Science Safety and Notebooks

Third Grade / Science

Unit: 08 Lesson: 01

Lesson Synopsis:

This lesson addresses science safety in the classroomas well as setting up the science notebook. Students need to know how to use safety equipment in order to conduct indoor and outdoor investigations safely.The science notebook allows students to organize their thoughts and data and reflect on their understanding on science concepts. Other classroom organizational management tools and activities can also be introduced at this time.

Scientific Process TEKS:

4.1 / Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student conducts classroom and outdoor investigations, following home and school safety procedures and environmentally appropriate and ethical practices. The student is expected to:
4.1A / Demonstrate safe practices and the use of safety equipment as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations.
4.1B / Make informed choices in the use and conservation of natural resources and reusing and recycling of materials such as paper, aluminum, glass, cans, and plastic.
4.2 / Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during laboratory and outdoor investigations. The student is expected to:
4.2B / Collect and record data by observing and measuring,using the metric system, and using descriptive words and numerals such as labeled drawings, writing, and concept maps.
4.4 / Scientific investigation and reasoning. The student knows how to use a variety of tools, materials, equipment, and models to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to:
4.4A / Collect, record, and analyze information using tools, including calculators, microscopes, cameras, computers, hand lenses, metric rulers, Celsius thermometers, mirrors, spring scales, pan balances, triple beam balances, graduated cylinders, beakers, hot plates, meter sticks, compasses, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and stopwatches; and materials to support observation of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.
4.4B / Use safety equipment as appropriate, including safety goggles and gloves.
Getting Ready for Instruction
Performance Indicator(s):

Demonstrate knowledge of safe practices, including wearing safety goggles and gloves, washing hands, and using materials appropriately, by explaining, in a student science notebook, the class safety rules for investigations.(4.1A; 4.2F; 4.4A, 4.4B) 3H; 5G

Key Understandings and Guiding Questions:

La seguridad es importante durante las investigaciones científicas.

—¿Por qué es importante llevar a cabo investigaciones de ciencias de una manera segura?

—¿Por qué es importante conocer las reglas de seguridad?

Las libretas de ciencias te ayudan a organizar datos, tablas, gráficas, ilustraciones, hojas y otra información.

—¿De qué maneras llevar una libreta de ciencias profundiza la comprensión de conceptos científicos?

Vocabulary of Instruction:

Third Grade / Science

Unit: 08 Lesson: 01

prácticasseguras
ropa de protección
comportamiento

apropiado
habilidades de procesos

convenio

Grade 4

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

Materials:

Grade 4

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

Refer to Notes for Teacher section for materials.

Grade 4

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

Grade 4

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

Attachments:

Handout: What I Know AboutSafety(1 per student)
Teacher Resource: PowerPoint: Creating the Science Notebook
Teacher Resource:Performance Indicator Instructions KEY

Grade 4

Science

Unit: 01 Lesson: 01

Resources and References:

Texas Education Agency – Texas Safety Standards: Kindergarten through Grade 12, 2nd Edition.Retrieved from under Documents).

Advance Preparation:

Review the Teacher Resource: Creating the Science Notebook: A Tool for Evaluating Student Work, and determine which pages will need to be copied for your class. The resource is located in the Instructional Resources section of the website.
Review the Teacher Resource: PowerPoint: Creating the Science Notebook to determine if you will need to revise any slides to correlate with your notebook set-up procedures.
The Handout: What I Know about Safetyhas two silhouettes included: a boy and a girl. All students could use the boy silhouette, or enough of each gender could be printed for the boys and girls in your class.
Gather the following tools: hand lens, metric ruler, Celsius thermometer, triple beam balance, graduated cylinder, and magnets. (These tools were chosen as they will be used in the next lesson.)
Prepare attachment(s) as necessary.

Background Information:

This lesson bundles SE’s that address creating the science notebook and introduces and emphasizes safety considerations for classroom and field investigations.

Safety

Students have been taught safety rules and safe use of grade appropriate equipment in every grade since Kindergarten. While it is a good idea to introduce and reinforce the importance of safety at the beginning of the course, safety is a concept that should be taught and reinforced every time the students work in the laboratory or field setting.

