Adaptive Perseverance: Continue efforts despite challenges, respond productively to feedback.
Learner's Mindset: Demonstrate positive attitudes towards safety and lifelong learning.
Communication: Articulate lab safety procedures effectively.
Responsibility: Honor lab safety obligations and act with integrity.
Global Citizenship: Understand the importance of safety in making the lab a better place.
Critical Thinking: Identify hazards and refine safety procedures.
Collaboration: Work as a team to ensure a safe lab environment.
What are the most common hazards in a lab setting?
How can we ensure proper use of lab equipment?
What steps should be taken in case of an emergency in the lab?
Students will demonstrate proper lab safety techniques.
Students will identify and manage potential hazards.
Students will show awareness of lab protocols and procedures.
Asking questions and defining problems: This practice capitalizes on the finding that children of all ages gain understanding of the natural world by building on prior knowledge through actively working with the tools of science (Duschl, et al., 2007). This process of defining problems must include a hazard analysis and risks assessment. Hazard analyses and risks assessments are a crucial part of any scientific protocol. Therefore, students need to be instructed to consider the hazardous implications with any scientific investigation.
Developing and Using Models: The NGSS states that models are used in science to represent ideas and explanations. Throughout the learning progressions, students are expected to cite the limitations of various models (NGSS, Appendix F, 2013). On one hand, models can be used to represent phenomena that are too dangerous to explore directly (for example, ionizing radiation). On the other hand, students should be sure that any model they create must include its own hazards analysis and risks assessment.
Planning and Carrying out Investigations: As students are required to design their own solutions to make sense of scientific phenomena, schools must ensure that students receive continuing safety instruction prior to investigation design as well as throughout. Furthermore, students must be shown that hazards analysis and risks assessment is a crucial part of planning and carrying out investigations. Safety precautions must be a deliberate and conspicuous component of any investigation.
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: This practice includes having students analyze solutions for feasibility, safety, and compliance with legal requirements (NGSS Appendix F, 2013). As students identify various tools, materials, and procedures for designing their solutions, safety training followed by a hazards analysis and risks assessment must precede any work. Safety protocols, including engineering controls and PPE used, should be documented by students.
Engaging in Argument from Evidence/Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information: Scientists and engineers engage in argumentation when testing a design solution, resolving questions about measurements, and using evidence to evaluate claims (NGSS Appendix F, 2013). Students should be shown that their hazards analysis and risks assessment, and resulting safety considerations are important evidence in supporting their claims of a feasible design solution. In some cases, safety concerns may place cost or time constraints on a proposed solution. Regardless, students must be directed to incorporate these safety concerns as evidence to be used in scientific or engineering arguments.
Chemistry Safety and Measurement Standards
HS-ETS1-1: Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics.
HS-PS1-3: Plan and conduct an investigation to gather evidence to compare the structure of substances at the bulk scale to infer the strength of electrical forces between particles.
Lab Safety Manuals: Detailed guides on lab safety protocols.
Safety Data Sheets (SDS): Information on the properties, hazards, and safe handling of lab chemicals.
Videos: Demonstrations of proper lab techniques and emergency procedures.
Posters and Signage: Visual reminders of safety practices and emergency exits.
Guest Speakers: Inviting a lab safety expert to speak to the class.
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