Housekeeping (10-15 minutes):

• Introduce yourself to your students. Make sure everyone is in the right location (check lecture section information posted on door, especially for PHYS 131 labs).
• Let them know the general lab rules – no food or drink in lab (including water), hang coats up by the door, backpacks under the desks (not on the surfaces), etc.
• Give a very brief overview (a few minutes) of the plan and format for the quarter. Ask students to form groups of 3. (Groups of 2 are allowed if the class is not divisible by 3. Groups of 4 are NOT allowed.)
• Explain the role of the lab notebook and make sure everyone can open the lab notebook template and share with their partners. Remember students must be logged into their Uchicago gsuite account using their CNETID, otherwise they will not have permission to access the google doc.

Paper drop (45 minutes):

• Introduce the question – “How long does it take for a piece of paper to fall 1 meter?” – and give students 5 minutes to collect data. (DO NOT explain or answer questions. Students will be provided with scraps of paper to drop… of which there are two distinct sizes.)
• At the end of the time, ask students to talk to neighboring groups and compare. (What does it mean to compare?)
• Ask groups to share ideas, then talk to the whole class about Gaussian statistics. Finish with a reminder of the t' test.
• Give students a chance to use the python notebook and to make notes about their results in their notebook.

During pendulum portion (Remaining Time):

• Students need to record their pendulum construction procedure (including pictures) and measurement technique. They will need to reconstruct their pendulum next week.
• Students need to record data in their notebook. (Do not answer questions about what angles or how many data points… let them decide).
• Students should plot in Python and include a copy of the plot in the lab notebook.
• If students have a question, encourage them to ask a neighboring group first. (The TA will be busy.)
• As you walk around the room and talk to groups, you need to evaluate (and score) participation. Ask the students questions about:
  • How are you measuring time? How do you estimate uncertainties?
  • How are you controlling the pendulum during release?
  • Show me your notebook… are you recording enough?
  • Are all members contributing? (How?)