Biochemistry Lab: Testing Foods for Organic Compounds.

What types of organic compounds are contained in the foods we eat? Sometimes an old idea is still the best way to teach a concept.  That is how I feel about this lab, "Testing Foods for Organic Compounds."  I have been doing this lab for over 30 years, and I never tire of doing it.  Granted, it is a bit messy and the observed results are sometimes a little subjective, but my students always love these two days in the lab.

This lab is best used during your units on Biochemistry and the Organic Compounds.  Teaching the characteristics of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids can be dry and tiresome to students, and this lab is a great way to break the monotony of lecturing on these topics.  This lab activity is a two-part activity.  First, students will learn the indicator tests for sugars, starches, proteins, fats, vitamin C, and salt using known solutions.  Once the students understand how to complete these tests, they will test a wide variety of foods to see what compounds are contained in each food.

Before any testing of foods is carried out, students must "practice" to learn the indicator test for each compound.  For example, in order to determine if milk contains simple sugars, students must know how to carry out the test for simple sugars.  This is the purpose of the first part of the lab.  Students are given known solutions so that they can see what the positive test for a particular compound looks like.  Then, when the foods are tested, the students will recognize and understand the results they are getting.  Students will learn the positive and negative tests for the following:

• Students will test for starch using iodine.
• Students will test for simple sugars using Benedict's solution.
• Students will test for proteins using Biuret reagent.
• Students will test for lipids using the brown paper test.
• Students will test for the presence of vitamin C using indophenol.
• Students will test for salt using silver nitrate.

Please note: Obviously, salt is not an organic compound.  However, it is a fun test for the students to carry out, and it provides interesting information about the foods we eat.

Once students know how to use the above indicators, the real fun can begin! Choose a variety of foods that you would like for your students to test.  While you can theoretically use any foods in the experiment, some are easier to test than others.  For example, students will probably be frustrated if you ask them to test dark purple grape juice.  They simply will not be able to see the results of the tests.  I have the best results when testing the following:  Milk, yogurt, egg whites, egg yolks, potatoes, celery, cereals, and an assortment of fruit juices.  The liquid foods can be used straight from their containers.  For solids foods, you will need to prepare a solution of the food using a blender.

What are the benefits of doing this lab?

• First and foremost, it is just plain FUN!  If students love your lab activities, they will be excited about your class.  These days, having your students excited about your class solves a host of other problems.
• This lab reviews and reinforces the concepts you have been teaching in your classroom.  Facts about the macromolecules are easier to learn and remember when the students see a practical application of the information.
• This lab teaches good lab techniques, how to organize data, and how to work in cooperative learning groups.
• Students lean that a particular food that they thought was "healthy" is really nothing more than sugar and salt.
• Working through detailed lab procedures teaches a student to read, understand, and follow directions.
• Students must use their critical thinking and problem solving skills.

Below you can see the lab handouts that I use with my students.  Clicking here or on the image below will lead you to this lab in my TpT store. Complete teacher guide is included that contains an answer key to all questions, directions for preparing the solutions, and tips and suggestions for the successful completion of this lab activity.  

Returning to Your Lab After Summer Break: A "Must-Do" List of Chores

Picture yourself at the end of the school year ... You are punch-drunk from having made it through end of course exams, posting final grades, collecting textbooks, and trying to get your classroom packed up for the summer. You are giddy with excitement about the much needed summer break. It's the last day of school and you just want to go home. Every teacher reading this knows this feeling. It is nearly impossible to have the will power to start preparing for NEXT school year on the last day of THIS school year.

Fast forward ... Summer is over and you are heading back to school.  What are the first, most important things you need to do when you return to your classroom and lab?  Perhaps this check list of 18 Must-Do Chores will help get you started.

#1  Not a chore, but a directive!  Go back to school a day or two before the other teachers.  Head straight to the lab and get it ready for school. Your classroom decorations can wait.

