Final Applied Lab Assessment (FALA) Project

Final Applied Lab Assessment (FALA) Project

Subject: Physics    / General Physics
Question
Final Applied Lab Assessment (FALA) Project

As a final culminating assessment in the laboratory component of this course, you will conduct an eight-week Final Applied Lab Assessment (FALA) project which will serve as your final lab assessment in this course. Your FALA will emphasize Experimental Design and the Scientific Method. Please note that you are NOT being asked to conduct an experiment. You may find that your design lends itself to conducting an experiment, in which case, there is room in the project to receive credit for doing so. There are three parts to this project. The first two parts (FALA1 and FALA2) provide a mechanism for exploring your ideas, finding an interesting question, and producing a draft. These first two parts contribute 10% each to the overall project grade and must be turned in on-time and be complete to receive credit. The third part (FALA3) is a culmination of your work and will be assessed using the General Rubric. Make sure to Reach, Expand, Achieve and Learn during this project. Make it REAL.

Final Applied Lab Assessment Part 1 (FALA1):

The Question: Find a question that is personally relevant, physical science related and/or globally meaningful. A combination of these attributes is preferred.

In order to assist you in being creative in finding several possible questions to consider, please reflect on the following areas:

Physical Sciences: Planet Earth, Space, Geology, Meteorology, Weather, Physics, Chemistry, etc…
Your personal experiences
Your work
Your home or home life
Your hobbies
Newspaper or magazine articles
On-line reading
Health in general or the health of a friend or family member or your health
Other personally relevant or meaningful issues
Then respond to several (at least five) of the following (or similar) statements as they relate to any of the above areas. Replace blank with statements. Feel free to adjust the wording to fit. Then follow your statements by responding to “why do you care?” or “what does it matter to you?” The main goal for this task is for you to be creative in identifying some interesting questions that matter to you and are related, in some manner, to physical science. Some specific examples have been provided. You may not use any of the specific examples for your assignment. Your five statements should include five different topics. Don’t just take one topic and reword it five times.

Is it true that blank causes blank? (ex. Is it true that increased water salinity causes an object to float higher in water? Can it cause an object that does not float in water to actually float in water?)
I have always heard that blank helps with blank.(ex. I have always heard that winter weather helps with creating shocks.)
It’s bad for someone to blank.(ex. It’s bad for someone to rise quickly from deep water.)
It’s good for you to blank.(ex. It’s good for you to put salt on your sidewalks in winter.)
I don’t believe it when I am told that blank. (ex. I don’t believe it when I am told that deforestation leads to an increase in global carbon dioxide concentrations.)
I have always wondered about blank. (ex. I have always wondered if heavy things really do fall faster than light things.)
Every time that I blank, blank happens.
I once did blank, and blank happened, so now I always make sure to do blank.
I wish I knew what caused blank.
I know that blank causes blank.
I wish I knew what was more important for blank, blank or blank.
A problem that bugs me is blank.
I think that everyone should have to blank because then blank.
You get the idea. Try some of your own statements. Don’t forget to explain why the issue matters to you.

Submit a document with at least 5 statements on different topics (including their relevance to you) to the Assignments Folder. Your instructor will approve the selection of the question or issue for you to explore.