Chemical Education Today
Reports from Other Journals
The Science Teacher : Education on Safety by Steve Long
Davidson explains her use of student safety contracts in “Contracting for Safety” (TST 1999, 66(6) 36–39). Davidson shares her experiences with developing and using a safety contract for both students and parents. Contracts are a popular laboratory safety procedure in many schools. The author includes numerous points to consider when designing or customizing a laboratory safety contract. Davidson also lists useful references and Web sites. If Internet resources are your focus, then “science safety.edu” (TST 1999, 66(6) 40–43) is your type of article. Strategies for efficiently searching and locating reliable sites are explained by Thomas Gadsden, Jr. and Kimberly S. Roempler. The Internet provides an inexpensive source of information, but its use involves problems of its own. Gadsden and Roempler offer suggestions for using this vast resource effectively. They also list Internet sites with pertinent science position statements, general safety information, and Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) search engines. The final safety article in this special issue is “Inclusive Safety Solutions” by Malcolm S. Cheney and Kenneth Russell Roy (TST 1999, 66(6) 48–51). This important article describes “What every teacher should know about special education and laboratory safety legislation.” Teachers may feel there is a conflict between federal guidelines on full inclusion for all students to the maximum extent possible and the federal and state guidelines on safety standards. Cheney and Roy sum-
“Standard Safety Precautions” by Lee R. Summerlin and Christie Borgford Summerlin (TST 1999, 66(6), 20–23) “Safety Station Investigation” by Teresa Potter (TST 1999, 66(6) 24–27) “Science Facilities by Design” by Sandra S. West, LaMoine L. Motz, and James T. Biehle (TST 1999, 66(6) 28–31) “Handle with Care” by Thomas E. McDuffie, John Longo, and Barbara Neff (TST 1999, 66(6) 32–35) “Contracting for Safety” by Anne B. Davidson (TST 1999, 66(6) 36–39) “Sciencesafety.edu” by Thomas Gadsden, Jr. and Kimberly S. Roempler (TST 1999, 66(6) 40–43) “Inclusive Safety Solutions” by Malcolm S. Cheney and Kenneth Russell Roy (TST 1999, 66(6) 48–51) “Extended-Inquiry Activities” by Mary Edwards, Julie Luft, Teresa Potter, and Gill Roehrig (TST 1999, 66(6) 44–47) “A Chocolate Curriculum” by Deborah J. Tippins, Wilson J. Gonzalez-Espada, and Thomas A. Haugh (TST 1999, 66(7) 30–33) “Lights, Camera, Physics” by Linda M. Bachta (TST 1999, 66(8) 20–23)
JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu • Vol. 77 No. 1 January 2000 • Journal of Chemical Education
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TST Featured Articles
Since my previous review of chemistry articles (1) from The Science Teacher (TST)1, an entire issue devoted to safety has been published. Due to both the quantity and the quality of safety articles in this special issue, it would be worthwhile to obtain a copy if you are not a regular subscriber to TST. In addition, several other TST articles of probable interest to chemistry teachers have appeared. This column will report on the articles that have appeared from September through November 1999. Safety is the theme of TST for September 1999. It is a bonanza with every feature article related to chemistry or safety! Lee R. Summerlin and Christie Borgford Summerlin open the issue (TST 1999, 66(6), 20–23) with a discussion of a program supported by the National Science Foundation. In “Standard Safety Precautions”, the authors share a practical approach they developed to laboratory management training for chemistry teachers. Laboratory safety was but one aspect of the total program in laboratory operation. Other components included laboratory management, procedures, and instruction. The authors used a “kitchen” analogy for a common sense approach to a chemical laboratory. Sources are included for some of the training materials used or developed. Carpenter, Hizer, and Baker (2) designed a graduate course for high school teachers in laboratory instruction and safety and recently explained its advantages in this Journal (3). “Safety Station Investigation” by Teresa Potter (TST 1999, 66(6) 24–27) details the use of extended-inquiry for emphasizing lab safety procedures. As a result of guided questioning and hands-on investigations, students appeared to more readily internalize traditional safety protocol. A sample of the safety station setup is included in the article as well as information on student assessment for the investigation. The physical arrangement and proper design of laboratories is considered in “Science Facilities by Design”, written by Sandra S. West, LaMoine L. Motz, and James T. Biehle (TST 1999, 66(6) 28–31). A review of disturbing incidents in which poor lab design contributed to personal injury opened the article. Common terms found in school litigation were discussed. The authors emphasized that facility design and allotted student space are primary factors in the safety of a laboratory. They specifically discussed types and amounts of space needed, arrangement and lab design, storage space, and other special considerations including both computers and disabled students. “Handle with Care” (TST 1999, 66(6) 32–35) focuses on the management of chemicals. Thomas E. McDuffie, John Longo, and Barbara Neff remind chemistry teachers of the legal concerns associated with operating a chemistry laboratory. They also reinforce the need for laboratory instruction to teachers in a quality science program. The authors explain proper chemical management and a general safety plan involving purchase, inventory, storage, and disposal. Web sites for chemical safety, in addition to numerous references, are included. Anne B.
