Australia's Science Forum

Casual lab position Term Three
From week 3 to the end of term. Experience and/or training required.
Raymond Terrace area NSW.
For more information contact Pam on 0409 453 843.

Thanks for the suggestions. I've passed them on to the head teacher, but so far no reply.
Cheers, Pam

Thanks Rae that could work.I was stumped for suggestions when the HT asked.

Does anyone have a simple to mark prac test for year 10? We have always done a series of stations with rotation. I've never been very happy with it as generally it tests knowledge not practical know how. Some of the poor little darlings have never seen some of the equipment used much less handled it...

Excellent website - thanks a million. HT likes.
Cheers
gwen

Correction
NSW Buy Catalogue
Sorry about that
Gwen

Hi All,
This may be specific to our school but it works to get on to the science items in SmartBuy.
From our intranet
Go to My portal
Go to My websites
Go to Smartbuy ( scroll down left side)
Log On with School LOgon
Go to DEt Catalogue
Voila!
Must Rush
Pam
Hope it works for your school

Thanks for that. It seems to have preserved the manifest. Thank goodness. Otherwise a bit cumbersome with vast numbers of each chemical according to supplier. Guess we'll get used to it.
Cheers,
Gwen

I have an old recipe (pre 1983) for crystal violet.

2g Crystal violet in 20 mL ethyl alcohol 95%. Dissolve and then add 180 mL distilled water.

Since we haven't used it for some time I can't vouch for its effectiveness.

Cheers,
Pam

We bought one yesterday and the HT is having lots of fun with it. He has worked out how to use it with the little DET computers. Its a good toy.

Cheers
Pam

Carbol Fuchsin is a stain for microbiology. Acid fast organisms stain bright red.

We still use brown paper for testing for fat in foods. Just rub the food on the paper and fat will make it translucent.

Hi,
Sodium silicate solution seems to vary in composition according to the supplier but 30% sodium metasilicate to water seems about average. Type in waterglass to Chemwatch and see what comes up.

Cheers,
Gwen

About 1000 students 7-12
Six Labs including one demountable
Nine teachers
NSW public system
6.25 hrs per day
No holiday work
One lab assistant.

Good Luck
Gwen

Hi Lorrae,

Thanks, I thought someone would say that just as I sent the last message.

Yes have used oven bags in the past but being stingy I usually use several layers of old polyethylene bags. When the faculty finances recover I'll buy some more oven bags.

Cheers,
Pam

Re: sterilization in microwaves. A good site is http://www.hsslink.com/sterilisation.htm "McGill Laboratory Biosafety Manual - Second Edn, 1997." (If this address doesn't work I just accessed it through google.) This site has a table comparing various methods af sterilization. Autoclaving ...

Hi Lindy,

Be careful with the 6 M NaOH. NSW dept of Ed guidlines classify > 4M NaOH as Tch. That is should only be used by teachers or trained lab staff.

Cheers,
Pam

Hi Sue, No I didn't have any training but probably that would be a help. There is a full Technical Manual on the opening page under Documentation and this gives step by step instructions. A lot of the operations are really aimed at large industrial firms. Even so I find the disks better than the onl...

Hi, I use the user pays Chemwatch at a DET school. At last year it was $80 for four CDs for the four quarters of the year. Our Computer Chappie puts it on the school network and so all departments have access to MSDS and manifests ( chem stocktake) if they need them. There are risk assessments for a...

Hi Robyn,

From memory it's called "Stop and Grow" but somebody stole our school supply so I couldn"t check.

Cheers,
Gwen

Thanks all for replies. We have been using clear plastic tubing for 23 years but the Q Stores catalogue threw me when 8mm clear tubing is not advertised. They say 8mm rubber is used for bunsen burners. We'll continue to use clear tubing as it has been very satisfactory. However I have seen rubber tu...