Notebooking

The science notebook plays a major role in documenting a scientist’s thoughts, observations, and data collected during scientific research and investigations and is a recommended tool for use in the classroom. The design and format of science notebooks may vary considerably. Consider the type of format you would like to use and the minimum requirements for your students’ science notebooks. Some educators suggest that a science notebook must have a defined structure; however, it is noteworthy to mention that research notebooks are not structured in this manner. More typically, a scientist’s notebook is written as a diary, where all of the information about the work is recorded as it is done. Throughout this course, the science notebook is viewed from this perspective.

There are many websites with suggestions as to the different ways of setting up science notebooks and types of activities that might be included. Some things to keep in mind include:1.) how often you plan tocollect the science notebook for grading, 2.) how you will encourage the students to take ownership and responsibility for their science notebook, and 3.) how students will use their science notebook to documenttheir scienceclass experience. As the classroom teacher, you might consider how you want your students to document laboratory investigations and how you want them to organize and structure information from their daily lessons. Suggestions are provided throughout this course.

This lesson focuses on setting up the science notebook and serves as an introduction to safety in the laboratory.

STAAR Note:
Although this content is not marked as a Supporting Standard, it is foundational for Grade 5 Scientific Investigation and Reasoning Skills. These skills will be incorporated into at least 40% of the test questions on the Grade 5 STAAR test from reporting categories 1–4.

Getting Ready for Instruction Supplemental Planning Document

Instructors are encouraged to supplement and substitute resources, materials, and activities to differentiate instruction to address the needs of learners. The Exemplar Lessons are one approach to teaching and reaching the Performance Indicators and Specificity in the Instructional Focus Document for this unit. Instructors are encouraged to create original lessons using the Content Creator in the Tools Tab located at the top of the page. All originally authored lessons can be saved in the “My CSCOPE” Tab within the “My Content” area.

Instructional Procedures
Instructional Procedures / Notes for Teacher
ENGAGE–What I Know about Science Safety / NOTE: 1 Day = 50 minutes
SuggestedDay1

Distribute the Handout: What I Know aboutSafetyto each student. Instruct them to write or draw science safety rules they remember from previous years.

When students have had time to complete their handout, facilitate a class discussion focusing on science safety. Use the following questions to guide the discussion.
Why are safety rules important to know?Allow the opportunity for students to respond. One possible answer might be:When we know and understand safety rules, we are able to respond appropriately to a safety issue or emergency.
Why is it important to conduct science investigations in a safe manner? Allow the opportunity for students to respond. One possible answer might be:to keep ourselves and others safe and healthy.
In what ways could we demonstrate safe practices when conducting classroom and field investigations?Allow the opportunity for students to respond.

Record student responses. Use student responses to create the safety rules for your science classroom. The expectations (rules) for the science classroom should be posted where students can see them. The chart is a reference and a reminder for use during the entire year.
Distribute one sheet of plain paper to each student.
Say:
Write the words “Safety Goggles” on the top of one side of the paper and the word “Gloves” on the top of the reverse side of the paper. (Model this if necessary. In addition, you may want to have a pair of safety goggles and plastic/latex gloves to show students.)

Inform students that they should have the page with the words “Safety Goggles” facingup. When you give the signal, students will brainstorm all of the reasons why wearing safety goggles is important and what type of activities they might be doing in Grade 4, where safety goggles would be required. After an amount of time decided upon by the teacher, students should turn their paper over and repeat the process for gloves. If you have students who need language support, consider pairing students instead of having them work individually.
Divide the class into groups of 4–5 students. Instruct students to share their responses with each other. They may use this time to add to their papers.

Collect student papers, and review for any misconceptions students may have about the purpose of safety equipment. Students will affix these papers in their science notebooks during the next couple of days as the notebook is assembled.