#2  Assess the summer "damage."  At my school, every single room is emptied over the summer so that the floors can be stripped, cleaned, and waxed.  When the furniture and supplies are returned to the lab, they are never put back where they belong.  Your first chore is simply organization. Get the tables, lab stools, boxes, etc., back where they belong.

#3  Assess the "real damage."  Check the water faucets at every single lab station because some of them will be leaking.  Check each and every gas jet because some students will have stuck their pencils in the end of them, breaking off the pencil tip inside.  Set aside the stools and desks that are damaged.  Check each electrical outlet.  Make a list of everything that requires a fix and move on to #4 right now!

#4  Go find the custodian.  In fact, when you arrive on this first day back, bring a plate of cookies for the custodian!  We lab teachers require the help of the custodian more than the classroom teachers.  Take your neatly written damage list and very sincerely ask for help in getting the repairs completed before students arrive.

#5  Clean, clean, and clean some more!  Get your paper towels and cleaning supplies and get to work.  Wipe down all lab tables and other surfaces. Check the drain of each sink to remove any debris caught in the drain.  Leave paper towels and Windex/Lysol spray bottles at each station so that students will be able to clean at the end of their lab.

#6  Check your fire safety equipment.  Is the fire extinguisher properly charged?  Is the fire blanket in a handy location?  Can you easily open the fire blanket container?

#7  Flush your eye wash station.  How many of us are diligent about flushing the eye wash weekly, or even monthly?  Check out this blog post on the eye wash fountain and safety shower for loads of information.

#8  Flush the safety shower.  Read the above referenced blog post about how to properly maintain the safety shower.

#9  Check your fume hood.  Click this link to view a great check list from OSHA about the lab fume hood.

#10  On to the safety goggles and sterilizer!  How do you handle goggles?  Do students have their own set, or do they share them with other students?  How are they cleaned and sanitized?  Goggles have to be worn, and they must be sterilized.  Before students return, be sure to hand-wash all goggles and sanitize them in a properly functioning sterilizer.  This blog post will provide you with additional details about lab safety goggles.

#11  Don't forget about the chemical storage area.  Make sure that chemicals are stored properly and safely and organized according to the "rules." Not sure how your chemical storeroom should be organized?  This article has everything you need to know about your chemical storeroom.

#12  Check your First Aid Kit!  Take an inventory of the items in your first aid kit.  Make a list of items such as band aids, ointments, alcohol wipes, etc., that need to be replaced.

#13  Clean out the lab refrigerator.  I guarantee you that someone left their lunch there months ago.

#14  Make sure lab safety aprons are clean and easily accessible as students enter the lab.

#15  Prepare a basic set of lab equipment and store a set at each lab station.  This will save you time all year long, and will prevent students from wandering all over the lab looking for equipment.  Consider placing the following at each lab station:  Bunsen burner and hose, ring stand and rings, wooden test tube rack, graduated cylinder, stirring rod, ruler, stopwatch. Include any other items that you frequently use.

#16  Identify designated areas and put up signs.  Where will students place their backpacks as they enter the lab?  Where should students place their dirty glassware?  Where is chemical waste placed?  Where should students wash their hands?  Make clear instruction signs, laminate them, and place them in the best location for your lab.

#17  Make a list of supplies you need to order.  Make sure that you have the latest catalogs.  Throw away the old ones!  Determine what supplies you need for the new school year, and get your lab order in to the purchasing department as quickly as possible.  The early bird gets the worm!

#18  Plan your lab safety instruction unit. In the very first few days of school you need to teach a lab safety unit to your students. Students need handouts of all lab safety rules. You need to have each student fill out a medical emergency form and have parents sign a lab safety contract.

Once your lab is in good condition, what is the next step?

I remember my first few years of teaching … it was incredibly hard to come up with good, rock-solid labs. New teachers need quality labs, and seasoned teachers are always looking to improve upon their lab activity arsenal. These bundles of labs are sure to save you so much time and energy. They have been used with my own students for years with great success.

