Introduction
Organizing and understanding data is a critical skill for students in the 21st century. It is also a critical skill for researchers. Knowing how to interpret data from the fire lab helps prepare fire fighters to be more safe attacking fires and for fire investigators to read the evidence left behind in a burn scene.
Questions
- What does the fire lab data tell us about a fire?
Problem to be Solved
- Fire investigators must understand the effect of ventilation on a fire and what happens when a door or window is left open during a fire.
Module
Fire Lab Data Analysis
Age Group
Middle School
Category
Fire Forensics
Materials
- Open or Closed Door student reading
- Data sets – oxygen, temperature, air pressure for both vented and non-vented res (download)
- Markers/ip chart page
- Review Live Burn Video
Summary
Using the data from two burns in the fire science lab, students will make conclusions about the impact of ventilation on a fire. Students will present their ideas about why this understanding is critical for both firefighters and the women and men investigating the fire’s origin and cause.