Australia's Science Forum

Oh dear this sounds like an intolerable situation and shows a complete lack of respect for your position. My advice is to take this higher (Principal or Deputy, whoever deals with curriculum and "naughty teachers" but back yourself up with evidence, particularly when it comes to flaunting ...

Science assist has an excel list of recommended chemicals for schools, it contains all the safety information GHS, DG etc. I have just downloaded the list, saved as my College register and deleted chemicals we don't have. It is editable so I added a column for location. They do update on science ass...

Outside the school science laboratories is what I have discovered is an "acid trap" It is a pit in the ground covered by metal plates which can be lifted up. Apparently it is used to tip chemicals into to evaporate for disposal. I have been at the school for 14 years and have never used it...

Just read this on the Safe Work Australia site; "Users of hazardous chemicals are not required to relabel or dispose of existing stock. It is okay to keep using, handling and storing hazardous chemicals labelled in accordance with a previous labelling code in your own workplace if the product w...

Hi Everyone, Has anyone used a telescope in school to look at the sun? I have a teacher wanting to do this, we have a sun filter. I wondered if you had done a risk assesment and if you could point me in the direction of guidelines for this activity or if you have any written. I am a bit concerned du...

No ipads here also. It sounds great, does anyone know of a similar Google app?

This is our first year using Nelson Science for Australian Curriculum. The unit "Rocks" has a practical to investigate Crystal formation which involves dropping "Salol or Phenyl salicylate" onto either a heated or cooled microscope slide, then observe the differences in the cryst...

Ah the dilemma of how to store the STELR kits, we have had them since 2010 and I still have not worked it out . I agree about only giving them what they need for each activity, and I had separated all the equipment into containers. But my HOD wanted EVERYTHING from one kit to be out for each activit...

I tried to paddle pop sticks this year but did not work that well. What concentration of solutions do people use? I used 0.1M chlorides but the teachers said that they did not show the colours very well.

I recently bought pulleys of assorted sizes (including double pulleys) from Bunnings, but I would imagine they are available from any hardware store.

I have just been offered to do a Cert IV in Lab Techniques through Symbio Alliance and there is funding in Qld (not sure of any other states) to complete this. Because I have an Associate Diploma the federal government funding is not available so the total cost is $1395. They do the course and asses...

I just received a flyer for SciList, the posts about this were old so I thought I would ask you all if anyone uses this program. If so is it worth paying for, user friendly etc? Any info would be appreciated if you use this.
Thanks

As I am the Safety Coordinator for the College they paid for me to do the bridging course from WHSO (Qld) to Cert IV. If you go to the NSCA, National Safety Council Australia web site they have details there for what they provide. I think you would want to make sure you have adequate support to comp...

I have recently completed a Cert IV in OHS. I was able to get credit for some units as I had completed the Qld WHSO course. I did my course through NSCA, they do the diploma as well.

Thanks Smiley I will add that one to my recipes. I just threw out some of those starch packing beads, never again, I knew I should have kept them but I was in a cleaning frame of mind! I am waiting for some confirmation about using starch solution before I talk to the teacher :console: , then again ...

The chemistry teacher has been doing iodine titration of vitamin c using starch indicator. I put out starch solution for the indicator but she says that using solid starch works better. I have not come across this before, just thought I would see if anyone else uses solid starch. I did a search of m...

We have the money to buy an incubator this year and I have started to look around for one. Does anyone have a recommendation for one to buy. Some of the cheaper ones are quite small. I am not quite sure what size we would really need. Any other pointers would be appreciated.

Thanks

I purchased some from Wiltronics, they have different sizes/voltage etc. from around $5 to $15

What a timely topic! I am attempting to clean up the prep room and had just got to thinking about the crystal gardens (when I decided I needed a bit of a rest :coffee: , so I logged on here). Anyway like Smiley I have the gardens in old jars, so I can throw them out. What I was wondering is, can the...

Unfortunately it is bitumen otherwise I would be out there raiding the carpark! Yes I do recycle the chips but we finally seem to have got to the end the supply so I will smash up some of the marble I have for now and will have to order some for next year! We do have lots of awesome rocks around her...