 

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Cells, Mitosis, DNA, Genetics, Enzymes, Ecology + more
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⚗️ Chemistry Lab Bundle:
15 must-do labs covering key topics like density, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, periodic trends, flame tests, and more
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Wanna Chat? Reasons why my Chat Lab Stations are working!

The Background Story: A few years ago, I wanted to do something different on the first day of school. Most of the teachers at my school, including me, were doing the same thing all daylong ... Going over the course syllabus, passing out textbooks, reading the dreaded classroom rules. After one class period of this, all that the students heard was "Blah, blah, blah...."  It was definitely time for me to do something different. After giving it some thought, "Biology Chat" was born. My goals for the activity were simple:
(1) Get the kids actively engaged in science on the very first day so they don't dread coming to my class the second day, and (2) Help the students make new friends in our very large school. These goals were accomplished! In fact, the activity was so popular with my biology students that I quickly developed Chemistry Chat for my chem classes.

TL;DR click on any image to view in my TPT store. Or you can click here to view all  my Chats.

Biology Chat

Chemistry Chat

Physics Chat

What is the purpose of my "Chat" lab activities? My "Chat" activities are rotating lab stations and involve collaborative student groups. At each station, students collaborate to resolve a problem, accomplish a task, or conduct a minor science experiment. The term "chat" is used to encourage students to engage in meaningful conversation and teamwork, hopefully deepening their comprehension and mastery of the subject matter content. Let's face it. High school students have "socializing" on their minds all day long. The term "chat" resonates with them, and it has a “fun” tone.

What are the benefits of my Chat Lab Stations?

1.  Students are up, out of their seats, and moving! It is a rare student that can sit in a desk for eight hours and still be conscious at the end of the day. Chat lab stations allow students to move around the room, giving them a bit of a mental break between each station.

2.  Group work is an important part of what we do in a science class, and it is a skill that will be needed throughout life. Lab station activities teach students how to work together to achieve a goal.

3. Differentiation! We all teach classes that contain students of widely-varying ability levels. It is not necessary for every student to complete every lab station. For students with IEP's, have them complete only the stations that are appropriate for them. By carefully selecting the small groups, you can create groups that are supportive and will provide an educational atmosphere that will benefit all members of the group. It is also a good idea to have a "challenge" lab station for the early finishers. I never want idle hands in my classroom!

4.  All too often we throw so much information at the students that they quickly become overwhelmed by sheer volume. Each chat lab station focuses on a single task or concept. This prevents students from becoming overwhelmed by too much information.

5.  Peer teaching/tutoring is highly effective! A struggling student may likely learn more from a fellow student than they do from the teacher. One student can offer another student explanations in a low pressure setting that feels safe to the struggling student.

6.  The more informal classroom setting allows me more time to interact with my students. I love being able to walk around the room and speak to every student. It allows me to connect with the student, both personally and academically. Secondary students may not show the same affection for their teachers as do elementary students, but they still want to be noticed, complimented, and see a friendly smile from the teacher.

Tips for Implementation!

1. Consider very carefully how the students are arranged into groups. I never (or rarely) allow students to choose their own lab groups. Do I want the students to have a little "chat" or social time during the activity? Yes, but I want to control it. I want my students chatting, but I want them chatting about the topics and concepts that I need to teach and reinforce. Before my students arrive in my class, I have already placed them in groups. Each week I change the composition of the groups. This prevents the students from becoming too comfortable and failing to accomplish the goals of the lesson.

2. Make sure that your lab stations offer a good mix of teaching styles and strategies. You don't want students labeling a diagram at every single station. They will quickly lose interest in the activity. Make sure that each station offers a different sort of task or activity.

3. Make sure that each station is independent of the other stations. The activity works so much better if students can rotate from one station to another in any order. If the stations have to be completed in a certain order, a lab traffic jam will likely result.

4. Monitor the students! Make sure that students are on task ... all period long!  

Since developing Biology Chat years ago, I continue to expand on the idea of chat lab stations. Click on any of the photos below to view in my TPT store.

Let's continue the "converstation" in the comments section below. Let me know your questions. Is there a certain topic/concept you would like to see in a future Chat?  Thanks for stopping by, and have fun teaching!

