Lab days have always been my favorite days at school. Students are moving, talking, observing, measuring, questioning, and applying what they have learned in class. A good lab activity can bring a science concept to life in a way that notes and worksheets simply cannot.
But a successful lab day does not happen by accident.
For the inexperienced science teacher, the lab can feel like a scary and potentially dangerous place. I have worked with many new teachers who want to include more laboratory activities, but they are not sure where to begin. They worry about safety. They worry about supplies. They worry about time. They worry about students getting off task. These are valid concerns.
There seems to be a wide spectrum in science teaching when it comes to the laboratory. At one end are teachers whose fear of the lab prevents them from ever taking students into the lab. At the opposite extreme are teachers who forge blindly ahead without giving enough thought to safety, procedures, timing, organization, or classroom management.
Most science teachers fall somewhere in the middle, and all of us can use a refresher course when it comes to planning laboratory activities.
Planning effective labs requires more than just gathering materials. Many teachers find that labs are most successful when they are part of a well-organized high school biology curriculum that connects each activity to larger instructional goals and concepts.
Over the years, I developed a laboratory checklist of items I consider before taking my students into the lab. These are the questions I ask myself before lab day arrives.
Before Choosing a Lab Activity
Begin with two simple questions. If the answer to either question is “no,” the lab may not be the best choice for your students at this time.
1. Is this lab activity age appropriate?
All science students need to be challenged with activities that are appropriate for their age, maturity level, and lab experience. The lab should push students to the next level of critical thinking and problem solving without placing them in a situation that is too confusing or unsafe.
A lab that works well with one group of students may need to be modified for another group. That is not a problem. That is part of good teaching.
2. Does this lab meet an educational goal or objective?
Pardon me while I get up on my soapbox for a minute.
The lab activity must meet an educational objective or goal. There has to be a reason for doing the lab. The lab should be related to the concepts being taught in the classroom, and it should reinforce or further the students' understanding of those concepts.
If you can answer “yes” to both of these questions, proceed with the lab. If you answer “no” to one or both questions, look for another lab activity or modify the one you have.
Once students are comfortable with structured investigations, you may want to give them opportunities to design their own experiments. If you are ready for that next step, read more about teaching students to design experiments.
If you cannot clearly explain why you are doing a lab, your students probably will not understand why they are doing it either. Every lab should reinforce an important science concept, not simply fill a class period.
Before Lab Day Arrives
Assuming the lab has met the standards posed by the first two questions, it is time to plan the activity. Consider the following items before lab day arrives.
3. Safety First!
The safety of the students should be your first thought when planning a lab activity. Are the items on the materials list appropriate for your students? Think carefully about the potential hazards of the lab and identify the areas in which an accident might be possible.
Before the lab begins, consider student movement, lab equipment, chemicals, heat sources, sharp objects, glassware, personal protective equipment, and emergency procedures. It is assumed that you have already carried out lab safety instruction with students at the beginning of the school year.
If you need ideas for teaching and reviewing safety expectations, I have an entire post on laboratory safety.
4. Using chemicals? Review the Safety Data Sheet.
A Safety Data Sheet, or SDS, should be available for every chemical used in the lab. The SDS provides important information about hazards, handling, storage, first aid, and disposal.
Whether your school keeps printed copies, digital copies, or both, make sure you know where this information is located before students begin working with chemicals. Review the SDS ahead of time and make sure students understand the safety precautions that apply to the lab.
5. Carry out the lab yourself before trying it with students.
Teachers who are doing the lab for the first time in the presence of students are asking for trouble.
By carrying out the experiment prior to lab day, you can make sure that all equipment and supplies are on hand and in good working order. You can identify problem areas where students may need extra help, determine if the experiment actually works, look for alternative supplies if needed, and make adjustments to the lab procedure.
This step is worth the time: It is much better to find missing supplies, unclear directions, or timing problems before students are standing in front of you waiting to begin.
When trying a new lab, complete the entire investigation exactly as your students will do it. This is the best way to find missing materials, confusing directions, timing problems, and steps that need to be explained more clearly.
6. How much time will the lab take?
If students finish the lab experiment quickly, no problem. They can spend the remaining minutes cleaning their lab area, analyzing data, answering lab questions, or preparing their lab reports.
But what will you do if class time runs out before students can finish the experiment? This will surely happen on some lab days. Have a plan.
Decide ahead of time which parts of the lab must be completed during class and which parts can be finished later. If a lab may need to continue the next day, think through how students will save materials, samples, observations, or data.
7. How will you set up the lab stations and supply area?
An effective lab runs much more smoothly when supplies are organized before students arrive. Identify traffic flow problems beforehand and set up the supply areas in a way that reduces student traffic jams.
You may decide that each lab station should be supplied with every item needed for the experiment. In another lab, it may work better to have a general supply area where students collect the items they need. No two labs are the same. Identify the best solution for each lab.
If you use stations often, you may also enjoy this post on how to make lab stations work in your classroom.
Students ask far fewer questions when everything is ready before they walk through the door. A few extra minutes spent organizing supplies before class allows you to spend lab time teaching instead of handing out materials.
Once steps 3–7 have been checked off, you are ready to take your students to the lab. The following items on the checklist will help your lab activity run smoothly once students arrive.
Once Students Are in the Lab
8. Provide students with written instructions.
Students must receive lab handouts that clearly identify the safety precautions and the exact procedure for the experiment. Giving oral instructions that reinforce the information on the lab handout is fine. Giving oral instructions instead of providing a lab handout is not.
