Australia's Science Forum

Hi,
I was wondering how other labs cope with the saga of sending out matches in boxes to class.
I have:
sent out half full boxes and they use the lot.
sent out about 8 matches per box and they steal the box
sent out boxes and they burn them
I have also bought some lighter guns but the teachers don't seem to be able to keep track of them either.
I can't believe the amount of boxes of matches I have gone through in the last couple of weeks while the year seven students learn how to light a bunsen.
(Big thanks to the parents who have never let their kids use a match in their 13 year learning environment!! )

My next alternative is to rip the box up and just send out matches with a piece of the flint part of the box. That may be interesting to see what they can do to that.

Or does anyone know where I can source the part of the match box that lights the match? Then I will just send matches out and stick that to the wall next to the benches.

I think I will buy shares in redhead match company until I can work out a better system.
Grateful for any suggestions.
Have a great day.
Estelle

hahahahaha Sorry I cant help, but I got a good laugh reading about your misfortune, so I have to send you some karma!!!

Normally I send out 1 half full box and a couple of empty boxes, usually seem to get them back in previous years. Grade 7s will start using the science labs next week though I believe, so I will see what happens then.

I tried the lighter gun things but the teachers couldn't figure out how to use them. Also have a few of the old style metal flint and steel things that produce a spark ocassionally but they don't get used.

Maybe you could superglue the striker part of the matchbox onto pieces of perspex and send out some matches with those, not sure how that would work but its an idea.

Buy Homebrand matches much cheaper than Redheads

It is a problem. You know, our theachers have to count the number of boxes going out and number of boxes collected back. We too, have those lighters, but teachers complain, that KIDS cannot use them, I wonder, who cannot use them.
lada

Hi Estelle,
I have just read your message after I have refilled 12 boxes with 8 matches in each. 12 went out and 12 came back. We all know, it depends on the teacher taking the class. I generally get everything back. But I have been here so long that the students are more frightened of me than the teacher.
I can only suggest, if you have the time, is to go into the room before the end of the lesson and start counting the equipment that you have put out for the prac. I do this very early in the year and let students understand that all equipment must come back. Students aren't allowed to go to recess, lunch etc.. until everything is returned! The first term like this and there is usually no problem for the rest of the year.
Good luck.
Maree

Hey Estelle!
I too, have the problem of diminishing number of match boxes! It is one of those things I have learnt to sigh about and go and buy more. At the moment I issue matchboxes with a prac that the teacher has a slip stating they have such and such number of matchboxes and each match box has ten matches. It has greatly reduced the number of matches used, but like you, think I will glue the flint part of the matchbox to a paddle pop stick and place the matches in a specimen jar. I guess in the scheme of things tho', these are really small (but annoying) issues and I remind myself that there are other things that are more important - you know a bit like "these are a few of my favourite things lah! lah! lah!". (Don't get the wrong impression, I'm no Julie Andrews!) Chin up, things could be worse...
Lou P.

I have a tub of gas lighters (just the cheap ones about $8 each) with one lighter per lab bench. These are kept under the teacher bench at the front of the lab. The teacher hands them out and collects at the end of the prac., I have not had trouble with any going missing. The darlings some times will stand there flicking the lighter on and off, but the novelty wears off soon enough and I give them the evil eye when I catch them doing that. All the teacher has to do is count back 8 lighters and it seems to work and the lighters generally last for most of the year.
Matches seem like a lot of work!!

My teachers dont like the gas lighters - but we did that at myold school - worked a treat.

Here i put out the match boxes with only 10 odd matches in them and trust he teacher to count them back in - lol
some times you ahve to leave the responsiblity with them and add it to your yearly budget

I tried gas lighters (gun like type from the $2 shop) a couple of years ago and of course they all ran out of gas in the first week but after I explained to the teachers that the spark they generated was enough to the light the gas from the bunsens, things went smoothly ...... for a short while!
One bright spark of a kid (pun intended) discovered that if you held on to the end and kept flicking the spark then a small shock was generated! I must admit I haven't tried it myself but the teacher assured me that they were all doing it (and not their work) so the lighters got put away and the matchboxes came out again.
I send out 10 boxes per class with 3-5 matches in each box and a pile of loose ones. It's a pain refilling the boxes and some days I sit there and think I spent 9 years (part time) at uni for this! but as a previous post said, there are worst thing in life to be doing.
cheers
jen

