Accuracy vs. Precision Lab

*** All you need is a penny and a copy of this sheet for each student ***

Students practice identifying scenarios as accurate and/or/nor precise by repeatedly dropping pennies onto a target. Very easy to conduct and many possible extensions can be done with it- vary the height, change the person dropping the penny, etc. Who was most accurate? Who was most precise? Who was both? Who was neither? Create a classroom discussion of student results and attempt to identify how/why some students were more precise and/or accurate than others. Have students create possible ways to expand upon this experiment (use nickels, buttons, change the size of the target, etc.) Discuss the importance of constants and variables.