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Lab Safety - Start to your year?

Started over 6 years ago by Kimberly Duncan.


Do you have an engaging or different activity for introducing lab safety to your chemisry classes at the beginning of the year? Please share!


3 Comments

  • Jeremy Wolf

    Posted over 6 years ago

    Here is another one. I know it is probably too late in the year, but maybe it will work for a refresher. Plus it's pretty amusing for kids of all levels. I stole it from a fellow chemistry teacher, who stole it from Science Spot
  • Maricar Harris

    Posted over 6 years ago

    We watch the Flinn lab safety video. I don't know how "engaging" it is, but it is quick paced, some "overkill" on showing violation of rules, and short enough to keep the kids' attention. I have my AP kids create posters (glorified cardstock, 8.5" x 11") that have "catchy phrases" about each rule. For example: "Don't dangle cords. You might break something you can't afford." (Haha, right?!) I hang these on the cabinet doors so all chemistry classes can see them. The bolder, the brighter, the sillier the phrase, the more the kids remember (& follow!) the safety expectations.
  • Sherri Rukes

    Posted over 6 years ago

    There are several different things I do to introduce lab safety.  First I do point out the safety equipment in the room, as well as, all students need to sign and return a copy of the safety agreement (my school uses the Flinn agreement).  Depending on the class I do different things - safety lab, demo activity skit, or demos to show the importance of safety.  The safety lab that consists of several mini stations that look at what happens to contact lenses, clothes, hair, eyes (using egg), etc with various chemicals, a messy lab station, and other activities.  The demo / skit would be the students watch a skit that I do with things that are wrong when doing a lab or not suppose to be done.  There job is to let me know what they see is "bad" practice.  In other classes, I just preform several demos that point out the reason to be safe.