Unit 0 - Course Introduction and Safety

Course Introduction Notes (Teacher)

Course Introduction

The purpose of IVAST Vocational Science is to provide an appropriate, integrated mix of biology, chemistry, and physics necessary for students interested in vocational training in a skilled trade. IVAST Science is offered as an alternative to the typical third-year required science course (Chemistry 11).

What education do I really need after high school...?

No more education...just a high school diploma
A certificate from a certificate program or the military
An 2-year Associate's Degree from a community college or tech program
A 4-year Bachelor's Degree from a college or university
A 6-year Master's Degree from a university
An 8-year Doctorate Degree from a university

How does vocational trade training compare to a 4-year college or university degree?

Although there are a lot of positives to vocational trade school training, beware there are also some negatives!

The IVAST Vocational Science course is unique for the following reasons:

The IVAST course is specifically designed to meet the needs of students interested in vocational or technical careers.
The course includes a vocational career exploration component for each unit.
The assessments in the course are based on competencies and capstone activities.

Career Exploration List

This is a list of possible vocational careers and community/technical colleges which offer those programs. Additions are welcome to this list!

Capstone Case Study and Career Exploration

Case Study and Career Exploration Sheet

This is the Case Study and Career Exploration document used for each unit.

CIMC-Guide-to-Developing-Modules-for-Self-Paced-Learning-2018.pdf

Competency Modules

The original idea for the IVAST Vocational Science course was based on this document.

Capstone Assessment

Capstone Assessments

This is an example of the capstone assessment process from the Mechanical Unit.

Lab Safety Concerns

Vocational Science is a typical science course - in other words, it has both CLASSROOM and LAB portions. The lab portion involves labs taken from biology, chemistry, and physics courses. The #1 concern for any science lab is LAB SAFETY.

LabSafetyRules.pdf

Safety Testing

Many of the "jobs" or lab experiences in Vocational Science are also used in Chemistry 11 and Physics 12. Because of this, a Safety Test is required at the beginning of the Vocational Science course. This Safety Test must be passed with a 100% grade before any student can work in lab. The first three attempts at the Safety Test are multiple-choice and completed on the computer. If a student cannot pass the Safety Test in three multiple-choice attempts, the fourth and final attempt is a hand-written essay test.

Students who fail to adequately show their knowledge of lab safety will not work in the science lab. Since lab work is a graded portion of the class, students who do not pass the Safety Test will be removed from class.

Eye Protection

One of the major concerns in lab safety is EYE PROTECTION. Labs involving fire, glassware, and/or chemicals require approved chemical and splash-resistant safety goggles to be worn at all times during the lab procedure.

The following eye protection examples are NOT acceptable:

Ventilated Goggles

Ventilated goggles will not prevent liquid chemicals from entering the eye area.

Safety Glasses

Safety glasses provide no protection from underneath.

Face Shields

Face shields provided no protection from underneath.

Any one or more of the following situations require chemical and splash-resistant goggles:

Fire

Fire in lab includes that produced by lab burners or any other fuel source.

Glassware

Glassware includes any beakers, flasks, graduated cylinders, test tubes, or thermometers.

Chemicals

Lab chemicals are defined as anything having a current MSDS document. Water is excluded from this list.

Safety Problems in Lab

Even with safety testing and use of proper safety equipment and procedures, safety problems still arise. Some of these problems are accidental, while others are poor behavioral choices. The following levels indicate how safety problems will be handled in the lab setting. Safety concerns not listed will be dealt with as they arise.

Level 1

Minor safety problems such as accidental equipment breakage, social wandering, goggle removal, and distracting behavior will be handled with a warning. The student must correct upon being warned. Students who do not correct within three warnings will be required to leave the lab setting to the classroom portion of the room.

Level 2

Continuance of minor safety problems or purposeful unauthorized behavior in lab will result in the student being required to leave the lab setting to the classroom portion of the room. The student may return to lab after conferencing with the teacher and any other necessary professionals.

Level 3

Refusal to comply with requests in lab, purposeful destruction of materials and equipment, or willful injury of another student will result in automatic removal from the lab setting and the classroom. The student will not be allowed back into the classroom or lab until a conference with the student, parent(s), and administration is completed.

STOP!

A 100% score on the Safety Test is required before moving on with the content in this course.

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