Middle School Lab Safety Activities

All students need repetition to learn new facts, techniques, and concepts, and middle school lab safety activities can help junior high students learn important safety and emergency procedures for a safe and effective laboratory learning environment.

Middle school students are generally exposed to a number of different science labs, including chemistry, biology, physical science, and earth science. Each lab has unique considerations for safety based on the type of equipment that it uses and the types of experiments students will perform. Basic safety concepts that activities should cover include:

• Proper lab behavior
• Equipment use and storage
• Protective clothing, including goggles
• Emergency procedures
• Location and use of emergency equipment

With each new classroom students use for lab experiments, safety procedures should be reviewed and updated to minimize any risk of accident or injury.

Most science teachers introduce students to the lab setting very early in the school year, typically on the first day, and that is when the bulk of safety procedures are discussed. Unfortunately, students may not use the lab facilities frequently and may forget critical safety requirements, and new students who transfer into the class at a later date may never be involved in those initial safety discussions. By reviewing and periodically reinforcing procedures with middle school lab safety activities, teachers can ensure that students are aware of the proper behavior and techniques to use in the lab.

Activities to emphasize lab safety may include:

• Safety Contracts: Teachers can create a “lab safety contract” that spells out expectations, rules, and disciplinary consequences. Having students initial each point of the contract and sign the document is a way to require them to read the entire contract so they are aware of safety concerns. It is also beneficial to have parents sign the contract so they are aware of the types of situations their child may be involved in and what is expected of them while working in the lab.
• Safety Drills: Teachers can arrange mock safety drills to allow students to practice emergency procedures in a safe, controlled environment. A chemical spill can be simulated with colored water, a false fire drill could be arranged, or students can practice first aid techniques with a partner, for example.
• Grades: Safety procedures could be automatically tied to a student’s classroom grade, and any unsafe behavior could result in lower scores on that day’s activities. Similarly, students who demonstrate excellent safety behavior may be eligible for extra points.
• Videos: Teachers can show videos of both safe and unsafe lab procedures, stopping the video periodically to discuss proper safety techniques in their specific lab. For the best effect, videos should be used as interactive tools, with students pointing out both weaknesses and strengths of what is illustrated.
• Skits: For a lab safety assignment, students could create a short skit about a safety technique or emergency procedure. The skit could then be acted out in front of classmates to share the concept, or it could be shared with younger students as an instructional tool.

The best lab safety activities are those that help instruct students in proper procedures at any time they are needed. Most teachers will cover lab safety at the beginning of the year, but safety lessons should also be included:

• As reviews before new lab experiments
• Whenever a new student joins the class
• As daily reminders for safe activities
• Whenever a safety violation is found

In addition to planned safety activities, safety-conscious teachers will do several other things in their lab classrooms to help reinforce safety concepts and proper behavior, such as:

• Model proper equipment use, including safety clothing
• Post safety procedures and rules in the lab
• Remind students of safety procedures on every assignment sheet
• Include safety and emergency questions with every test and quiz
• Place safety and hazard symbols on lab cupboards and equipment
• Restrict the number of students in the lab and isolate lab tasks to minimize risks

Middle school lab safety activities are only one facet of a safe and efficient classroom. Teachers who take advantage of activities, guidelines, posters, reviews, and other tools to ensure safety are helping students learn in an effective and minimal risk environment. Lab experiments can be powerful learning experiences, and by performing them safely, students aren’t learning the wrong things.

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