Lab Stations: How to Make Them Work for You!

Lab stations can be a fantastic tool in our teaching arsenal!

Teaching science requires a multi-faceted approach. Students are all over the place in terms of their learning styles, their ability levels, and their attitudes toward learning.  Great science teachers mix it up every day in terms of teaching strategies and approaches for getting across the concepts we need to teach.  Using only one teaching style or strategy, no matter how wonderful it is, will become old and stale if used day after day after day.

In this article, I'll discuss a strategy that has been around since the dark ages, but seems to be all the rage lately.  LAB STATIONS!

What is the lab station approach?

The term "lab station" has come to have different meanings for different people.  Lab stations are a method of instruction where small groups of students work together on a task or activity in order to learn, review or reinforce a concept.  These small groups move or rotate through a series of lab stations or science centers, and complete an activity at each station.  The term "lab practical" is also familiar to many of us, but in my mind, there is a difference between a lab practical and lab stations.  While both practices require rotating or moving between stations, lab practicals are used as tests and assessments.  For example, in an anatomy class one would rotate through the stations of a lab practical in a testing format to demonstrate proficiency in a particular area of animal anatomy and physiology.  The use of lab stations, on the other hand, is a teaching technique that is used to teach, review or reinforce concepts being covered before a test is taken.

Should lab stations be used as first-day instruction, or saved for a review activity at the end of a unit?  The answer is:  Yes and yes!  On the very first day of school, I have my students complete a lab station activity called Science Chat.  Students are always delighted to learn that they are doing an activity that allows them to be out of their desks.  If lab stations are to be used as first-day instruction, great care must be taken in the way the stations are designed and written.  If no prior instruction has been given, students must have a way to complete the tasks and build upon their pre-existing knowledge.  Lab stations used on the first day of new unit should involve activities that are self-guided inquiry or exploration type lessons.  Lab stations are also a fantastic way to review and reinforce the content of a unit just before an upcoming unit test.  Lab stations used in this way should be written in a style that assumes a certain knowledge base, but challenges the students to use higher order thinking.

What are the benefits of using lab stations?

When used with a combination and variety of other teaching techniques, the use of lab stations is very effective, and because it is so different from other teaching strategies, the benefits are many.

• One of the most important benefits is that students are up and moving.  Students often need a short "brain break" during class.  It is a very rare student who can sit still for an hour and remain fully engaged the entire time.
• Lab stations break up the concepts and information into smaller, more manageable, units of learning.  Students often become overwhelmed in a science class when faced with large chunks of new information.  A well-written lab station activity addresses a single concept or task at each station.  For many students, this reduces stress and builds confidence by enabling them to master the smaller units of information.
  
• Lab stations allow students to work at their own pace ... within reason, of course!
• Students enjoy working in a self supervised manner.  
• Lab stations allow the teacher to interact more freely with students on an individual or small group basis.
  
• Lab stations are perfect for labs that have limited resources.  If, for example, your lab has only one spectrophotometer or only a few pH meters, lab stations can be set up to allow all students to rotate to those stations in order to use those limited pieces of equipment.  
• Peer teaching and tutoring is very effective! Students often learn better from their peers than they do from adults.  Small cooperate learning groups reduce fear and anxiety amongst students.  
• Hands-on lab experiments and activities increase mastery of concepts and retention of large amounts of information.
• Lab stations keep students engaged.  When students know that they are about to move to another location, they are more focused and eager to finish the work at one station in order to move to the next.  When the next lab station involves a completely different type of activity, students are less likely to be off-task.  In other words, the change keeps them on their toes.
• The transition process gives the students a short mental break.

