| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: |
Date: 01/12/2025 |
| Subject: Physics |
| Lesson Topic: understand the distinction between precision and accuracy |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe the difference between accuracy and precision in measurements.
- Explain how systematic and random errors affect accuracy and precision.
- Calculate accuracy error and precision (standard deviation) from a data set.
- Identify common misconceptions about precision and accuracy.
- Apply strategies to improve both accuracy and precision in laboratory experiments.
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Materials Needed:
- Projector and screen for diagrams
- Whiteboard and markers
- Printed worksheet with measurement data sets
- Simple measuring instruments (ruler, stopwatch, digital balance)
- Calibration tools (known weight standards)
- Graph paper or spreadsheet software
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Introduction:
Begin with a quick demonstration: throw darts at a target and ask students what the pattern tells them about measurement quality. Link this to prior learning about experimental error and remind them that today’s success criteria are to distinguish accuracy from precision and to use simple calculations to evaluate each.
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Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5'): Students answer a prompt about a real‑world example of precise but inaccurate results; collect responses.
- Mini‑lecture (10'): Define true value, measured value, error, uncertainty, then present formal definitions of accuracy and precision with the dart diagram.
- Guided practice (12'): Work through a data set on the board, calculate mean, accuracy error, and standard deviation; discuss what the results indicate.
- Small‑group activity (15'): Students analyse a worksheet, identify systematic vs random errors, and suggest remedies; teacher circulates for formative feedback.
- Misconception check (5'): Quick true/false quiz using clickers to address common myths.
- Summary discussion (8'): Review key points and connect to upcoming lab work.
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Conclusion:
Recap that accuracy reflects closeness to the true value while precision reflects repeatability, and that different error sources require different fixes. For the exit ticket, have each student write one strategy to improve accuracy and one to improve precision. Assign homework to read the textbook section on error analysis and bring a real‑world example for the next class.
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