Clear written directions reduce repeated questions and help students work more independently. Instead of wondering what to do next, students can focus on making observations, collecting data, and thinking through the investigation.
9. Always schedule pre-lab time.
During pre-lab time, provide students with the lab handouts they will be using during the lab. Go over your expectations for the lab and explain what is to be accomplished by doing the activity.
This is also the time to review safety reminders, demonstrate unfamiliar equipment, explain how data should be recorded, and clarify any steps that may cause confusion.
You may want to use a Pre-Lab Worksheet as a homework assignment so students will be prepared on lab day. Review the lab safety rules for each and every lab.
10. How will you group the students?
There is no correct answer to this question. Should you allow students to choose their own partners? Should you place students in groups of your choosing? Should you have groups of two, three, or four? Every lab is different.
You know your students, and you know what you can expect from them. One class may be mature enough to choose their own partners, while this would never work in another class.
I sometimes allow students to choose their own groups, but I most often choose the student groups myself. At the beginning of the school year, I place the name of each student on an index card. Prior to the lab activity, I place these index cards at the lab stations. As students enter the room, they look for their card. This allows me to quickly and easily place students in lab groups.
Life lessons are also learned by having students work with different classmates throughout the year.
11. Monitor and keep a watchful eye during the lab.
There will be many students in the lab, and there will only be one of you. You must be confident that you can control and manage the class in situations involving chemicals, sharp items, glassware, hot plates, Bunsen burners, or other equipment.
During the lab activity, be vigilant in monitoring and interacting with students. Walk around the room. Listen to student conversations. Watch for unsafe technique. Ask questions. Redirect when needed. You are the person in the room who has the ability to prevent accidents from occurring.
12. Allow enough time at the end of class for students to clean up.
At least five minutes before the bell, the lab activity must end. If students are still working, instruct them to stop and begin cleanup procedures.
You do not want the students in the next class to walk in and see a huge mess. You want the next class to walk in and see an organized lab setup. It sets the tone. It makes a difference.
13. Be timely in breaking down the lab.
As a courtesy to your fellow science teachers who use the same lab, make sure to break down your lab quickly so the lab will be ready for the next person.
Wash the glassware, wipe down lab tables, put away equipment, restock supplies, and make sure chemicals are disposed of correctly. Your teammates will appreciate it, and you will be glad everything is ready the next time you need it.
14. Make an assessment plan.
How are you going to evaluate the work done by students during the lab activity? Will they write a lab report? Will they answer analysis questions? Will there be lab questions on the upcoming test? Will there be a lab quiz?
Also decide how students will record and submit their work. Will students use a printed lab handout, a science notebook, a digital document, or your learning management system? Making this decision before lab day prevents confusion later.
Assessment is an important part of the process. It tells students that the activity was important. If you never grade, discuss, review, or assess the lab activity in any way, it sends the message that lab activities are just “fun times.” This can lead to behavior problems on future lab days.
15. Make a plan for students who are absent on lab day.
I wish I could offer the perfect solution to this problem. The simple truth is that when students are absent, they have missed valuable instruction time that cannot be fully recovered.
I have scheduled lab makeup days after school, given alternate assignments, provided sample data for students to analyze, and created modified versions of investigations. None of these options perfectly replaces the original experience, but having a plan ahead of time makes the situation easier to manage.
Do not judge a lab only by how much fun students had. Judge it by how much they learned, the quality of their discussions, and whether you would teach the lab again. Some of the most successful labs are also the simplest.
Looking for Biology and Chemistry Lab Activities?
If you are looking for classroom-tested laboratory investigations, I have organized my science labs by subject in my TPT store to make planning easier.
- Browse Biology Lab Activities This custom category is for biology investigations for topics such as cells, enzymes, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, genetics, evolution, ecology, and more.
- Browse Chemistry Lab Activities This custom category is for chemistry investigations for topics such as density, significant figures, flame tests, chromatography, the mole concept, chemical reactions, acids and bases, and more.
Each of these labs has been thoroughly tested in my own lab.
Final Thoughts
Lab days are my favorite days at school. Being proactive and organized in your approach to lab activities will help your day run smoothly and keep students engaged in the learning process.
If you are getting ready for a new school year, you may also enjoy my article on returning to your lab after summer break.
Careful planning may not be the most exciting part of teaching science, but it is the foundation of every successful lab. When students walk into a well-prepared laboratory, they can spend less time wondering what to do and more time doing science.
Going to be doing our first "real lab" in a few days with our co-taught biology classes. It's a much larger class than usual, with quite a few low-level learners, including 2 autistic. Thanks so much for this blog post! Great ideas.
ReplyDeleteI love these ideas. I ALWAYS do number 5 when the lab is unknown to me. I absolutely love teaching Science and the lab work is so engaging and important. That being said it can be the most daunting for new teachers. Your blog posts clearly explains all the important aspect of lab work for students and teachers. Thank you very much for posting this, I will be sharing it with colleagues.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for sharing with your colleagues!
DeleteI am so glad that I came across your blog and products! I already purchased your Science Chat. I have been a science and math teacher for about 12/17 years, all in 5th grade. I am moving to our high school and teaching biology. I am super excited!!! We have 90-minute blocks. I am used to teaching via a workshop format and not big on a lot of lecture. I am also a hands-on teacher. Could you please help me wrap my brain around how you implement the content and conduct stations in a typical week in your classroom? I want to see if I am on the right track.
ReplyDelete