I put in 5 matches because the more I send in to a class the more they waste and burn or is it just a boy thing ?
I also agree that it depends on the teacher. Yesterday a class was testing metals and non-metals. I made 10 kits with various items to test for conductivity. Guess what ? 10 pieces of magnesium didn't come back ! Teacher's reaction - shrug of the shoulders and he said " Well, they were rather quiet ! "

I use refillable gas lighters, bought good ones that would last. We had them a couple of years, even though there was an out lay at first in the long run they are safer and more economical. Two go in with prac equipment one is passed down each side of the lab as our lay out is 4 benches down each side, then handed back to the teachers bench.
They have been very successful.

I can't stand matches and the mess they produce and have inserviced my teachers on the 'correct' use of refillable gas torch lighters.

Most cannot seem to understand that even if I deliberately let the gas run out that the bunsen will still light because of the spark the flint produces.

You don't need to light a flame to light a flame!

Some still insist on matchesboxes but get to clean out the sinks at the end of their pracs for the privilege. I include a glass jar to dispose of used matches for them to use also.

Yes the matchboxes, Home brand is cheaper but they brake far too easly. So we have gone for redheads. We had a part time helper, and she covered the boxes in contact, of course not the flint sides. ANd I must say the did last a lot longer, and they do make it harder to burn. Again it is up to the teacher, and it the new ones that need a little hand. We have 4 stations down one side of the room, and 4 on the other, so we have 8 boxes, not too hard to count out and back.

But would love another idea.

Hi,
For each of our labs I have 2 or 3 boxes of matches in the teachers desk with a supply of wooden splints, so the kids use the splints more than matches, lighting them off the teacher or a burner already going. I go through and make sure there's a full supply in each desk about once a week or fortnight. Some teachers still get the kids to use matches for some things but as this isn't all the time we don't seem to go through a huge amount.
Courtney.

Last year I put each matchbox (about 1/3 full) into a specimen container, then added a larger label 'please return, with matchbox'. Now I send out 2 of these when asked for matches.
So far so good, but how to stop kids playing with matches - not sure there's an answer to that!

I send out a small tray with loose matches in it and the empty boxes - seems to work.
The lighters are SO expensive and they run out very quickly.. and I saw why last week..
Students were using them to play 'sword fights' - imitation of Luke Skywalker I think... they were having an awesome time til this grumpy old lady took the lighters off them
Oh I am such a killjoy!

I provide my teachers little kits of all the things they require, in rectangular takeaway containers - eg 3 test tubes,one piece of Mg etc. The containers are marked 1 to 8, and the matchboxes are also marked 1 to 8. If any go missing, we know which group lost/burnt/ate their box. I usually send out 1/2 full boxes, and I have a container marked "Match Supply" for refills. MOST of my teachers do the right thing, most of the time. That's either because i'm scary or because they love me so much . The teacher reading over my shoulder at this moment says the latter, naturally.

Cheers, K

Hmmm! I must be a bit draconian! I give a couple of match boxes to each teacher and tell them that is their issue for the term. If they run out, they just have to come and BEG me for more. It has always been this way. We all know no different. The only time I have had LOTS of complaints was when I substitutes "No Name" brand for Red Heads. I have not tried that again since, but I can use it as a threat to any teacher who abused their match privilege.
Ian

Yes we use matches here too, redheads preferred as the cheapies do break more easily. I only put 10 or so matches in the 10 boxes that go out. I number each box 1 - 10 and the teachers hand box1 to bench 1, box 2 to bench 2 etc and then they know who hasn't returned stray boxes (so the theory goes anyway). This seems to work the best of all the methods I've tried but of course anything you try is only as good as the kids and the teacher.....?!?

I send boxes out with 5 matches in each. I have put white stickers on each side of the box. One side says "Do not throw out empty box" and the other side says "Return box to front bench". I only did this recently. Before, I had written the same thing on the boxes without the stickers. It worked well until one day NO boxes (out of 10!!) came back! The teachers couldn't explain it. I checked the bins - nothing... I don't even know which class it was because the teachers often just come in and get the matches when they need them and don't tell me in advance.