Australia's Science Forum

I come in during the holidays to feed the fish and check the filters are still working etc. there are 14 tanks. I usually have an idea of how much time it takes and then next term I leave work one day early to make up for it.
Estelle

I bought black faber-castell whiteboard markers, they were hopeless! They faded to grey and the students couldn't read the info on the board. I still have to supply chalk because the "powers that be" supplied all our labs with new whiteboards but they are so small that the teachers have to...

Paperless society!! I agree, what a joke I think we probably get a semi trailer load of paper each year just for copying. As a science department we aren't really helping out the environment in our school, the worst part is that a lot of the copying I do ends up just laying around. I also have a tea...

Not sure if this helps anyone but when I get new chemicals I put the appropriate usage dots on them and then cover the label with contact because some of the printing seems to wear off so this saves that problem. I also put a purchase date on the container like other lab assistants and on the lid I ...

Hi I would appreciate a copy of the prac as well. we are doing that one next week I think.
026672 6056 Attention Estelle on it.
Thanks
Estelle

Did you know that this has a fairly short shelf life so don't buy large amounts and it
needs to be kept in the fridge?
Estelle

Hi Cathy, do you have a copy of the chemical safety in schools folder?There should be one somewhere in the science dept. It was put out several years ago. when CSIS came into schools. In it in section 3.2 science there is a section .6 on page 57 that has some good information about biological materi...

Hi Lindy, I am curious, did you get any training or have some sort of background in using chemicals before you started your job in the highschool? This was a discussion earlier this week on another thread about lack of training for school assistants working in science so I was wondering what your si...

Hi Kristin,
Can you give me details on the energy monitor, where from and about how much?
Thanks
Estelle.

Actually I agree with Rosalie, I took leave without pay for a week from the job twice and neither time did I get replaced even on days I am sick no one is asked to cover me, different story for other departments eg office, food tech ect. they get replaced straight away. I like to think it is because...

I wonder when the department is going to realise that the science area isn't somewhere you can just turn up and start working. They wouldn't let someone loose in the finance area without proper training so why do they expect us to. Mind you I think I could do well with the school cheque book! I woul...

Hi When I first started working here I took the time to do a complete stocktake of the whole science area, I then set it up in excel. For example Storeroom Bay 1 ticker timers 10 light boxes 12 etc. Bay 2 transformers 15 mirrors 8 etc Preproom cupboard 1 beakers 100 mL 20 250 mL 22 Cupboard 2 funnel...

For the safety of someone who might come across your cultures eg cleaners, council workers etc. wouldn't you at least have to heat the agar plates to kill off any unknown growths (biological hazards) before disposing of them into the garbage? Here at work I am not allowed to dispose of them the way ...

My first week on the job (three years ago) and I was requested to put glass tubing into rubber stoppers. 4 stitches and a scar up the inside of my forefinger is a great reminder of that experience, so make sure you don't force the tubing in any way!! My head teacher said I was lucky, he had seen ano...

Hi, I am in the process of disposing of used agar plates, luckily for me my local hospital agrees to do it for us. I have to package them up safely and then label the box accordingly and deliver it to them. Maybe you could try that. Also while on the subject of agar plates, I have had the senior bio...

Hi Kathryn, Have a go at making slime using borax, water and PVA glue. I put some PVA (wood glue) into a beaker and stir in some saturated borax solution, it goes stringy and then you get it out and it can be kneaded or when it is put on the bench it sort of spreads out again. We use it to ask the s...

We are using focus science books, and are up to the experiment for using alka seltzer tablets for reactions. They are rather expensive to buy to supply four classes so I made mini bath bombs which seemed to work out fine and a whole lot cheaper. Does anyone have any other suggestions that I might ke...

I was reading through old forums and came across the enquiry about methanol. I get my chemicals from a company called Silform the methanol LR was 500mL $5.50 and 2.5Lt $17.00 . ph: 07 4126 3631 or fax 07 4126 3634 Very reasonably priced and I think they actually supply Qstores with some chemicals. T...

Hi,
Marine studies would like to set up a tank with yabbies and penny turtles, I assume we have to have some sort of license for this. Does anyone know where the science dept gets this from and any idea of the cost.
Thanks Estelle

We are having our feeder schools year 6 students visiting and would like to do some simple science displays that involve lots of smoke or something that gives an impressive visual display for the students to see. I have seen a few ideas on the net but most involve combinations of toxic chemicals or ...