I think the purpose of doing labs with expected results in schools is twofold. Firstly, doing labs get students acquainted with lab equipment and how to properly use these tools. This way if students plans to work at a research facility and help in studies where the results are not known ahead of time, they will know how to handle the tasks they are given. Furthermore if a student wishes to be leading research studies in the future its important that they have thorough knowledge of what can be done in the lab and how to do it.  Secondly, doing labs help affirm what the student may be learning in lecture. Its one thing to be told that a certain reaction produces gas and another thing altogether to perform the reaction and see bubbles form.  This makes passive knowledge into active knowledge. I think a lab in a non-specialist science class like ours isn’t as helpful for students who wont need lab skills in the future but it still helps us understand the material we are learning in class. I think the equivalent of a lab in a history or english class is a presentation. I think a presentation helps students gain skills they will need outside of class and it requires them to actively research a topic and understand it on their own.