Some students may approach the Magnetism and Electricity Module harboring some trepidation about the safety of getting too close to electricity. Following a few general guidelines and the procedures described in each investigation will result in a safe and stimulating experience for you and your students.

The 1.5-volt D-cells are safe for student use. We don’t recommend that students use rechargeable cells. The economics are tempting, but rechargeable cells discharge too rapidly when students create short circuits. Wires get hot enough to cause a blister. The alkaline D-cells included in the equipment kit are very safe, even in the event of a short circuit.

It is important to stress the danger of irresponsible activity around household electricity (110–120 volts). Make sure students understand that, while it is safe to work freely with 1.5-volt D-cells, wall sockets are a completely different matter and they are absolutely off limits. Students should be reminded frequently of this danger and admonished not to put anything into wall sockets during the investigations.

Look for the safety-note icon in the Getting Ready section, which will alert you to safety concerns throughout the module.

Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for materials used in the FOSS program can be found on the Delta Education website. http://www.delta-education.com/msds.shtml. If you have questions regarding any MSDS, call Delta Education toll free at 800-258-1302 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST).

General classroom safety rules to share with
students include

1. Listen carefully to all instructions. Follow all directions. Ask questions if you don’t know what to do.

2. Tell your teacher if you have any allergies.

3. Never put any materials in your mouth. Do not taste anything unless your teacher tells you to.

4. Never smell any unknown material. If your teacher asks you to smell a material, wave your hand over the material to draw the smell toward your nose.

5. Do not touch your face, mouth, ears, nose, or eyes while working with chemicals, plants, or animals.

6. Always protect your eyes. Wear safety goggles when necessary. Tell your teacher if you wear contact lenses.

7. Always wash your hands with soap and water after working with chemicals, plants, or animals.

8. Never mix any chemicals unless your teacher tells you to do so.

9. Report all spills and accidents to your teacher.

10. Treat animals with respect, caution, and consideration.

11. Clean up your work space after each investigation.

12. Act responsibly during science investigations.

These rules are provided for your class on the FOSS Safety Poster and are in the Science Resources book for each student.