4 TH GRADE SCIENCE CLASS INTRODUCTION TO SAFETY

WELCOME TO OUR 2 ND GRADE SCIENCE CLASS! Our science class is going to be a lot of fun this year! Some of the activities that we will be doing in our class: -Laboratory Experiments -Investigations -Working with animals -Working with chemicals -And more!

BUT BEFORE WE BEGIN… We need to go over some rules to make sure that we are staying safe while working in the science classroom. Why is safety important? -It helps us know what to do in case of an accident or spill. -We know how to clean up the messes and spills properly. -When working with some chemicals, we need to know how to handle them properly. -We need to know how to handle animals and insects properly that we might be working with.

WHEN WORKING WITH MATERIALS… 1.Goggles are to be worn during the activity or investigation, clean up, and through hand washing. 2.Glassware is to be washed with hot, soapy water and scrubbed with the appropriate type and sized brush, rinsed, dried, and returned to its original location. 3.Solid chemicals, metals, matches, filter papers, broken glass, and other materials designated by the instructor are to be deposited in the proper waste containers, not in the sink. Follow your instructor’s directions for disposal of waste. 4.Work areas should be kept clean and neat at all times. Work surfaces are to be cleaned at the end of each laboratory or activity.

SAFETY PROCEDURES 1.Always read all directions carefully before beginning the experiment. 2.Make sure that your lab table is neat and organized before the experiment or lab begins. 3.Make sure that you clean up all materials, chemicals, and worksheets properly after the experiment is over and make sure that all materials are put away in the right places. 4.All accidents, chemical spills, and injuries must be reported immediately to the instructor, no matter how trivial they may seem at the time. Follow your instructor’s directions for immediate treatment. 5.Should a fire drill or other evacuation emergency occur during an investigation or activity, make sure you turn off all gas burners and electrical equipment and exit the room as directed.

RESPECTING LIVING ORGANISMS 1.Do not handle the living organisms until you have permission from the teacher to do so. 2.Wash your hands before and after handling the animals. 3.Immediately notify the teacher if the organism is acting in a strange manner. 4.Make sure that you understand everything about the organisms that you are working with so you know how to handle them properly.

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN! We are going to take a short quiz as a class together online to review the safety rules and procedures of our science classroom. When we are done, you will each get a personal safety contract to sign that states that you have read and understood the safety rules and procedures that we have covered in class!