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Virtual Laboratory and Field Study Guidelines
Our goal is to provide you with as many effective, rich laboratory experiences as possible. Sometimes this means that virtual options and field options are part of our courses, allowing you to use apparatuses that are too expensive or dangerous, or getting you to focus on the environment near you.
Labs where the materials are not in front of you require a different approach than more traditional lab activities. Sometimes these may be truly virtual labs, while others, they may be field studies that require a computer to analyze data. In all cases, when you do a lab, think about the various settings that the lab might be done in and ask yourself if you feel that you could complete the lab in that setting. For example, if you are using a virtual microscope, be sure that you are also thinking about how a real microscope would look, feel and work.
Virtual experiences will not be exactly like real experiences in the lab. Pay strict attention to the safety considerations that you would think about if it were a real lab. When doing field studies, carefully inventory the dangers in your local environment that may be dangerous animals and plants, bad weather or other dangers that are a natural part of the area you are studying.
We have worked hard to see to it that virtual DATA is as much like real data as possible. This means that the data that you acquire in most cases will not be the same as someone elses, and will be subject to the uncertainty and error that you would find in a similar real life lab.
Work hard on these experiences keeping these ideas in mind. You never know when you might be doing this lab or field study in a different setting!
Safety in the Lab
Scientists understand that conducting experiments involves a certain amount of hazard and risk. They have identified certain safety practices and guidelines that address the hazards and risks involved in laboratory work. Follow these practices and guidelines and use common sense to ensure your safety in the laboratory.
Lab Setup
Make sure your lab area has adequate
ventilation. When possible, open windows;
otherwise, turn the fan switch on your
thermostat to the ON position. Set up an
electric fan to help ventilate the lab area.
Keep drawers and cabinets closed to prevent
physical hazards.
Identify a location with easy and immediate
access to fresh, running water. This is important
for flushing eyes and skin in case of contact
with chemicals.
If you are using an area where food is prepared
or consumed, secure all food items in such a
way as to avoid contamination.
Keep a fire extinguisher in the lab area and
know how to use it.
Post the number to the nearest poison control
center near a telephone. You can find this
number by calling the national poison control
number: 1-800-222-1222.
Personal Protection
Wear gloves throughout lab preparation, the
entire lab procedure, and during cleanup when
working with chemicals. Always dispose of the
used gloves before leaving the lab area.
Wear clothing you can remove easily in case of
an accident. Clothes should cover the body from
the neck to at least the knees.
Wear closed-toe and closed-heel shoes. Do
not wear high heels, shoes made of woven
materials, or sandals in the lab area.
Tie back long hair and remove jewelry before
entering the lab area.
Lab Protocol
If possible, have an adult or peer present while
conducting all labs.
Never ingest anything in the lab. Eating,
drinking, and chewing gum are not allowed.
Do not ingest, taste, touch, or smell any chemicals.
Flames are not allowed in the lab area when
using flammable gas or liquids.
Keep chemical and solution containers closed
until they are needed.
Assemble laboratory apparatus away from the
edge of working surfaces.
Never pipet by mouth.
Do not shake filled test tubes or beakers, unless
directed to do so in the lab procedure.
Never place materials on the floor, unless
directed to do so in the lab procedure.
Never leave an experiment unattended, unless
directed to do so in the lab procedure.
Always check glassware, and discard any with
chips, breaks, or cracks in a safe manner.
Clean up broken glassware as soon as it is safe
to do so, and discard in a safe manner.
Clean glassware before returning it to storage.
Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap
and water after cleanup and before eating or
drinking.
Clean up spills immediately.
K12 instructs you to dispose of chemicals in the same safe manner that you would dispose of any excess household cleaner, paint, or motor oil. One environmentally friendly disposal alternative, offered in many areas, is a household waste disposal event. These events are held periodically by the local waste disposal agency and offer a safe method of disposing of household chemicals, such as the chemicals used in K12 lessons. We recommend you contact your local agency for the availability, schedule and location of any events in your area.
General Procedures
Follow these general procedures each time you conduct an experiment. They will help you develop good lab practices.
Setting Up and Maintaining Your Lab Area
Read through the entire procedure before
beginning any lab.
Review the list of materials prior to any lab
because you may need to supply several items.
Gather all materials in your lab area before
beginning any lab.
Set up a lab area where you can organize
your materials and have room to set up your
lab. (For most labs, a countertop or table will
work well.)
Always keep a copy of the Laboratory Guidelines
in your lab area. Follow all procedures in the Lab
Setup section of these guidelines.
When using measuring utensils in several steps,
wash and dry the utensils between steps.
If you do not complete a lab, store all materials
out of the reach of small children or pets until
you are ready to complete the lab. Notify
everyone in the home that you are conducting
an experiment, and tell them not to touch it.
Cleaning Up Your Lab Area
Clean up and properly store materials after each
lab. (Materials and equipment are reused in labs.)
Thoroughly clean your hands, as well as
surfaces, containers, and like items, with soap
and water. Thoroughly dry materials before
storing them.
Taking Good Measurements
Take careful measurements during a lab, and repeat tests until you are confident about your results. If you think there is an error (for example, if you are not certain that you started the stopwatch at the right time or you think you miscounted the time), do the procedure again.
Length: Measure in centimeters (cm) or tenths
of a centimeter, depending on the detail you are
able to observe.
Time: Measure in seconds (s) or minutes (min).
Temperature: Measure in degrees Celsius (°C).
Volume: Measure in milliliters (mL).
Mass: Measure in grams (g).
Recording Data
Use a data table to record your data. Make sure your data tables are prepared before you do the lab. You may use scratch paper to record your data during the lab, and then transfer your data to a computer for a final report.
Plotting Data
Plot the independent variable on the x-axis (horizontal) and the dependent variable on the y-axis (vertical).
Drawing Trend Lines
Use trend lines to show the general relationship between the independent and dependent variables. Trend lines may be straight or show a curve, but they are not an attempt to connect every point on a graph.
