Thursday, September 18, 2008
Almost, but not quite
Today I had to give myself a big pat on the back for the forethought I had in my classroom. In the morning, I was setting up the laboratory (which basically means I took all the power strips from home and borrowed supplies from Calvin) and I put out the thermometers so the students could measure the increase in temperature in a container of land and water. I was counting the thermometers to make sure I had enough when I began to look closer at a few. I have in my classroom some mercury filled thermometers. I thought to myself, "Self, what are the chances that an 8th grade student would drop a glass thermometer filled with mercury?" Then I answered, "Very likely." So, I removed the mercury filled thermometers an stored them in the closet. Why was that such a great thing? Because two students dropped and shattered glass thermometers on the floor today. We could have had a real bad problem to deal with. If it would have been anything like what happened a couple of years ago, I would have been all over the media, but then I would not have been hired by anyone in west Michigan...... sorry Ben, You almost had a new Colorado family.
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8 comments:
I've always heard that there is no such thing as bad press. However this might be an exception. On the flip side, we could have had fodder for dinner discussion for generations if you hadn't practiced discretion.
Dad
I'm glad you won't be banished to Colorado!
although I am very glad to hear you prevented kids from getting a day off of school, I don't understand why moving to CO is a negative thing!
Moving to CO isn't a bad thing, but it would have been necessary move rather than a timely choice.
Its OK. Not everyone can handle the clear blue skies, fresh mountain air, and beautiful vistas.
I have to give you credit, Sam. I would not have known mercury is bad. Didn't we used to play with it when our thermometers broke?
I think the fact that it is bad for you is a little bit over exaggerated just like everything else that isn't healthy for you. But when you spill trans-fat you don't have to call in a chemical spill team and evacuate the school like they did a couple years ago.
I just googled Mercury poisoning. Some of the symptoms are muscle weakness, mood swings, memory loss, mental disturbance, learning disorders, lack of self esteem....
You kids are doomed!
Actually, my siblings and I played with more mercury than you did. It was really cool to bring it to school. We lost several blobs of it in the house and the school. Oh well...
HA, that is awesome Sam. You are getting into the 8th grade mind already, after only a few weeks. You can say it over and over, you can write it down, but they will be careless.
Although not a huge deal in reality, because it is toxic in similar ways to lead, it gets the same overreaction as lead paint. one thermometer will not kill an entire school. Drinking the contents of a few thermometers might be damaging.
Good job Sam. make dure your staff know how good of a job you did, and tell them to get rid of the death sticks.
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