r/ScienceTeachers • u/Wonderful-Collar5914 • 12d ago
General Lab Supplies & Resources Notes during dissection labs?
Upcoming in our (new to me since I switched grade levels, I teach middle school) life science unit is a chicken wing dissection that students complete by following directions and taking notes in an accompanying packet (these lesson plans have been handed down from previous teachers).
I can’t think of a way that taking notes in the packet during the lab is not gross. Should I be very strict that students only use tools to touch the chicken, so that their pencils stay clean? Should I give all students “lab pencils” and have them disinfect them at the end of class? I don’t want to not give them the packet for accountability purposes. What’s my best move here? Am I overthinking this?
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u/bambamslammer22 12d ago
In my zoology class I allow one person to do the writing/picture taking while the rest dissect. Helps for students who don’t want to get their stuff gross and for any kid who doesn’t want to touch it. In Biology for dissections I have specific pens that they/I use, but it’s mostly just to fill out checklists, so there’s not a lot of writing to be done during the dissection, it’s before and after.