Planning and Set-up Tips:

Teachers who have never written, set up, or utilized lab stations in their teaching are often afraid to give it a try.  Rather than setting up one lab activity, inexperienced teachers may feel as if they have to set up 8 or 10 lab activities in the same class period. The thought of this raises much anxiety!  Rest assured, setting up a lab station activity is no harder or more time consuming than setting up any lab activity.  In fact, often the prep time is greatly reduced!  I find that setting up one of each station is faster than setting up 15 of the same station.  These additional planning and set up tips will help get you started:

• Does the activity have goals and objectives that advance the education of your students?  If it is just busy work to keep your students occupied for a day, don't do it.
• The lab stations should involve a good mix of teaching techniques and learning styles.  Having 10 lab stations that require students to draw and label a diagram at every station will not be effective. Instead, involve the students in different types of activities. Possibilities include small experiments, building structures, reading passages, paper and pencil games, manipulation and ordering of objects, discussion stations, internet research stations, modeling stations or task card stations.  Studies show that varying the types of learning activities greatly increases our ability to master and retain information.
  
• Each station should be independent of all other stations.  In other words, it should not matter the order in which they are completed.  
• How will you place the students in small groups? Should you allow the students to choose their own partners?  Should you place students in groups of YOUR choosing?  Should you have groups of 2 or 4?  Every lab is different.  You know your students and you know what you can expect from them.  One class may be mature enough to allow you to let the students choose their own partner, 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 the 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 in a different group each lab period.
  
• Each station requires clear signage and complete instructions.  Laminate everything you can so that it can be used year after year.  If students are given a packet of worksheets to complete, make it clear which worksheet is used at each station.  Placing a symbol or piece of clip art on the lab station sign and the same symbol on the corresponding worksheet is a simple and easy solution.
• Make sure that lab safety precautions are clearly posted at each station.
• All groups do not have to be the same size.  You know your students and how to group them to maximize the instruction of all.
  
• Common sense dictates that all stations should require the same amount of time to complete. Personally, I have found this very difficult to accomplish.  The best solution is to set up multiples of the stations that require more time.
• You must manage class time effectively.  Continuous monitoring is required to make sure that students are on task and are moving through the stations at the pace you deem appropriate.
• All students will not finish at the same time.  I suggest setting up an "enrichment" station for the early finishers.  You do not want some students loitering while other students are trying to complete their work.
• Prior to the lab station activity, decide how you will manage the amount of paper required for the activity.  You might provide each student with a complete packet of handouts, or you might consider placing one set of handouts at the lab station and requiring students to complete the work on their own notebook paper.
  
• Students should be required to turn in their own work.  Allowing a group to turn in one worksheet or lab report for the entire group usually results in one person doing the work, and the other group members doing little.
• Make a rotation plan.  Will you allow the students to move randomly to other lab stations, or will you require them to rotate in a particular order?  
  
• Know your space and how to make it work to your advantage.  For example, will the lab station require water or electricity? Or can it be completed at a student desk?
• Be organized for next year.  Take the time to laminate lab station signs and instruction cards so that you can use them again.  Place all items needed for the activity in a plastic box, or file them  away in your filing cabinet. Include in the box or file folder your notes on what worked well and what didn't work well.  Make a list of any supplies that need to be re-ordered for next year. You will thank yourself for this next school year!

Need to Differentiate?  No Problem!

For inclusion classes (classes containing learners of widely varying ability levels) lab stations can easily be differentiated to meet the needs of all students.  Students with IEP's can participate in the same lab stations by making some minor modifications.  Ways to accommodate special needs learners  might include:

• All students participate in the same lab stations, but they are given different sets of handouts or worksheets to complete.
• Because of the random movement of students through the lab stations, you can select which lab stations students will complete. There is no need for a student with special learning modifications to complete every single station.
• By carefully selecting the small groups, you can create groups that are supportive and will provide an educational atmosphere that will benefit all members of the group.

What is keeping you from trying lab stations?

The most common concerns I hear from new teachers are that they are worried about student behavior as well as the amount of time required to set up and complete an activity.  As for student behavior, students have to be taught and trained from the beginning of the school year in all classroom rules and procedures.  Lab stations are no different.  Refrain from using large groups, and make sure that your expectations are clear and consistent. Teach the students how the process works and what their responsibilities are. Have a set of rules and stick with them.


