The following teaching/learning activity is from a publication used by some teachers of junior

secondary science. The full citation will be provided at the completion of the activity when we
discuss this assignment in a workshop.
1. Design, construct and test a timing device, which sets off an alarm after 2 minutes, using
readily available and inexpensive materials. Bring your device to the workshop and be prepared
to demonstrate its accuracy and your ingenuity.
2. Briefly describe (Using diagrams) how you went about solving the problem. Include things
that didnt work as well as successes. Include a labelled diagram of your final product.
After initially receiving the task, my immediate thought provoked by the word alarm was smoke
alarm. This led to the challenge of altering a smoke alarm into a two-minute timer. I knew my
knowledge of electronics was insufficient to isolate the alarm component of the smoke alarm so I
determined my timer would need to involve smoke. I did attempt to find a smoke alarm that could be
triggered by water as well but was unsuccessful.
I considered that the test button could be used but it required a hard push and I decided to explore
other avenues first.
First attempt:

Matches from a standard box varied in length by a small amount and were 50-55mm long. The
distance between the smoke alarm and the match was tested at 5cm. This small distance was chosen
to test whether a match was sufficient to trigger the smoke alarm. Appling a singular match for10
seconds proved unsuccessful. Multiple matches were considered but decided against due to
inconsistency.
As a singular match was insufficient to trigger the smoke alarms detectors, I decided to try a
prolonged fire, which would require setting a small fire large enough to produce sufficient smoke to
trigger the alarm. The safety of this was considered and a singular piece of newspaper was decided
upon as a starting point. It was placed on a ceramic plate to aid in safety so to not allow the fire to
spread. A container large enough to suffocate the fire was on stand-by in case it grew too large or
when it had set off the alarm.

This test was repeated for the following variables:

1. The distance between the newspaper and the smoke alarm
o 10cm
o 50cm
o 1m
2. How the newspaper was folded
o Scrunched
o Folded
o Rolled
3. Position of the match
o Under the newspaper
o On top of the newspaper
o Removed
o On the edge of the newspaper
It was quickly determined that these variables couldnt be altered sufficiently to delay the smoke
alarm for two minutes. I decided to attempt to delay the smoke reaching the smoke alarm.

Several containers were tried;

Plugged funnel
Measuring jug
Cut up Jatz box
Bowl

This was more successful but I decided to come back to this idea as I had difficulty attaching the
smoke alarm and container above the fire with enough accuracy to ensure consistency.
At this point I remembered the most common source of triggering a smoke alarm I had encountered:
burnt toast. I tested burning toast through a toaster but this took 5 minutes. I then tested setting the
toast on fire but I encountered the same issue as the newspaper.
Next I tried a candle.

With the first test with the smoke alarm being 10 cm from the candle, the smoke alarm was triggered
after 1 minute. Unfortunately the smoke detector was also damaged during this test. At this point
there was no time to purchase another smoke alarm.
3. If pupils did this kind of activity as part of their junior science program what might they
learn? (Consult references, e.g. Australian Curriculum Science Inquiry Skills, Science
Understandings; Science as a Human Endeavour - try to be specific.)
Learning opportunities for this activity would depend on the scaffolding previously completed by the
teacher, the level of enthusiasm exhibited by the students, and situational circumstances, year level or
topic. The activity itself, however, is not restrictive to age or year level.
In terms of scientific understandings, the learning opportunities can range from limitless to restrictive.
It is a broad task which allows students to pursue their own interests or strengths. As shown in class,
strategies can range from circuitry, to balancing, to pivots. This can allow for great learning
opportunities if the student has the motivation. They can be encouraged, however, if the process
rather than the results are focussed on.

