5th Grade Standard 1 SLCSD
Science Pantry for 5th Grade Properties of Matter
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Acetone (from the hardware store paint section, NOT polish remover)
Baking soda
Balloons (10” round are best, can order through district supply)
Borax (in the laundry detergent aisle)
Butane lighter (better than matches)
Calcium chloride (online or Morton’s safe-t-power ice melt)
Candles – birthday and votive
Chemical hand warmers (available locally around hunting season
Citric acid (with canning supplies or online)
Dry milk
Dry yeast (rapid rise works best but any will do)
Elmer’s glue all (not school glue – get it in August when it’s on sale)
Epsom salt
Glow sticks (available at dollar and craft stores or online)
Hydrogen peroxide
Lemon juice or powdered lemon juice (available online at Amazon)
Mrs. Stewart’s Liquid Bluing (in the laundry aisle of most stores)
Punch mix with or without sugar
Red cabbage juice or the powder to make it (“Jiffy Juice” available online)
Rubbing alcohol
Salt without iodine (Kosher or pickling salt works)
Steel wool (paint department)
Sugar
Styrofoam (cups or peanuts)
Vinegar
Vitamin C tablets
Equipment for Teaching Science
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Canning jars with lids
Clear plastic cups, small and large (get them in bulk at Costco or Sam’s)
Digital scales (good kitchen scales will work – available online)
Graduated cylinders (available online or through science supply catalogs)
Kevlar gloves (for more dexterity) or oven mitts
Measuring cups and spoons (dollar stores)
Mixing cups (save plastic fruit or pudding cups)
Newspaper or plastic sheets to cover desks
Plastic droppers (online or through science supply catalogs)
Plastic spoons (get them in bulk at Costco or Sam’s)
Plastic test tubes with screw on lids (available online)
Rolling cart to move experiments and materials around (Borrow or buy a sturdy one)
Safety goggles or glasses for each student and the teacher
Small neck bottles (save small soda bottles or juice bottles)
Small plastic bottles (online at www.onlinemedicalresources.com or save bottles from home)
Stirring sticks or coffee stirrers
Thermometers
5th Grade Standard 1 SLCSD
Suggestions for Science Material Handling and Use
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Use a locking cabinet to store supplies. If you don’t have one, you can request a
lock be installed on an existing cabinet. This is a safety issue. Insist on a safe
location to store your chemicals.
Invest in vinyl exam gloves. Inexpensive through the district warehouse.
Get a fire extinguisher installed in or very near your classroom (rated ABC). You
will be working with a flame. You need a fire extinguisher. About $35 and the
district will install it if you request it.
If you don’t have a sink, always, ALWAYS have fresh water on hand in case
someone get something in their eye. They should wear goggles or glasses, but if
they rub their eyes after handling chemicals, they can irritate them. Rinse over a
bowl and send them to the office for further first aid if necessary.
For the more volatile chemicals, keep only what you need on hand.
Keep the matches or lighter in a separate location from the candles or other
flammables.
Label anything you remove from its original container.
Learn the cautions and risks for every chemical or substance you ask students to
handle. Do not assume that because they’re common household items they can
be mixed together any way you wish and still be safe. Find out for sure!
Remind students constantly about the proper ways to handle chemicals, how to
smell them (wafting), how to dispose of them (trash, drain, or special), how to
ensure students aren’t contaminated by them (washing hands, etc.).
Remove any student who cannot follow safety protocols from the group. Have an
alternate activity for them to complete. Writing a paragraph about safety is a
good one.
Set up a procedure for the safety of the students should you have a mishap.
Inform another teacher of your activities and request the option of sending your
class to their room in the event of an unforeseen problem such as fire, chemical
spill, or a crazy zombie chemical attack. (You know what I mean!)
Teach students your safety evacuation procedure so they know where to go and
what to do. Two students should be tasked with informing the office that you are
having an issue. These two students save you from having to leave an immediate
problem long enough to call the office. (Why two? What if one is absent?)
Lighters are far less likely to set off your smoke detectors than matches. Two step
lighters have a safety switch that is difficult for younger children to activate.
Teaching clean-up protocols will save you a boatload of time later. And you won’t
be stuck after school washing up lab equipment.
Set up a bag somewhere out of the way in your house to collect the things you
think you might save for science like empty bottles and jars. Occasionally take it
to school and empty it into your science cupboard.
Having paper towels at student tables to begin with saves a lot of scrambling for
them later.
Making sure you HAVE paper towels in your room before beginning a science
project – PRICELESS!
Be safe, do
science, learn something, have fun.
5th Grade Standard 1 SLCSD
Where Do I Get This Stuff???
Over the years we’ve found several suppliers that provide much of the stuff you’ll want
in your science pantry. The first place to start is your local Mega Mart. A large, wellstocked grocery store will have a surprising amount of what you need to conduct
scientific inquiry. Beyond that, the hardware store and restaurant suppliers are good
choices for some items such as steel wool and citric acid. While we in no way endorse
any particular company, here are some we’ve used in the past:
Company
What they sell
Carolina.com
All things
scientific
eNasco.com
Freyscientific.com
Nearly everything
you ever wanted
All things
scientific
All things
scientific
Genesis Scientific
Randy Campbell
Randy.genesis@juno.com
Wardsci.com
High end
scientific supplies
Xump.com
Small lab tools
and equipment,
science toys
Things no one else
has
Wisconsin FastPlant
seeds and supplies for
heredity experiments.
District
discount?
Yes
Yes
He’s local and usually
can deliver. Based in
Orem. Inexpensive.
Look here for models
and other high end
equipment.
Great prices, especially
on small electrical items No
for your electricity unit,
magnets and compasses