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Materials:

chart paper (1 sheet per student) – Optional
markers (1 set per teacher)
paper (plain, 1 sheet per group)
safety goggles (1 pair per student) –Optional
gloves (plastic or latex, 1 pair per student) –Optional

Attachments:

Handout: What I Know about Safety(1 per student)

Safety Note:
While it is a good idea to introduce and reinforce the importance of safety at the beginning of the course, safety is a concept that should be taught and reinforced every time the students work in the laboratory or field setting.
Instructional Note:
Some common science classroom safety rules are included on the Sample Safety Contract 3–5 in the Teacher Resource: Creating the Science Notebook: A Tool for Evaluating Student Work.
Check for Understanding:
Reviewing student work will provide the teacher with a formative assessment opportunity. Science safety and personal protection are critical concepts to understand as students’ progress through the year.
EXPLORE/EXPLAIN – Creating the Science Notebook / SuggestedDays 2 and 3

Ensure that each group has all of the materials assembled at their table before beginning. The supplies should include scissors, colored pencils, glue sticks or liquid glue, and whatever is being used as a notebook.

Project the Teacher Resource: PowerPoint: Creating the Science Notebook.Show each slide, and remember to pause when students are creating the page indicated on the slide. The teacher may want to create a notebook along with the students to model expectations.

Slide 1: Title page - The picture shown is a page from one of Charles Darwin’s notebooks. If you look carefully at the top of the page, you can see where he drew insects.

Slide 2: What is the purpose of a science notebook? Allow time for students to brainstorm ideas before showing the four ways listed on the PowerPoint. Students need the opportunity to share their thinking; their ideas may be more creative than those noted on the slide.
Slide 3: Materialseach group needs for creating the science notebook - In addition to these materials, each group may want to have a box or bag for collecting paper scraps. This would be an appropriate time to discuss “making informed choices” about the recycling of natural resources (paper).
Slide 4: Adding the label to the outside of the notebook - If labels are not being used, then instruct students to write their names on the front cover of their notebook.
Slide 5: The first page of a book is the title page. See the PowerPoint slide for specific directions.
Slide 6: The next three pages are reserved for the Table of Contents. Each activity that is placed in the notebook should be added to the Table of Contents. A table of contents is useful when locating a specific activity that was done. Finding an activity quickly makes the notebook more useful as a reference or study guide.
After the Table of Contents pages have been completed, students should be instructed to number the first 25 pages of the science notebook. Pages can be numbered at the top or bottom, in the corner, or at the center of the page. That decision is up to the individual teacher. Explain to students that the numbers should be written neatly. Numbering pages can consume several minutes unless you give students a limit; for example, you could say, “You have three minutes to number the first 25 pages of your science notebook.” A Cautionary Note: Watch for students who are scribbling their numbers or whose numbers are greater than 1/3 inch in size.
Slide 7: Processes for Descriptive Investigations - Students have been using these process skills since Kindergarten. One option for extending the learning from this slide is to ask small groups of students to explain each of the process skills. For example, what does it mean to observe? Is observation a brief glance? (No) Observation is looking at an object or organism in such a way that a detailed description could be given.
Slide 8: Tools I Will Learn How to Use - These are all the tools listed in the TEKS. Students should have had experience with many of these tools in previous science classes. Students should have the opportunity to reflect on the tools they understand how to use and then validate their understanding by placing a checkmark above the name of the tool. Remind students that if they say they understand how to use a tool, it means they could explain the use to another student.
Slide 9: Safety Contract and Safety Rules - Students should initially write (lightly in pencil) the words “Safety Contract” on this page. This reminds students where the contract will be glued AFTER they have read and signed the contract. In addition, it should be expected that a guardian has also read the contract so the adult with whom the child is living is aware of the class rules or standards of behavior. A place on the contract is available for the guardian’s signature.
Introduce one of the safety rules: hand washing.
One important safety rule that we will work together to remember is: wash hands for at least 20 seconds after completing a lab activity.
Washing our hands is one way for us to stay safe and healthy.
When washing hands, we need to remember to rub our hands together vigorously and wash the top and bottom of our hands and in-between the fingers. (The teacher may want to model this.)
Slide 10: Students will affix the Handout: What I Know about Safety on this page. This is the first activity for the new science notebook.
Slide 11 is for the Optional Handout: Measurement. Measurement, in various forms, will be learned and used throughout the year. Each time an activity is completed or a tool is used that involves measurement, the information could be added on this sheet. Students will come to the understanding that measurement is used on a daily basis and in a variety of forms.
Introduce the construction of the Table of Contents:
Now that we have constructed our science notebook, we need to turn to the Table of Contents and list the pages we have completed.