I hope that if you are new to the idea of lab stations, this article has provided you with some tips and tricks on how to get started.  Has this teaching technique replaced my used of the tradition hour-long lab activity? Absolutely not! Carrying out a full-length lab is VERY important.  But I do enjoy having another "weapon" in my teaching arsenal.

Use this link to view my lab station activities on TpT.

Taking Students to the Laboratory? How to Plan and Execute the Perfect Lab Activity.

Use this teacher checklist when planning ANY lab activity!

Recently I had the opportunity to work with a small group of science teachers in an inservice-type situation.  The group ranged in their teaching experience. Some were brand new teachers, while others had a few years under their belt.  None were what I would call "knowledgeable veterans." As our time together progressed, it quickly became obvious to me that these teachers needed help with "the lab."  For the inexperienced science teacher, "the lab" can be a scary and potentially dangerous place.

There seems to be a diverse spectrum in science teaching in regard to the laboratory.  At one extreme end of the spectrum are the teachers whose fear of the lab prevents them from ever taking a group of students into the lab.  At the opposite extreme are the science teachers who forge blindly ahead without giving thought to a set of basic guidelines and procedures concerning laboratory activities.  To be fair, I have certainly just described polar opposites in science teachers.  Almost all science teachers will fall in the middle somewhere, and all of us could use a refresher course when it comes to taking students into the lab.

After giving this topic much thought, I have developed a "Laboratory Checklist" of items we science teachers need to consider before taking our classes into the lab.

Begin with a very easy test by asking yourself two simple questions:

1.  Is this lab activity age appropriate?  All science students need to be challenged with activities that are appropriate for their age, and that push them to the next level of critical thinking and problem solving.

2.  Does this lab meet an educational goal or objective? (Pardon me, while I get up on my soapbox...)  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 should reinforce and/or further the student's understanding of those concepts.

If you can answer "yes" to both of these questions, then proceed with the lab. If you answer "no" to one or both of these questions, you should throw out the lab idea and look for another, more appropriate, lab activity.

Assuming that the lab has met the standards posed by the first two questions, it is time to plan the lab 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 long and hard about the potential hazards of the lab, and identify the areas in which an accident might be possible. (It is assumed that you carried out lab safety instruction with students in the first week of school!)  In planning your lab activity, identify areas of concern and develop a plan of action in the event of an accident.

4.  Using chemicals?  Read the MSDS!!  A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) should be on hand for every chemical you use in the lab. When chemicals are ordered, each will arrive with an MSDS.  Read each page and place them in a three-ring binder for easy and immediate access.  This binder should always be present in the lab.  The MSDS will alert you to any dangers associated with the chemical, and list first aid instructions in the event they are needed.

5.  Carry out the lab yourself before trying it out with the 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, the teacher can:   (1) Make sure that all equipment and supplies are on hand and in good working order, (2) Identify the problem areas in which students will need to be alerted,  (3) Determine if the experiment will actually work, (4) Look for alternative supplies if needed, and (5) Make any adjustments needed in the lab procedural steps.

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 and 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.

7.  How will you set up the lab stations and/or the supply area?  An effective and meaningful lab runs like clockwork.  Identify the 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, or it may work better to have a general supply area that students go to for the items they need.  No two labs are the same.  Identify the best solution for each lab.

Once steps 3 - 7 have been checked off, you are ready to take the kids to the lab.  The following items on the checklist will ensure that your lab activity is a huge success!

8.  Provide the 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 okay, great even.  Giving oral instructions instead of providing a lab handout?  NOT okay.

9.  Always schedule pre-lab time. During the pre-lab time, provide the 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 lab.  You may want to use a "Pre-Lab Worksheet" as a homework assignment so that 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 the students to choose their own partners?  Should you place students in groups of YOUR choosing?  Should you have groups of 2 or 4?  Every lab is different.  You know your students and you know what you can expect from them.  One class may be mature enough to allow you to let the students choose their own partner, 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 the 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 in a different group each lab period.