Chemical Education Today
Reports from Other Journals marize the special education legislation in understandable terms and offer numerous strategies for ensuring laboratory safety for students with disabilities. Modifications discussed include those for facilities, instruction, and administration. The greater emphasis on inclusion of disabled students concerns many chemistry teachers. This article provides concrete steps to consider for providing safe instruction for special education students. This Journal has a long record of dedication to safety in the laboratory. A column called “Safety Tips” (4) is edited at present by Tim Champion (previous editors include Malcolm Renfrew and Norman V. Steere) and supplies valuable information on chemical safety. Chemical laboratory safety necessitates constant monitoring and education because of changing guidelines and new information. Searches of this Journal’s archives under the keyword “safety” produced hundreds of references. Readers cannot be overeducated on this important issue, but the information must be current. Readers should take responsibility to seek out the safety information most important to their specific laboratory situation. Another valuable safety resource for teachers is the American Chemical Society’s publication Safety in Academic Laboratories (5). This booklet offers many guidelines and suggestions on handling potential problems in schools. Two articles by Helser recently published in this Journal deal with clever ways to educate students on chemical safety. “A Lab Safety ‘Scavenger Hunt’” (6) provides an idea for orienting students to the location of safety items in a room. “Safety Wordsearch” (7) uses a puzzle format to involve students in a study of safety. Both of these activities may turn the traditional safety lecture into a more pleasant and meaningful exercise for students. The remaining article in the September 1999 issue “Extended-Inquiry Activities” focuses upon the use of two types of inquiry activities to encourage student achievement and interest. Mary Edwards, Julie Luft, Teresa Potter, and Gill Roehrig (TST 1999, 66(6) 44–47) present their uses of technique-dependent, extended-inquiry investigations and topicdependent, extended-inquiry investigations. These investigations span two to three weeks of class time and involve specific steps in the inquiry process. The authors claim that this instructional strategy “reduces student complaints and makes doing multiple laboratories during the same day exciting again.” Assessment of the students’ work is contained in the article along with students’ impressions of this instructional technique. In October 1999, “A Chocolate Curriculum” (TST 1999, 66(7) 30–33) combines a study of the composition, physical properties, and history of chocolate. Integrated with the laboratory investigations are case studies connecting chocolate to social science and daily life experiences. The authors, Deborah J. Tippins, Wilson J. Gonzalez-Espada, and Thomas A. Haugh, use the study of chocolate as an interest-
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ing topic to “promote the construction and interrelation of new ideas and knowledge and provide socio-environmental awareness with an inquiry angle.” “Lights, Camera, Physics” (TST 1999, 66(8) 20–23) may not sound like an article of interest to chemistry teachers, but it is the study of atoms, atomic energy, and the development of the atomic bomb. Incorporated in this study of science is a social studies unit on World War II. Most chemistry teachers include some nuclear chemistry material in their courses. Linda M. Bachta describes her creative lesson combining nuclear physics with history. Bachta provides the reader with a list of suggested scientists to include in the study along with comments on student assessment. A sample of a student script produced in the project gives readers a grasp of the possibilities of the process. Leary and Kippeny in this Journal (8) present a flow chart summarizing contributions to the modern view of the atom. Klotz (9) provides insight into the personalities and beliefs of the German atomic bomb scientists in a recent Journal article. These two resources could be valuable additions to Bachta’s project. After reading the review of these articles primarily on safety, I hope you are both encouraged and challenged to refresh your knowledge of chemical safety. The current references and resources provided by TST as well as by this Journal are important benefits of their subscriptions. In this litigious society, current and accurate knowledge is mandatory. Enjoy your reading! Note 1. TST is published by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) for high school science teachers.
Literature Cited 1. Long, S. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 882. 2. Carpenter, S. R.; Hizer, T. J.; Baker, J. P. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 38. 3. Carpenter, S. R. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 387. 4. (a) Hunsley, J. R. J. Chem. Educ. 1995, 72, 543. (b) Stock, L. J., III. J. Chem. Educ. 1995, 72, 926. (c) Hill, P. S.; Greco, T. G. J. Chem. Educ. 1995, 72, 1126. These are located in “Safety Tips”, a feature column edited by Tim Champion. 5. Committee on Chemical Safety. Safety in Academic Laboratories, 6th ed.; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1995. 6. Helser, T. L. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 68. 7. Helser, T. L. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 495. 8. Leary, J. J.; Kippeny, T. C. J. Chem. Educ. 1999, 76, 1217. 9. Klotz, I. M. J. Chem. Educ. 1997, 74, 204.
Steve Long teaches at Rogers High School, Rogers, AR 72756;
[email protected].
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 77 No. 1 January 2000 • JChemEd.chem.wisc.edu
