Safety Scenario Assignment
A.
Your 7 th grade class will dissect frogs. You also have a live guinea pig in the classroom.
What are the ethical and educational considerations to think about when keeping live animals in the classroom and doing dissections?
Before bringing animals into the classroom you need to check your local school district policy on the use of animals in the classroom, and take safety precautions to make sure that both the students and the animals will remain safe throughout their time in the classroom. The more educated you are, the better the experience you most likely will have.
Children need to be made aware that mammals can bite, scratch and kick, so students need to be instructed by their teacher on the proper ways of holding animals. For instance, guinea pigs are best picked up by the scruff of their neck. WASH your hands BEFORE and AFTER interaction with the animal.
Animals are a great way to spark student’s interest and inquiry in science, but teachers need to make sure that the animals are properly cared for and treated humanely, responsibly, and ethically, and that the use of the animal in the classroom serves a great educational value with clear objectives to guide students learning.
Plans need to be established by the teacher in order for children to address issues of allergies and fear of animals when used in the classroom. Plans need to be made and accounted for with live animals to plan for extended absences from the classroom, such as for holidays and summer vacation. When will you store the little guy?
Children need to be aware that ‘experimental’ and uninstructed activities with the animals, such as when dissecting frogs is not acceptable in the classroom and can be dangerous to both a live animal, a dead one, or themselves. Our goal is to keep our animals safe, and ourselves safe from harm. To keep animals safe, make sure cages are covered when cleaning the room, and that they are not let out to run in an unfamiliar environment.
Whenever using dissection, or the use of live animals, students need to be made aware of the learning objectives and reasons for the inclusion of such animals. This will help in the overall supervision of your classroom, and make it run more effectively if students know what is expected of them.
Teachers need to be sensitive to students needs when it comes to making decisions on using dissection in the classroom. You need to make yourself aware of your student’s personal beliefs and values in regards to the dissection process. Alternate dissection options need to be available to remedy this situation if it arises. If you believe that the children are not cognitively

ready to take on such a difficult task, and they might struggle immensely with it, it is up to you to make a judgment call on whether or not the experiment will work and be beneficial.
Materials used should be prepared specimens that are purchased, not animals you ‘find’ out in the wild as dangerous health hazards could prevail.
When students are working with live animals or dissection, make sure they wash their hands before and after holding the animal, or before and after dissection and that the lab area is kept clean. Personal safety equipment needs to be used when conducting experiments and handling animals. Instructions on how to properly use lab dissection tools, such as scalpels and such, needs to be discussed with the students before they are put into practice.
D. For your science experiment, you need to use citric acid, cornstarch, and sodium chlorides.
What is the proper way to care for, store, use and dispose of these chemicals? What safety concern do you need to address?
Citric Acid:
Care Of: If ingested, have students wash mouth with water. Call a physician. If citric acid comes in contact with the skin, have students remove the contaminated clothing and wash with water.
Call a physician. If inhaled remove student to a fresh air environment and call a physician if breathing becomes difficult for a student. If students get it in their eyes, flush with water while holding lids open for 15 minutes, and call a physician. Citric acid may cause an unusual fire or explosion if ignited so students need to be aware of this and wear protective equipment.
Storage: Keep containers closed. Use with adequate dust control. Avoid areas where the possibility to make dust and to avoid skin and eye contact.
Disposal: Sweep up and put in a bag for disposal – don’t make dust. In a fire-fighting situation, use a self-contained breathing apparatus and full protective equipment. Dissolve or mix with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical incinerator with afterburner and scrubber. Follow state and local disposal information.
Safety Concern: Inhaling citric acid or getting it on your skin can pose potential irritation and danger to students. Indigestion of citric acid will not harm a student and is not carcinogenic.
Make sure students wear goggles and protective clothing.
Cornstarch:
Care Of: Can be dangerous if inhaled and come in contact with skin. Not carcinogenic. Can cause mild inhalation irritation. May cause irritation if comes in contact with skin or eyes.
Indigestion is not reported. If contact happens, or cornstarch is eaten, wash mouth with water, remove contaminated clothing and wash with water. If inhaled remove to fresh air

environment. Call a physician in all situations. Flush eyes with water while holding lids open for 15 minutes.
Storage: Keep containers closed, use adequate dust control. Avoid making dust and skin and eye contact.
Disposal: Sweep up and place in a bag for disposal and avoid making dust. Dissolve with a combustible solvent and burn in a chemical incinerator. Follow state regulations.
Safety Concern: People with pre-existing respiratory ailments may be at increased risk from exposure. Dust air mixture may explode if ignited, so a self-contained breathing apparatus and full protective equipment. Use gloves and goggles that are chemically resistant. Make sure you wash hands and wear proper lab clothing. Hazardous decomposition from products of carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide.
Sodium Chloride:
Care Of: Flush eyes immediately with plenty of water for 15 minutes if it comes in contact with eyes. Move eyelids up and down. Get medical attention of more serious irritation prevails.
Flush skin immediately and rid of contaminated clothing. Don’t induce vomiting if swallowed.
If inhalation issues, remove student from exposure to fresh air environment. If not breathing give artificial respiration.
Storage: Use adequate ventilation. Minimize dust generation and accumulation. Store in a cool and dry place. Needs to be placed in a tightly closed container!!
Disposal: Vaccuum or sweep up material and place into a suitable disposable container. Avoid making dusty conditions. Provide ventilation. Do not let chemical enter the classroom environment.
Safety Concern: May cause eye irritation. Exposure to solid may cause pain and redness. Skin irritation may prevail, and it may be harmful if absorbed through the skin. Respiratory tract irritation might happen. May cause irritation of the digestive tract if digested or swallowed.
Large amounts may cause nausea and vomiting. Continued exposure can produce a coma or dehydration. Wear appropriate clothing to prevent contact with skin and eyes. Wear a selfcontained breathing apparatus to prevent contact with thermal decomposition products. May be combustible at high temperatures. Use water or spray, dry chemical or chemical foam to extinguish.