Australia's Science Forum

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 keep in mind for next year.

Also I am curious as to what type of budget other science labs have, ours has been slashed by almost $2000 this year which makes it a bit tight when trying to replace (lost, stolen, broken) textbooks and equipment, hence the need to find cheap alternatives for some requests.
Cheers Estelle

Ask your Head Teacher of Science if he/she can allocate you $400.00 for the school year.It needs to be done when each faculty is asked to submit their budget for the year.This is usually done during last term of the year for the following year.When I require money to buy science stuff I write a submission for petty cash of which the Head Teacher has to sign. Then it is given to the Senior to process. I ask for $50.00 each time.I keep this money locked in the filing cabinet and use it till the $50.00 has run out and then I submit another request for $50.00 and so it continues on.Be certain to keep all your receipts for the Senior to tally up.I keep a petty cash book to write all purchases in so then I have a record as well.I wonder what other schools do????
Cheers
Mother

Hi Estelle

Bath bombs are a great idea.

We use Sugarine tablets. They work OK as well. Also cheap!

Alice

Hi Estelle

We make our Bath Bombs with Citric acid and sodium bi-carbonate 1:2, add oil and colour etc. Oil holds it together. We also sell at school activities.

Here is a web link which give a variation, but stills use the above as main ingredients http://www.cookiemadness.net/bath_bombs/.


As for budgets. When I came here the spend was only 2k and couldn't believe it was so low (barely replaced things, and was run down), I have done a budget and justified my increases (substantial) and not had a real problem since. They had never done a budget before I can, so the Principal did what he liked.

Kim

Hi Estelle,

We have used tablets which fizz and are used to soak dentures. I think they are called Polident and they are about half the price of alka seltzer.

Cheers,

Robbie

I tried the denture tablets this year and the teachers said they turned the water blue. Does anyone have a suggestion for cheaper than alka-seltzer but still fizzes and dissolves but doesn't change colour? They need to be a tablet, not powder. Thanks!

We use the denture and Aspro Clear soluble tablets some teacher prefer one over the other.

We have just started using the denture tablets, and for what we do the blue colour change doesn't matter at all. Otherwise we use aspro clear which you can get at a reasonably cheap price from Chemist Warehouse.