You will learn
- Say simple rules for staying safe in science.
- Explain why each rule matters.
- Tell what to do if something goes wrong.
- Use safe habits when they investigate.
Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.
Student lesson
- Science is fun when we are safe.
- Listen to the adult and follow the rules.
- Never taste science things or put them in your mouth.
- Tell an adult if something goes wrong. Wash your hands afterwards.
Words to know
not likely to hurt you
paying attention so nothing goes wrong
something we agree to do to stay safe
a grown-up who looks after children
1. Discover: Kofi’s science table
Kofi’s class is going to look at leaves, stones and seeds. “Before we start, what are our safety rules?” asks the teacher. Kofi remembers: “We listen. We keep things out of our mouths. We wash our hands. We tell an adult if we are not sure.” The class has a great time and everyone stays safe.
Think: Which rule do you think is the most important?
2. Understand: Our science safety rules
Idea 1: Why safety rules?
Scientists use rules so that nobody gets hurt. Safety comes first, before any fun activity.
Idea 2: Our science rules
Listen to the adult. Walk, do not run. Keep things away from your mouth, eyes and nose. Never taste or smell unknown things. Only touch what an adult says is safe. Never look straight at the Sun. Keep your table tidy.
Idea 3: When something goes wrong
If something spills, breaks or hurts, stop and tell an adult straight away. Wash your hands with soap and water after science.
3. Worked examples
Example 1 (I show you): Is it safe?
A child puts a leaf in her mouth to “see what it tastes like”.
- Is it safe to taste a leaf we do not know? No.
- Which rule does this break? Keep things out of your mouth.
- What should she do? Stop and tell an adult.
Answer: It is not safe. She should tell an adult and wash her hands.
Example 2 (We do it together): Spot the safe habits
Ayo listens to the teacher, walks to the table and washes his hands after the activity.
- Does he listen? Yes.
- Does he walk? Yes.
- Does he wash his hands? Yes.
Answer: Ayo follows three safe habits.
Example 3 (You try): What should you do?
Water spills on the floor near the science table.
Show the steps and answer
- Stop.
- Do not run on the wet floor.
- Tell an adult.
Answer: Stop and tell an adult. Do not run on the wet floor.
Did you know?
Real scientists follow safety rules and wear safety clothing too. Safety is part of every scientist’s job.
Why this matters
Safety rules let us enjoy science and keep us and other people from being hurt.
4. Explore: Safety rules poster
Work in groups. Make a poster of safety rules for your science table.
- List three safety rules from this lesson.
- Draw a picture for each rule.
- Say why each rule matters.
- Show your poster to the class.
Think about it: what did you notice?
Which rule do you think matters most? All the rules help keep us safe.
5. Practise
Say it in a sentence
Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.
- A safe rule is ___.
- I must not ___.
- If something goes wrong, I ___.
- I wash my hands after ___.
Guided practice
Question 1. Who do you tell if something goes wrong?
An adult.
Question 2. What do we wash after science?
Our hands.
Question 3. Should we taste science things?
No.
Independent practice
Level 1: Start
- Who do you tell if something goes wrong?
- What do we wash after science?
- Should we taste science things?
- Should we run or walk in the science area?
- Name one safety rule.
Level 2: Grow
- Why should we never look straight at the Sun?
- Water spills on the floor. What do you do?
- Why do we wash our hands after touching leaves or stones?
Level 3: Stretch
- Make up a rule for a science table and say why it matters.
- A friend wants to taste a berry from a bush. What do you say?
- Why do scientists follow safety rules even when something looks fun?
Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.
6. Apply: Science in everyday life
At home, what is one safety rule when you help in the kitchen?
Show a sample answer
Do not touch hot or sharp things. Ask an adult.
Another one. Tell a family member one thing from this lesson. Use the words you learned.
Show a sample answer
A clear sentence that uses at least one word from Words to know.
7. Common mistakes
Fix: Everyone follows safety rules, even scientists.
Fix: Never taste a plant or any science material unless an adult says it is safe.
8. Lesson summary and revision card
- I can say simple rules for staying safe in science.
- I can explain why each rule matters.
- I can tell what to do if something goes wrong.
- I can use safe habits when they investigate.
9. Check and master
Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.
Your result appears here after you answer every question.
10. Key takeaways
- Science is fun when we are safe.
- Listen to the adult and follow the rules.
- Never taste science things or put them in your mouth.
- Tell an adult if something goes wrong. Wash your hands afterwards.
11. Next lesson
Next lesson: What are living things?. Keep going with the next idea in this course.
Exam practice
These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.
- Name two safety rules for science. [2 marks]
- What should you do if something spills or breaks? [2 marks]
- Why should you wash your hands after science? [2 marks]
- Why must we never taste science materials? [2 marks]
- Say why we never look straight at the Sun. [2 marks]
Total: 10 marks.