Table of Contents
Date / Activity / Page / Grade
Processes for Descriptive Investigations / 1
Tools I Will Learn How To Use / 2
Safety Contract and Rules / 4
What I Know About Science Safety / 5
Measurement / 6

Summarize the importance of the science notebook with the Guiding Question:
In what ways does keeping a science notebook deepen the understanding of science concepts?Answers will vary, but may include the idea that a science notebook is a place for reflection and using metacognition (thinking about one’s thinking).

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Materials:

science notebooks (to be used throughout the year, 1 per student)
scissors (1 pair per student)
colored pencils (per student)
glue (stick or liquid, 1 per group)
copies of teacher-selected handouts from the Teacher Resource: Creating the Science Notebook: A Tool for Evaluating Student Work(see Advance Preparation)

Attachments:

Teacher Resource: PowerPoint: Creating the Science Notebook

Instructional Notes:
After the signed safety contracts have been returned, the teacher may want to keep the signature page in a folder separate from the rules portion of the contract. Affixing rules in the science notebook is a reminder for students of the science class expectations.
It might be helpful to conduct an Internet search using the key word terms Texas Safety Standardsto find information onSafety Standards.

STAAR Note:
Using a science notebook is a student expectation at this grade level.
EXPLAIN/ELABORATE –Handling Tools Safely / SuggestedDay 4

Gather the following tools prior to class: hand lens, metric ruler, Celsius thermometer, triple beam balance, graduated cylinder, and magnets. (These tools were chosen as they will be used in the next lesson.)
Introduce one tool at a time using the following guiding questions:

What is the name of this tool?(Hand lens, metric ruler, Celsius thermometer, triple beam balance, graduated cylinder, and magnets)
What is the purpose of this tool? (Hand lens: provides a magnified view of an object or organism; metric ruler: linear measurement in centimeters; Celsius thermometer: measures the temperature of a liquid or the air in degrees Celsius; triple beam balance: measures the mass of an object in grams; graduated cylinder: measures the volume of an object or a liquid in mL; and magnets: determines if an object has the physical property of magnetism)
What are the safety considerations when using this tool?Hand lens: if it is glass, it could break if dropped, both plastic and glass will scratch if handled roughly; metric ruler: keep the ruler on the surface beingmeasured; Celsius thermometer: the tube holding the liquid is glass; triple beam balance: these balances are delicate instruments of measurement and should not be handled roughly, carry with two hands, use a light touch when moving the sliders; graduated cylinder: there are no real safety issues with plastic graduated cylinders, if glass ones are used, then breakage is always a concern; and magnets: keep magnets away from computer monitors, do not drop magnets as they can chip, bring two magnets together slowly so they do not snap together and chip, or pinch a finger

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Materials:

hand lens (1 per teacher)
ruler(metric, 1 per teacher)
thermometer(Celsius, 1 per teacher)
triple beam balance (1 per teacher)
graduated cylinder (1 per teacher)
magnets (2 per teacher)

Instructional Notes:
Students should have the opportunity to respond to the questions. The information in italics is there for teacher information only and should not be read to the students unless a question really cannot be answered.

Check for Understanding:
This activity provides an opportunity to assess student understanding of the tools they will be expected to use in the next lesson. If students are not familiar with the use of a specific tool,conduct a review before beginning Lesson 02.
EVALUATE– Performance Indicator / SuggestedDay 4
Performance Indicator

Demonstrate knowledge of safe practices, including wearing safety goggles and gloves, washing hands, and using materials appropriately, by explaining, in a student science notebook, the class safety rules for investigations.(4.1A; 4.2F; 4.4A, 4.4B) 3H; 5G

Refer to the Teacher Resource: Performance Indicator Instructions KEY for information on administering the performance assessment.

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Materials:

paper (plain, 1 sheet per student)

Attachments:
Teacher Resource: Performance Indicator Instructions KEY
Instructional Note:
Support with academic science vocabulary could be provided for students with limited English proficiency by providing word banks with appropriate terms.

Science Notebooks:
After completion of the Performance Indicator,affix the illustration in the science notebook.