Exploring Safely: A Guide for Elementary Teachers

Take the fear out of science lessons. This easy-to-digest book relieves many of the safety worries that come with teaching science in elementary school. The emphasis is on positive options for heading off potential hazzards, from handling special equipment to conducting field studies.

Chapters cover: making safe work habits second nature to students; equipping your classroom for safety and convenience, including organizational systems for preparation, setup, and cleanup; choosing and culturing live plants and animals for classroom study; and working safely with electricitiy, chemicals, and volunteers.

A special added ingredient: model forms that can be adapted for your needs, including permission slips and student contracts. Best of all, a wealth of anecdotes about what works, and what doesn't, in real-life classrooms makes Exploring Safely enjoyable to read as well as to reference.

2003 Association of Educational Publishers Finalist --Association of Educational Publishers

If your seeking a book to calm your fears about conducting experiments with elementary students, this book is it! Exploring Safely contains a plethora of information to keep your science lessons student-centered and still safe. The book provides recommendations about concerns teachers may have regarding outdoor activities, choosing organisms as classroom pets, hazardous chemicals, accommodating all learners, and even organizing the immense amount of materials needed for science lessons. Extra benefits of this book are the student contracts, safety precautions, "chemicals to go"list, and the American Chemical Society Safety Guidelines. I personally like the sections title "A Savvy Science Teacher" because they're real-life examples of classroom ideas for science. I think "Exploring Safely" is an ideal resource for teachers and I would recommend it for any elementary teachers personal library. --Reviewed by: Ellen G (PA) on June 24, 2009

Great resource for science safety in the lower grades. This book is a requirement for all my early childhood science methods students. It is also easy to read. --Reviewed by: Linda Rogness on July 21, 2008