Science Lab Report Format (7Th Grade) s1

Science Lab Report Format (7th Grade)

Each student must write and submit their own lab report.

Lab reports should be neatly printed in pencil or typed in 12 point font of Times New Roman

The report should be on one side of the paper only and written in your lab book. Glue in your typed reports.

Each experiment is different and therefore may require a slightly different lab report. Below is a list of the possible components to a lab report and the order in which they should be arranged.

The components must be in order and labeled!

With each lab, you will be instructed on which components to include.

Title: The title of the lab will be provided to you and should be written on the top line of your paper.

Date: The date that the report was written.

Background: Information concerning the materials, processes and possible outcomes for the lab.

Problem Question: Question is clear, complete, and testable.

Variables: Independent and Dependent

Hypothesis: The hypothesis is written to show a prediction between two variables.

It must be testable. It should be written in an if…then format. If = relates variables, then = prediction, because = why.

Materials: All the materials, including quantity, should be listed. Aligned on the left side.

Procedure: Lab procedures should be written as instructions for performing the lab. Write as numbered steps, aligned on the left side.

Data: Include questions, and needed tables, graphs and calculations.

Questions should be well written, related to the lab, and completely answered.

Tables, graphs, and diagrams/blueprints must be neatly constructed with straight lines done with a ruler.

You should include titles, labels, and units on all tables, graphs, and diagrams. Label independent and dependent variables, when appropriate.

You may cut out graphs and charts and neatly glue them onto your paper (no tape).

Conclusion: Conclusions should be at least a paragraph in length (5-7 sentences) and addresses the following ideas:

Restate the problem question & hypothesis.

Restate the independent and dependent variables.

Summarize the experimental data. Be sure to include specific data in the conclusion. Explain/analyze your results. Give meaning to data.

Explain how the hypothesis is either supported or rejected.

Possible reason(s) for error.

Relate experiment to real world or develop related new questions.

Practice Laboratory Experiment and Lab Report: To be written in your lab book!!!

Reaction Time: The Ruler Drop Test

Background Information: Copy the highlighted information.

The nervous system helps information travel through your body. It consists of the 5 senses, your brain, your spinal column, and the nerves that connect them all together. Suppose your eyes see a baseball sailing toward your head. They send a message about the approaching ball to your brain. This message travels to a part of your brain called the cerebrum through nerves. Your cerebrum sends this information to the cerebellum, which has to choose whether to move away, duck, or put a hand up to catch the ball. It finally decides that you should catch it—after all, you’re wearing your baseball glove! The cerebellum sends this decision as message through other nerves to the arm and hand, activating the muscles used to catch the ball.

The time it takes from when your eye first notices the ball to when your arm reaches up to catch it is an example of reaction time. Even though stimuli—or changes in your environment that you react to—travel very quickly along your nervous system as messages, your body doesn’t react instantly. Many athletes spend hours practicing to improve their reaction time. In this activity, you will conduct a simple, measurable experiment (the ruler drop test) to study reaction time and determine how it can be improved with practice.

Problem Question:

How can reaction time be measured and improved?

Variables: Discussed in class. You should have written the independent and dependent variables down.

Materials:

Metric ruler

One or more volunteers

Table

Chair

Procedure:

1. Participant sits in chair with good upright posture.

2. Participant places forearm (the part of the arm from elbow to hand) so it extends over the edge of a table.

3. Participant places thumb and index (pointer) finger on either side of the bottom of the vertically placed ruler. The number “1” should be on the bottom, the “30” near the top.

4. Practice holding the ruler with those two fingers.

5. Participant removes fingers from the ruler while you continue hold it. The bottom of the ruler is at a height of 2cm above participants fingers.

6. Tell your volunteer that you will release the ruler without telling her. Her job will be to catch it with her thumb and forefinger as soon as she senses it dropping.

7. Drop the ruler.

8. When your participant catches it, record the number on the ruler displayed just over her thumb. The lower the number, the faster her reaction time.

9. Conduct 10 trials with the same volunteer, dropping the ruler from 2cm above her fingers each time.

10. Make sure to record the results for each trial in a table similar to the following: Use measurement units!!!!!!

Participant / Trial 1 / Trial 2 / Trial 3 / Trial 4 / Trial 5 / Trial 6 / Trial 7 / Trial 8 / Trial 9 / Trial 10
Overall Average