying new things, I expect setbacks and failure and use them to develop my ideas. An example of this from the Scientific Method labs would be when I write my conclusion, or when I analyze my data.