Getting to Know your Kit Materials

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The kit materials (with video clip)
How to use some SEPUP equipment (with video clip)
Setting up labs in a classroom with limited resources
Laboratory safety in the SEPUP classroom
Using students as lab assistants
Tips from teachers on how to manage materials

The kit materials

A list of materials included in the kit, items not supplied, and suggestions for replenishing materials are provided in Appendix A of the published module. These suggestions include solution concentrations and guidelines for making replacement solutions. The tips of the dropper bottles can easily be popped on and off for refilling. Many of the reagents are not costly, and refills for items provided in the kit are also available directly from the producer and manufacturer, Lab-Aids, Inc.

Many of the modules require SEPUP trays (see "How to Use Some SEPUP Equipment" described below). These trays are usually not included in the module kit because they required for many SEPUP curricula and can be re-used. A single set of SEPUP trays can be used in conjuction with multiple SEPUP modules.

To find out what is and is not included in a particular SEPUP module, first select a specific module.

How to Use Some SEPUP equipment

The majority of labs in the SEPUP modules do not require the use of a science lab or sinks with running water. This is because activities that involve the interaction of chemicals are conducted in SEPUP trays. The trays are made out of impact-and stain-resistant plastic and are very durable. The trays can replace the use of glassware, which is more easily broken or chipped, but they should not be used with an open flame or organic solvents.
Each SEPUP tray contains five large cups and nine small cups. On a microscale level, these cups are essentially equivalent to five beakers and nine test tubes.

Stirsticks and droppers are often used to mix and transfer solutions in the SEPUP tray. These items fit neatly into the two narrow channels seen alongside the large cups on the surface of the tray. The SEPUP stirstick has two different ends: one end contains a small scoop that can be used to transfer small amounts of solids, while the flat end is more useful for stirring.

Liquid chemicals are usually provided in dropper bottles that have been manufactured to prevent squirting. By holding the dropper bottles as shown below, the bottles produce drops of consistent size, allowing for reliable quantification. The dropper bottles fit snugly inside the large cups of the SEPUP tray, which can be useful when distributing materials.

The size of the cups in the SEPUP tray, in combination with drop-controlled bottles of chemical solutions, enables the use of smaller amounts of chemicals. This enhances the safety of chemical experiments, minimizes waste disposal, and simplifies clean-up.

See video of a group of four students working with SEPUP trays and sharing a dropper bottle. You will need Quicktime software to view this 1.5 MB clip.

Setting up labs in a classroom with limited resources

Most of the SEPUP modules have been designed so that the activities can be used in non-laboratory settings. Although it is convenient to have a source of running water and a sink available, lab equipment such as SEPUP trays can be rinsed in tubs or buckets of water, and buckets or plastic bins can be used to collect liquid waste for later disposal. Note that it is particularly useful to have dishwashing gloves available to protect hands when rinsing trays in tubs.
In situations where it is difficult to conduct an activity with a whole class, an activity may be staggered among different student groups or over a period of time. For example, different student groups may be asked to explore different aspects of an activity, such as different variables. Alternatively, an activity can be completed by different student groups over a period of several days or weeks. Students can then use the data from all the groups when analyzing the result of an activity.

Laboratory safety in the SEPUP classroom

Laboratory safety is important in any science classroom. In every module containing laboratory activities, SEPUP provides an overhead transparency containing suggested Guidelines for Safety and Success in the SEPUP Lab (pdf file).

SEPUP also provides specific warnings and recommended safety procedures with each laboratory activity. In the case of the SEPUP modules, these often include the recommendation that students wear safety goggles when conducting experiments. More specific suggestions are included when appropriate, with the safety notes highlighted on both teacher and student pages. For example, when liquid chemicals are being tested, the module might carry the following cautions:

Teacher safety note from, Hazardous Materials Investigations: The Barrel Mystery

Safety Note

The chemicals used in this activity may cause skin irritation. Use caution when handling solutions. Always wear safety goggles and thoroughly rinse any area that comes into direct contact with laboratory chemicals.

Student safety note from, Hazardous Materials Investigations: The Barrel Mystery

Safety Note: Do not touch solutions or bring them into contact with your eyes or mouth. Wear safety goggles while working with chemicals. Wash your hands after completing the activity.

In addition, the teacher’s pages contain suggestions for disposing of solid and liquid wastes. For example, in the SEPUP module Waste Disposal: Computers and the Environment, copper chloride solution is produced as a result of etching copper-plated "circuit boards." The solution is then used to investigate a variety of chemical reactions. While much of the copper is removed from solution during the course of the module, teachers are likely to still have some copper-containing solution remaining. The Teacher’s Guide for that module contains the following disposal recommendation:

… copper-containing solutions should be disposed of in accordance with your local regulations. They contain copper, a regulated heavy metal, in concentrations from 1–100,000 parts per million (ppm). You can find your local regulations for the disposal of copper-containing wastes at the EPA website . Most communities generally require wastewater to have a maximum copper concentration of no more than 1-–10 ppm.

There are several possibilities for properly disposing of the copper-containing solutions:

One approach is to contact the science or chemistry department of a local university or college. They should be able to provide you with information about your local regulations and even help you dispose of the waste.

You may also be able to take the waste to a local hazardous waste disposal day. Many municipalities sponsor regular "disposal days" for the public to turn in waste such as used batteries, motor oil, or pesticide containers in some central location. If your local government sponsors such an event, dispose of the liquid waste there.

You may prefer to solidify the copper using one of the two methods described below. Once the copper is recovered in solid form, you can take it to a local hazardous waste disposal facility. Or you may be able to dispose of it in the trash, depending on the regulations in your area.

Disposal Method 1. Pour the waste into a wide-mouthed container and allow the contents to evaporate to dryness.

Disposal Method 2. This procedure(s) should be performed only by you—it should not be attempted by the students for safety reasons. Wear appropriate safety equipment. Place the liquid in a glass container (the reaction is exothermic and could melt a plastic container). Place the container under a fume hood or in a well-ventilated area. Slowly add pieces of aluminum foil to the liquid waste (you may need to push the foil down into the liquid). The following reaction will occur:

6CuCl2 + 6H2O + 6Al ‡ 3H2 + 4AlCl3 + 6Cu + 2Al(OH)3

Continue to add aluminum until the reaction no longer occurs. Filter the solid copper from the solution. (If you would like to re-use the copper metal, place it in a crucible with an equal amount of borax. Heat over a flame until the copper melts. Allow to cool; you should now have a solid piece of copper.) Evaporate the remaining liquid.

Using students as lab assistants

Students become much more invested in their science classroom when they are involved in making the curriculum happen. Student lab assistants can support successful classroom management and contribute to the intellectual development of themselves and other students. For example, a lab assistant can be asked to conduct extensions of laboratory experiments or demonstrate labs that cannot be conducted by all students due to constraints of time or materials. Student lab assistants can help with checking inventory, restocking materials, or distributing materials to the class. They may also work as a peer leader and make sure the class cleans up properly at the end of an activity.

Decide on a process for selecting lab assistants and consider selecting students with a variety of skills. For example, a student who is skilled in conducting labs but who is less able in the academic aspects of science may prove to be an able lab assistant. Rotate the position of lab assistant(s) over the course of the school year so that multiple students have an opportunity to demonstrate and expand their laboratory skills. Over time, encouraging students to take on basic laboratory responsibilities will provide more time for you, the teacher, to facilitate and support the learning of all students.

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