Australia's Science Forum

I was in the same boat, Rosalie - inherited a batch of methylene blue with a Chemwatch label. God knows what was in it. I ended up making up a new batch and labelling it as a percentage concentration. Was easier than trying to work out molarity. Also included the percentage of ethanol. I learnt the ...

We use Tetley, Yorkshire (can buy in Woolies) and Lipton. All will work but the Tetley works the best.
We do this for Year 7 Taster Day - students get one of each to see which works the best.

Loopy wrote: ↑12 Dec 2022, 13:36 where is the old and cranky emoji?

That would be a picture of me

Could it just be sodium hydroxide?

I think it always helps to have teachers who are organised and give plenty of notice for pracs. So have rules about time frames, remind teachers at the start of the year and enforce it for repeat offenders. I'm always understanding of teachers who forget, have plans changed etc. Teachers who order l...

Models - I get from Haines. Victor is helpful in doing special orders for models they don't list on their website but you will have to wait. Usually Eisco brand which are pretty good value and reasonable quality.
I never buy posters as I just don't have the storage for them.

Just got a notification from DET that Black snake prac is not permitted pending further investigation . https://education.nsw.gov.au/noticeboard/2022/11/safety-alert-95-science-activities-in-schools Not really surprised. We don't have access to the department, can someone fill us in. That would be ...

I wouldn't include them. Interesting question, though! I would think the fact that the quantities are small (we're not talking truck batteries here) and the contents are sealed then it would all seem safe. I would ensure they are properly stored, especially button batteries, in the prep room where s...

I will be taking on more WHS responsibilities next year, which means the College will be looking for someone to fill in in Science two days a week. It will be a temporary appointment for 2023. We are a really well resourced school. The Science staff are great, very few last minute pracs from these ...

My head teacher says that Primary Schools are not allowed to do experiments with anything that's not edible . So using Metho is a breach straight up . Which could explain why so many year 7 kids are always asking if they can eat everything :yuck:.....to much molly coddling :whistling2: That's inter...

I will be taking on more WHS responsibilities next year, which means the College will be looking for someone to fill in in Science two days a week. It will be a temporary appointment for 2023. We are a really well resourced school. The Science staff are great, very few last minute pracs from these p...

Riskassess says DGC 8 (corrosive) and it is strongly acidic. So corrosive acids. I store our's on a top shelf above liquids in the corrosive acids cupboard. The SDS should be your go to, but some of the incompatibility advice can be a bit cryptic.

Hopefully the metho will just be surface burns then (although still traumatic! Not trying to downplay it). I was imagining those poor kids covered in burning sugar and lighter fluid. So awful no matter what it was. I think one of the children is in a really bad shape. They had to be airlifted to ho...

Teacher definitely in trouble but the Principal will be in more!

My thought was: what goes wrong when your risk assessment doesn't factor in the weather. And the moral to the story - untrained people shouldn't be handling chemicals. Safework NSW is going to have a field day - the school's RA was clearly inadequate and what training did the teacher have? Or being ...

Had that feeling you had over-thought it!
Reminds me of a story - the Americans spent a vast sum of money designing a ballpoint pen that would work in zero gravity at the international space station. When they arrived, the Russians showed them their solution - a pencil

Thanks for all the information relating to the plastics ban. I am a DOE school that has NOT been told about this. I brought it up to the powers that be and they totally disregarded anything I had to say. I now have decided that I won't purchase any more plastics but will use up the products I have ...

The whole collection thing is a bit ridiculous. One 100L box will be collected free of charge. Items can be dropped off in Botany in Sydney. I don't have a 100L box but they have told me I can tape multiple boxes together. Really, at the end of the day, it sounds easier to drop them in the bin. goto...

ottenc - you have been going above and beyond what is expected of most labbies. You have been providing 5 star service and apart from the space, the impact on your time must be huge. Expect a bit of resistance when/if you change procedures. Just know, that most of us provide the materials for the wh...

We use a similar size tub.