
Checks and their corresponding emails, side by side. Photo by M. Hoefnagels.
We just finished our first week of classes at the University of Oklahoma, and my nonmajors students trooped dutifully into lab on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. To get them talking to each other, one of the icebreaker activities we have done for many years is the “Checks lab,” a lesson on the nature of science. According to the Checks lab page, the activity was originally developed in 1992 by Steve Randak and was modified in 1999 by Judy Loundagin.
In case you’re not familiar with this activity, here’s a summary. Each team of students is given an envelope containing copies of 16-17 checks that are made out to various payees. Students are told to withdraw four checks at random and propose a scenario that could account for the checks. They then withdraw four more and revise their scenario to account for the new information. After one more round of withdrawing two more checks, they aren’t allowed to see any more checks. At that point, the class as a whole comes together to figure out what actually happened to the people writing the checks.
Since each team sees a different subset of the checks, and no one sees them all, students may not agree on what happened and when. Depending on how deep the instructor wants to go into the nature of science, the ensuing discussion can go in any number of directions. To me, the main points are that scientists never get 100% complete information, that other researchers may have information that your group doesn’t have, and that collaboration is a valuable way to get as much of the story as possible. The website where I found this activity has a huge number of ideas for expanding on these and many others when teaching about the nature of science; I recommend it.
Over the summer, however, I got to thinking about whether students these days actually write checks (or know what they are). I did some asking around, and it turns out that they do—but they don’t write nearly as many as we did in our youth. They buy a lot of things online, and even when they pay for something in person, they are likely to use a debit or credit card. So the trusty old “checks lab” seems a bit outdated.
Apparently I am not the only one who thinks so, because Judith Lederman and her colleagues published an updated version in The Science Teacher for September 2015, 82(6):57-61. This new version includes copies of emails instead of checks. Hurray! The emails themselves have been posted to NSTA’s The Science Teacher Connections, Sept. 2015 edition; here’s a direct link to the Word document they provide at that site.
Matt Taylor has upped the ante a little bit more: He turned the Word document into a PowerPoint (to be printed at four slides per sheet) that has a reduced emphasis on the AOL and hotmail logos. We used these mock emails in our labs last week, and they worked great; if you would like me to email you a copy, please write a comment in this blog post. In the meantime, kudos to all who developed, modified, and shared this activity.
Hello! I would love to see a copy of the email version you used for the activity. Thanks! My email, in case it doesn’t display, is kkapp@cwc.edu. Thanks again!
-Kirsten Kapp
Central Wyoming College
Hi Kirsten, thanks for your interest! I will email it shortly.
Marielle
I would love a copy of the Powerpoint. Thank you!
I will send you a copy very shortly!
I was looking for a new way to start lab and this sounds really cool! May I have a copy please? My summer non-majors biology lab starts Wed and I wanted to find something that would be easy to set up. Sharon Standridge, Middle Georgia State University
You will hear from me shortly! Sorry I didn’t notice this comment in time for the start of your lab, but maybe it will help some other day.
Could you please email a copy of this lab? I would love to use it with my AP Bio students.
You bet! It’ll be on its way shortly.
I would love a copy of the lab!
Yes! I will send it right out to you.
I would love a copy of this lab! Could I please have the Power Point version as well? Thank you!
Sure! I’ll send them to you shortly.
Thank you! Do you by chance have a handout that goes with it for instructions or do you just give verbal instructions to your students?
Actually, I do have a handout. Sorry I missed it when I sent you the originals. Stay tuned for another email!
Hello, if you could send me the documents you have for this lab, I would love to use it for a new nonmajors biology course I am teaching this fall. Thanks! My email is wackc@chowan.edu.
You bet! I’ll send them along shortly.
I was just about to recreate the checks lab into the “texts lab,” but stumbled on your blog post. Would you be able to send me the handout as well as the powerpoint? Thank you! stephanie.berryman@edmondschools.net
The documents are on their way!
Hello,
I would love a copy of the revised email version / powerpoint too.
Hi Cheryl,
I sent you some documents earlier. Hope it works well for you!
I would love a copy of the email lab/powerpoint.
porterm@rfhs301.org
Thanks
Hi, I emailed them to you a moment ago. Hope it works well for your class!
I would love a copy of the email lab/powerpoint. jaredbiologyteacher@gmail.com
I would also love a copy of the email lab/powerpoint! I’ve been looking for a new way to start off my chemistry class!
The documents are flying through the ether to your computer right now.
Could you please share a copy of the email lab sheet and powerpoint with me too? I did this lab years ago using the checks and would love a more updated/relevant version! Thanks!
You bet! I’ll send it out right away.
This is great! I would love a copy of the lab please.
It should be on its way to you now. Hope it works well for your class!
Fantastic adaptation of this activity! Can I please have a copy of the lab?
Sure! I’ll send it right out.
Hello! I would love to see a copy of the email version you used for the activity. Thanks! My email, in case is ibarros@nps.k12.nj.us. Thank you!
I have used the checks lab for years and love it! Thank you for the update, wouuld love the PP link. Do you then cut the four slides into individual pieces of paper?
Hi, thanks for your interest! Yes, we cut the four slides into individual pieces of paper and stick them in a big manila envelope. Your materials will be on their way shortly.
can i have a copy of the emails and can you do it in a powerpoint presentation
I sent you the emails and the handout. You mentioned “a powerpoint presentation” — I don’t have one to share, but the emails are in PPT format. I hope they’re useful!
Hello
This sounds great! Can you please share with me also.
I sent you an email with the lab activities. Hope it works well for your class.
Can I get this lab too?
Hi Amanda, I sent it your way! 🙂
I would love to have the updated version using emails instead of checks! Thank you!
I emailed you some materials. Enjoy!
I have used the checks activity for the last 7 years (love it) and just stumbled onto your blog. Would love to get the updated powerpoint version and documents. Thanks!
No problem at all! I’d love to know more about your experience — what you like and how you tweak it (if at all). In the meantime, I’ll send you an email shortly.
Thanks for this blog post. I would love to have the updated version using emails! Thanks so much for your willingness to share.
Of course. I’ll send it soon. 🙂
Hello, thank you so much for this post! I’m looking to update my trusty checks lab, so if you could please send me the power point slides you have I’d appreciate it! Thanks so much.
I sent them your way. Hope you find them helpful!
Can I please have a copy of the emails lab worksheets and powerpoints?
You bet! I’ll send them your way soon.
I would love a copy of the updated version! Thank you!
Thank you for your interest. I just sent it to you.
I too would love an updated version of the lab. Thanks so much!
I sent it to you!
I would love a copy of the updated version as well! Thanks!
Great. I’ll email you soon.
I would love a copy of the updated version too! Thanks!
I would really appreciate a copy! Thank you!
Hi, I sent it to the email address that you provided in your message (and then omitted the address so it isn’t public). Let me know if you get it.
Can you email me the updated lab? Thanks!
Of course. I emailed you.
Hello, can I get a copy of the updated lab please? Thank you!
Of course. I emailed you.
Can you email me a copy of the updated lab? Thanks so much!
Yep, sent it to you a few minutes ago.
I would love a copy of the updated lab. Thanks!
Just sent it your way. Thanks for your interest!