Day 16 - Lab Safety

The problem...

What is the safest layout for a Science lab/classroom?

Why?

• Cover the Science Lab-Safety curriculum expectations in an engaging way
• Utilize Third Teacher principles (environment as third teacher) that enables students to take more ownership of their classroom environment (while considering safety)

Minecraft Classroom Image from:

http://dbatty.wordpress.com/2012/06/23/minecraft-brings-about-so-many-opportunities/

Each science course has a lab safety component to the curriculum.  It makes sense.  Lab activities use dangerous chemicals and apparatus.  There needs to be procedures in place to ensure safety that the students are aware of.  Usually, lab safety is taught over a day or two followed by a quiz. Why not make the way they learn about safety engaging?  

Minecraft!

What I propose is give the choice for students to model the classroom/lab in Minecraft and then experiment to determine the safest way to arrange the classroom would be.  They could also figure out procedures for dispensing and collecting dangerous chemicals and the best way to store apparatus.  I probably wouldn't force them to use Minecraft.  It would be one way they could attempt to solve the problem.

The Lesson...

First, to facilitate Self-Regulation, I would discuss with the class what would make a successful classroom layout and have them establish some success criteria.  They would then come up with some sort of method for carrying out the task.  It may look something like this:

1. Organize! Students determine roles for constructing the model.
2. Model the classroom - including desks, lab desks, teachers desk, windows, doors, intercom, materials storage and anything else of note.  
3. Label the safety equipment in the model - fume hood, eye wash station, sinks, fire blanket, sprinkler, fire extinguisher and anything else.  Students will really know where all the safety equipment is after this!
4. Layout - In groups, students discuss how to improve safety by rearranging and experimenting with the layout.  Not all safety items are movable but desks and storage of equipment are.  This is where students can take ownership of their classroom environment.  Different layouts can be discussed and actually implemented in the class.
5. Material Distribution Procedure - What is the best way to distribute lab materials/chemicals - come up with a plan!
6. Emergency plan - Plan for an emergency and try it out! With everyone sitting at their desks (in the model) re-enact the procedure.  
7. Make a video.  Groups create videos of the student's avatars interacting with their models acting out safety procedures (what to do when there is an acid spill, chemical distribution, etc). Each group could choose a different procedure to demonstrate. They can post their videos on YouTube to share with the rest of the class.  

Students could continue to modify the model throughout the year if a layout isn't working or if there is a more unconventional lab that will happen.

Why Minecraft?

Whenever tempted to use some form of ICT I think it is important to ask yourself if that is the best way to deliver a lesson or you are just using the tech for the sake of using the tech. If you can't rationalize the tech actually enhancing the learning experience for the students, don't do it. In this case I chose Minecraft for a few reasons:

• It provides a Collaborative environment for groups of students to experiment with designs
• Students can try different designs in a short amount of time.  It's a good platform to support Real-World Problem Solving.
• The first person perspective is more personal and engaging for students
• The digital environment may be more comfortable to students who would not normally contribute in group discussions
• Really, I'm just excited about the idea of using Minecraft in a class

There are limitations to what furniture/equipment you can build in Minecraft but if students are creative enough, they would probably be able to model anything they need for this exercise.  

One criticism of this may be that students wouldn't take lab safety seriously but I am fairly confident a student is more likely to remember the procedure from a classmate made video about what to do if there is a chemical fire in the class than from a teacher-directed lecture.

Ultimately, I students should decide how they want to come up with their ideal (safe) classroom.  They could use Minecraft if they wanted to.  For example, an alternative to Minecraft would be Trimble Sketchup (formerly Google Sketchup) or other 3D modeling software. The downside to that would be a loss of the collaboration and first-person immersion within their environment.  Experimenting with the classroom in real life may not be practical but is another option.


1. Collaboration: entry - adoption - adaptation - infusion - transformation
3. Real-World Problem Solving & Innovation: entry - adoption - adaptation - infusion - transformation
5. Self-Regulation: entry - adoption - adaptation - infusion - transformation
6. Use of ICT for Learning: entry - adoption - adaptation - infusion - transformation

Future lesson ideas

• Retrofit school to accommodate classes in portables (can be tied into math: measurement, etc)
• Classroom layout using magic plan or other app to get dimensions