Here is nice video that gives a general overview on how to use the TBB:
3/28/18, updated again 10/7/18
OHAUS is no longer providing the free online tutorial for this activity – I will post alternatives as I find them.
Image: Ohaus Scale Reading Exercise
Reading a Triple Beam Balance Worksheet (pdf) and Ohaus website (link)
This is a great interactive tutorial from Ohaus (link). Using the tutorial prior to using the triple beam balance in class significantly improved the student’s understanding of how to find, read, and record the mass of an object to the nearest 1/10th of a gram.
For the tutorial, each student works at their own pace and is given immediate feedback for each answer they submit. The problems are randomly generated and each student has a slightly different experience, as opposed to having each student answer the same set of problems. Students will also review place values for 100s, 10s, 1s, and 1/10ths. (Values for the 100ths place may appear in the answers, but students will only be assessed up to the 10ths place)
Next Generation Science Standards, Science and Engineering Practices (SEP)
(SEP2) Practice 2 – Developing and Using Models
(SEP4) Practice 4 – Analyzing and Interpreting Data
(SEP5) Practice 5 – Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Updated October 2018– Instead of doing this as a jigsaw activity, each group comes up with an analogy for each cell organelle based on their chosen theme. Each group then presents their theme and analogies to the class. Below are some sample slides for one group’s theme which was our school:
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This is an updated version on how to use the ‘Jigsaw Method’ for students to learn about cell organelles that includes a tech component – each expert group will create Power Point slides for their assigned organelles. When each expert group is done, they will have one complete set of slides that they will use to teach each other in their home groups, use as a resource to review at home, and/or print out flashcards (4-6 slides per page) if needed.
To save this ppt – click on “File” then “Make a Copy” or “Download as” and choose the format you would like. Please do not request editing access to this file – that would change my version of this slide show.
Group 1 contains an expert from A, B, C, & D. All of the “A” members will sit together to research their assigned organelles. Each member of group A will research and create their own slides for the Nucleus (slide 2), Nucleolus (slide 3), Chromatin (slide 4), and Centrioles (slide 5). Home group members (B, C, & D) will add their information to the rest of the slides at the same time A is adding information from the A expert group.
On each slide, they will include the following information:
Name of organelle
Location (Nucleus or Cytoplasm?)
Plant, Animal, or Both?
Function
Images of the organelle
Image of an analogy for that organelle
Encourage students to use the animation feature to have the information appear sequentially instead of seeing all the information as soon as they advance to the next slide. This will help with note taking when they are presenting their information to their home group.
After each expert group is done with their research, they will return to their home group. The member from group A will go first, and using presentation mode in Google Slides (via desktop/laptop/tablet) they will teach their home group about the nucleus, nucleolus, chromatin, and centrioles. Members B, C, and D will write their notes on the handout provided. When A is done, the member from expert group B (via desktop/laptop/tablet) will present his/her organelles in the same manner.
If possible, having each student use their own laptop or desktop for the research phase (expert groups) and then only one laptop or tablet for the presentation part (home group) would be the best option so that their focus is on the person who is presenting.
Middle School Science Blog 