Batteries commonly used in flashlights and other household devices produce hydrogen gas as a product of zinc electrode corrosion. The amount of gas produced is affected by the batteries' design and charge rate. Dangerous levels of hydrogen gas can be released if battery types are mixed, batteries are damaged, batteries are of different ages, or…

Many students do not have the manual dexterity to keep up with a fast-moving paramecium on a microscope slide. The lowly termite, however, provides an easily observable microscopic endo-ecosystem in an environment not usually considered by middle school teachers. In the activity described here, students examine the gut fauna of a termite in what…

As heat sources go, the old standby for elementary and middle school science laboratories has been the centuries old alcohol lamp. Unfortunately, this inexpensive heat producer has been a continuous source of accidents--many of which are relatively serious. Hot plates are emerging as the most popular source of heat for science experiments. The…

One easy way to reduce the number of accidents in the lab is to go "green." Green chemistry, or sustainable chemistry, emerged about a decade ago, but the concept has been practiced for centuries by indigenous people of many continents. The basic principles of green chemistry are that you should use only what you need and recycle what you can.…