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, etc.  Do not carry out a lab activity if the equipment and supplies being used causes you worry. Simply find another lab activity.  During the lab activity, be vigilant in monitoring and interacting with the students.  You are the person in the room that has the ability to ward off and prevent accidents from occurring.

12.  Allow enough time at the end of the class for students to clean up their lab station.  At 5 minutes before the bell, the lab activity must end. If students are still working, you must instruct them to stop, and begin their clean up 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 a highly efficient and organized lab set up. 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 to use by the next person. Wash the glassware, wipe down the lab tables, put away all equipment, and make sure to dispose of chemicals correctly.  Your team mates will be most appreciative!

14.  Make an assessment plan.  How are you going to evaluate the work done by the students on the lab activity?   Will they write a lab report? Will there be lab questions on the upcoming chapter test?  Will there be a lab quiz?  Assessment is an important part of the process.  It tells the student that the activity was important.  If you never give a grade, lab report, or take any type of assessment on the lab activity, it sends the message that lab activities are just "fun times / free times."  This will lead to horseplay and behavior problems on future lab activities.

15.  Make a plan for students who are absent on lab day.  I wish I could offer the perfect solution to this problem.  If you have developed a plan of action that works, please let the rest of us know.  The simple truth is that when students are absent, they have missed valuable instruction time that cannot be recovered.  I have scheduled lab make up days after school, given alternate assignments, and given absent students sample data to analyze.  I am still looking for a better solution.  Any thoughts?

Lab days are my favorite days at school.  Being proactive and organized in your approach to lab activities will ensure that your day is smooth, and that students are highly engaged in the learning process.

Happy Lab Day!

Student Lab Cleanup: How to Improve It!

Students will help...

... IF they know what to do!

All science teachers know the struggles we face when we take the students to the lab.  There are many!  But the one I want to address here is lab cleanup.  We have precious few minutes between one class leaving the lab and the next class entering the lab.  It is imperative that our students in one class leave a clean and orderly lab station for the students in the next class. 

 

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My personal experience is that students do not “see” the mess they leave behind.  My students, for the most part, are good citizens, and they will try to carry out my instructions.  As the class nears the end of the period, they hear me say, “We are almost out of time…. Start cleaning up your lab area.”  But if I am not more specific in my directions, this lab class will not end well.

In the frenzy of the last few minutes before the bell, my students make an honest attempt at cleaning their lab station, but their idea of clean, and my idea of clean are not the same!  I want all of the paper towels in the garbage.  I want the lab station clean and dry.  I want the supplies to be in a certain order.  Etc!!

What I have discovered in my many years of teaching is that students need very specific instructions.  When I tell my class that “it is time to clean up”, the instruction is too vague.  The student wonders, “What does she want me to do?”  They look at their lab station and they think it looks fine. This is the nature of the teen age brain.  They have the wonderful ability to see only what they want to see!

My solution is The Student Cleanup Checklist.  I have made a set of task cards that have a specific instruction on each.  For each lab, I select the cards that are applicable for the particular lab.  The cards go on a ring, and a set of cleanup instructions is left at every lab station.  As the class period ends, I have trained my students to flip through the cards on the ring, and carry out all instructions.  This has been a lifesaver for me.  These are still kids, and they are still going to miss a piece of paper on the floor, but with my specific instruction cards, life around my lab is much improved.  The students do a much better job cleaning their area, and I have less stress as the next class is entering the room.

A few tips:

• Make sure that you laminate the instruction cards.  The lab is a wet place, and the cards will not last long if they are not laminated.
• Once laminated, the cards will last for years.
• Punch a hole in the corner of each card and place the cards on a ring.  I purchase packages of rings at my local Office Depot.
• Select cards that are appropriate for the lab of the day, then place the cards at each lab station.
• You can also post the appropriate cleanup cards on the board or other prominent spot in the lab.  Always post them in the same spot so that students will learn the procedure.

I hope the Student Cleanup Checklist will help improve your life in the lab.  Have fun teaching!