I can still vividly remember being taught lab safety in 7th or 8th grade chemistry at school. The old way: being given a long list of rules, reading them and being tested on them. No eating, drinking, chewing gum etc. etc. Many of the same rules apply in my lab at the university.
What’s changed? The way the rules are being taught in school-and for the better!
Here’s a video made by a group of kids (including my daughter) to creatively address safety skills in physical science labs, with the text given below:
Credits to the cameraman, my 9 y old son.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W4u9RX31Xg
Our science project about safety skills.
Lyrics:
Mr. Erixon- Good afternoon!
Naomi, Mika, and Katie- Good afternoon, Mr. Erixon.
Mr. Erixon- Is everyone excited for the acid test that could burn holes through your hands if you aren’t prepared? Are you guys prepared?
Naomi, Mika, and Katie- Yes, Mr. Erixon.
Mr. Erixon- I think not! I mean look at you, Katie, you have way too much hair- it’s going to get burned off.
Mika- But I think it’s pretty…..
Mr. Erixon- I don’t care. And then Mika, with all of your jewelry, you know, it’s going to just…kill you! Then Naomi….Na-Naomi!
Naomi- Wha-what?
Mr. Erixon- You’re sagging really bad, did you go gangsta or something?
Naomi- What? I like the style- don’t judge me!
Mr. Erixon- You know, I could punish you for this, and our fellow viewer, but for the viewers, I’m going to punish you in a different way. Hit it, Gaga!
Ohhh…..I want those safety skills x2
Rah rah ah ah ah ah
Roma roma mah mah
Gaga ooh la la
I want those safety skills x2
I want those skills, I want them bad,
I want those safety skills, I’m going mad, I want those skills.
Skills, skills, skills, I want those skills.
My science teacher tells me not to wear jewels.
He also tells me no baggy clothes, no baggy clothes.
Clothes, clothes, clothes, no baggy clothes.
You know that I want them.
And you know that I need them.
I want to be safe,
Safety skills
I want those safety skills, I want them bad, you know I want those safety skills,
Woah woah woah……..
I want those safety skills so I won’t be had, you know I want those safety skills,
Woah woah woah…….. I want those safety skills x2
Rah rah ah ah ah ah
Roma roma mah mah
Gaga ooh la la
I want those safety skills
If you spill something, don’t wipe it off,
Tell a teacher to clean it up, clean it up.
Up, up, up, clean it up.
Make sure you wave your hand over the flask,
‘Cause chemicals can smell really bad, they smell bad
Bad, bad, bad, they smell bad.
You know that I want them.
And you know that I need them.
I want to be safe,
Safety skills
I want those safety skills, I want them bad, you know I want those safety skills,
Woah woah woah……..
I want those safety skills so I won’t be had, you know I want those safety skills,
Woah woah woah…….. I want those safety skills x2
Rah rah ah ah ah ah
Roma roma mah mah
Gaga ooh la la
I want those safety skills x2
Walk, walk, don’t run, baby, or you’ll make that teacher crazy….
Walk, walk, don’t run, baby, or you’ll make that teacher crazy….
Walk, walk, don’t run, baby, or you’ll make that teacher crazy….
Walk, walk, don’t run, baby, I’m a free nerd, baby!
No adult supervision means you can’t start a lab,
Caution is need when working with acids……
MUSICAL BREAK
Katie- Who is that person in the video? So ugly!
Mika- I know, right?
Katie- Oh my god, put on some Justin Bieber!
Mika- Justin Bieber! Oh my god, who are you texting, Naomi?
Naomi- No one you know.
Katie- Well I think I know everybody…
Naomi- This video is horrible, but you guys are like, annoying.
Mika- Anyways,
Katie- What’s up with this video?
I want those safety skills, I want them bad, you know I want those safety skills,
Woah woah woah……..
I want those safety skills so I won’t be had, you know I want those safety skills,
Woah woah woah…….. I want those safety skills x2
Rah rah ah ah ah ah
Roma roma mah mah
Gaga ooh la la
I want those safety skills
Naomi, Mika, and Katie- I want those safety skills!
Mika- Wow, that was like, like, like, like amazing!
Katie- Yeah, I didn’t know you knew Gaga!
Mr. Erixon- Me neither!
Silence…..
Naomi- Dude, we all really learned something.
Mr. Erixon- And what did you learn?
Mika- Not to wear bling?
Naomi- Not to sag, even though it looks awesome.
Katie- Not to have long hair down during labs?
Mr. Erixon- You are all wrong. Lady Gaga is weird.
All- Yeah, I guess.
Mr. Erixon- Well, goodbye, children!
Naomi- I didn’t get my afternoon nap today! Today was weird.
Mika and Katie- You said it!
