The labs in Lab Attacks for Middle-Grade Students do not require elaborate preparation. They are designed to be used by new teachers as well as by teachers with many years of experience. Labs are set up in a consistent format, using the Scientific Method: Purpose, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Observations, and Conclusion. Always read through each lab and gather all of your materials before the students begin the lab. Also, students will need paper and pencils with which to jot down their observations. These items are not listed in the Materials section.

A brief discussion about the Scientific Method will make each lab encounter a successful one: The Purpose is the problem to be solved; in other words, it is what you want to find out by doing the experiment. The Hypothesis is an educated guess, which the experimenter makes before beginning the experiment; it is what the experimenter thinks will happen. Materials are the items needed to conduct the experiment. Procedure is the step-by-step method that must be followed in order to conduct the experiment. Stress the importance of doing the steps in the correct order. Observations is a report of the data collected during the experiment. The Conclusion is an explanation of whether or not the hypothesis was confirmed and why. A student handout describing the Scientific Method is provided.

These labs are student-oriented, but they all require teacher or other adult supervision. Because these labs are designed for middle-school students of fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth grades, some of them require background knowledge of certain scientific concepts. Be sure students understand these concepts before beginning. Detailed explanations, helpful suggestions, and extensions of labs are provided in the Teacher Page of each lab.

In order for students to develop the inquiry environment needed for experimental situations, students must understand basic skills. The teacher needs to stress the importance of accuracy when measuring and of using the proper measurement instrument. Also stress the importance of following any necessary safety precautions. A pre-lab demonstration of instruments to be used is always a good idea so that students will feel comfortable that their data is obtainable. Due to the nature of lab experiments, students’ conclusions and results should be discussed and explained. Be sure students understand that results may vary. A discussion about variables and further experimentation should be welcomed; this may lead to a new experiment with comparable results.

This collection of labs is designed to give the teacher a tool to motivate and excite and to provide an active classroom environment for the students without the need of an extensive science background. Most of the labs can be completed within a class period. It will be stated if a particular lab might require more time. Have fun!

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