Apart from specific scientific understandings, this activity can be used to develop science inquiry
skills. The task requires the ability to ask questions and make predictions concerning constructing
ideas and predicting how or if they can be developed into a timer. It requires planning and
operationalisation in the preparation and performing of investigations into creating an accurate timer.
Examples include collaborating and planning investigations, measuring and controlling variables,
identifying and obtaining appropriate equipment and use of said equipment. It is also essential that
students are able to process and analyse this data/information and evaluate it in order to draw
conclusions from their investigations and reflect on their device and improvements or possible change
modification to improve design and efficiency.
This task allows students the exposure to science as a human endeavour. For instance, the use and
influence of science ranges across many disciplines and areas of science, which might not be
immediately apparent from individual work. Through group work or presentations it is expected it
will become clear from observing the different approaches taken by peers. Through the simplicity of
the task, students can be exposed to and become aware of the ways that science understandings,
discoveries, and inventions can be used to solve problems directly related to peoples lives.
4. Pupils could be given precise instructions on how they could solve the problem. Explain the
advantages and disadvantages of providing precise instructions.
Scientific discovery has been the result of human beings natural curiosity and structured exploration.
Setting tasks like this one allow a pupil to explore their own curiosity and ideas and to provide a
practical demonstration on a structured approach and how structure can improve understanding and
the ability to replicate. This is vital for building knowledge in an individual and global sense. Giving
too precise instructions potentially stifle students individual ideas, critical thinking skills and
curiosity. There is a balance, however, between giving too much direction and not enough. Direction
is necessary for two reasons; to curb creativity into realistic outcomes, and guide pupils who feel lost.
Precise instructions also could lead to the assumption that there is only one right way to solve this
problem. Problem solving, by its nature, is about trial and error and if the end result solves the
problem, not about the journey taken to get to this point.
5. Pupils could do this type of activity during science lessons or as homework. Explain the
advantages and disadvantages of doing it at home.
Both options have advantages and disadvantages and furthermore, many aspects can be construed as
such depending on the individual pupil. By doing this type of activity as homework, it allows
students the freedom to spend as much or as little time on the activity as they desire. This could be
both an advantage and disadvantage, depending on the self-discipline and/or motivation of the pupil.
As homework, the activity would allow pupils to utilise materials possibly unavailable to them at
school. This would also work vice versa depending on the pupils socioeconomic status. Being away
from their classmates and teacher may, however, be intimidating for some students and limit their
learning opportunities. For others, however, this freedom may allow for avenues not being
approached in class to be explored. Although this activity is one for the students, by completing the
activity at home is opens the sources of information and guidance to include parents. This could be
advantageous for students who have parents with the time, ability, and willingness to help but
disadvantageous for those who dont. Also, depending on the parent and student, by having the
activity completed at home is risking the parents being involved too much.

6. In your opinion, how frequently should teachers use open-ended problem-solving activities in
junior science classes? Explain why.
Although the benefits of open-ended problem-solving activities are plentiful, I believe they should be
used sparingly. This type of activity allows students to explore many facets of science inquiry, but
they can only explore those that they have enough knowledge and confidence to pursue. There needs
to be sufficient scaffolding before using an activity such as this one and, enough time allocated for the
full benefits to be explored. This combination means due to the large time factor required, these
activities should not be overused. Also students can easily focus too much on aspects that they
understand well without completely taking advantage of the learning opportunity or being able to
extend themselves. That isnt to say that these types of activities arent highly beneficial, just that
they need to be balanced against other learning strategies and requirements as well as being of the
greatest benefit to the largest amount of students within the class.
7. In what ways might you assess this kind of activity? Give reasons for your answer.
I believe it would be important to assess the strategies and approaches taken for an activity such as
this, rather than the accuracy and/or workability of the device. In this instance the device need not be
perfect to obtain a good assessment based on the approach taken. If the goal of the activity was to
produce a perfect 2-minute timer with alarm, then there are plenty of timers in stores. The goal should
be the process and procedures used and the explanations and logic to their progression and the final
presentation.
A report style practical write-up for this type of activity could be beneficial, with assessment
focussing on logical progression, scientific procedures and language used, and critical discussion. A
presentation could be used, with students outlining their thought processes and refinement strategies.
Another assessment strategy could be for the student to present in a poster format, with students
explaining the different components of their device with scientific diagrams. To benefit the broadest
range of learning styles, the student could also be offered various options but it is essential that each
option is equitable.
8. What can teachers do to try to maximise the benefits of all types of laboratory work? Explain
your suggestions. Include references (e.g. from the Key Reference List)
Some strategies teachers could utilise to maximise the benefits of any type of laboratory work are
succinctly listed in the 5Es model.
Engage: In all types of laboratory work, engagement can be increased. To engage the students link
the work to real life situations which is lacking in a large breadth of laboratory work.
Explore: Allowing students to explore the concept, experiment with cause and effect, and come to
their own conclusions about the phenomena based on their manipulations. Too often laboratory work
is set stone. Understandably, certain outcomes are desired and precise instructions help with this but
they diminish students exploration of the concept.
Explain: This step is most often used already in laboratory work and needs to be an equal step to the
others for maximum benefit. As a teacher, the reputable expert source of knowledge in the
classroom, students are obviously going to look to them for explanation and it is part of your duty to
fill in blanks undiscovered by students. But that doesnt mean explanation has to be a lecture style,
note taking exercise. Engagement is still key in this step and engaging in discussion allows students

to converse with their peers and instructor in a diverse learning environment rather than a structured
rote manner.
Elaborate: Often in current laboratory work, this step doesnt come into play. After the initial
laboratory work has been completed and explanation given, that is the end for the learning process.
But to maximise the benefits, teachers should allow students to further explore the concept which can
lead to their own elaboration. This could involve allowing students to write their own experiments or
merely practice and refine their skills.
Evaluate: By allowing students the opportunity to evaluate their own learning, to look back and see
their own progression, it allows them to see their own growth and perhaps a better understanding of
how science has progressed over the years.