Marking guide and model answers
- Any two correct rules [1 each]
- Stop [1]; tell an adult [1]
- To get rid of dirt [1]; to stay healthy [1]
- They might not be safe [1]; they could make us ill [1]
- It can hurt our eyes [1]; it can damage sight [1]
Score guide: 9 to 10 = secure. 6 to 8 = nearly there, revise the parts you missed. Under 6 = work through the lesson again with a grown-up.
Printable worksheet
- Who do you tell if something goes wrong?
- What do we wash after science?
- Should we taste science things?
- Should we run or walk in the science area?
- Name one safety rule.
- Why should we never look straight at the Sun?
- Water spills on the floor. What do you do?
- Why do we wash our hands after touching leaves or stones?
- Make up a rule for a science table and say why it matters.
- A friend wants to taste a berry from a bush. What do you say?
Homework
Teach a family member three science safety rules. Draw a picture of one of them.
Answer key and marking scheme
| Question | Expected response | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Who do you tell if something goes wrong? | An adult. | 1 |
| 2. What do we wash after science? | Our hands. | 1 |
| 3. Should we taste science things? | No. | 1 |
| 4. Should we run or walk in the science area? | Walk. | 1 |
| 5. Name one safety rule. | Any correct rule from the lesson. | 1 |
| 6. Why should we never look straight at the Sun? | It can hurt our eyes. | 1 |
| 7. Water spills on the floor. What do you do? | Stop and tell an adult. | 1 |
| 8. Why do we wash our hands after touching leaves or stones? | To get rid of dirt and keep healthy. | 1 |
| 9. Make up a rule for a science table and say why it matters. | A sensible rule with a reason. | 1 |
| 10. A friend wants to taste a berry from a bush. What do you say? | Do not taste it. Ask an adult first. Some plants are not safe. | 1 |
| Total | 10 |
Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 An adult.; 2 Our hands.; 3 No.; 4 Walk.; 5 Any correct rule from the lesson.. Level 2: 1 It can hurt our eyes.; 2 Stop and tell an adult.; 3 To get rid of dirt and keep healthy.. Level 3: 1 A sensible rule with a reason.; 2 Do not taste it. Ask an adult first. Some plants are not safe.; 3 Safety comes first so that nobody gets hurt..
Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.
Mastery and remediation
| Objective | Bronze (Developing) | Silver (Proficient) | Gold (Advanced) |
|---|---|---|---|
| O1 Say simple rules for staying safe in science | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O2 Explain why each rule matters | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O3 Tell what to do if something goes wrong | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
| O4 Use safe habits when they investigate | Shows this with help from an adult or a picture | Does this independently and explains how they know | Explains it clearly and uses it in a new situation |
Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.
If a learner struggles
- Find the misconception: “Safety rules are only for babies.” Everyone follows safety rules, even scientists.
- Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
- Show a simpler example: Practise one rule at a time with a role play, such as “tell an adult” when something spills.
- Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
- Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
- Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.
For parents and guardians
In this lesson your child learns simple science safety rules and why they matter. You do not need to be an expert to help.
- Talk about safety rules in the kitchen and garden.
- Remind your child to ask you before touching or tasting something unknown.
- Praise safe habits.
- Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
- Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
- Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.
Teacher package
1–5. Objectives, prerequisites, materials, preparation, duration
Lesson objectives. Learners will: say simple rules for staying safe in science; explain why each rule matters; tell what to do if something goes wrong; use safe habits when they investigate.
Prerequisite knowledge. None. Learners should be able to look, listen and talk about what they notice.
Materials. Chart paper, crayons, pencils and a few safe objects. Low-resource options: use chalk or charcoal on a board or wall, drawings in the sand, and objects from the classroom instead of printed materials.
Preparation. Prepare a safe table. Write the rules on the board with simple pictures. Check that there are no unsafe items in the area.
Suggested duration. 45–60 minutes. It can be split into two shorter sessions.
6–9. Teaching procedure, explanation notes, guided and independent activities
Introduction (5 min). Ask, “What should we remember to stay safe?” and listen to the ideas.
Explanation (10 min). Teach the rules with an action for each. Ask why each one matters.
Guided activity (10 min). Groups make a safety poster for the science table.
Independent activity (10 min). Each group shares one rule and says why it matters.
Assessment and reflection (5 min). Ask each learner to say one thing they learned and how they know it.
Key questions. What is the rule? Why does it matter? What should we do if something goes wrong?
Teacher explanation notes. Start with real objects and safe, hands-on observation. Then talk about what was seen, then draw and write. Always say “how do you know?”. Keep to the safety notes, and use local, safe materials.
10–12. Differentiation, formative assessment, common misconceptions
Support. Use real objects and pictures, short sentences and a partner. Let learners point, show or draw instead of writing. Extension. Ask learners to find a new example at home and explain how they know.
Formative assessment. Listen to learners read and explain, ask “how do you know?”, and check the independent work.
Misconceptions. “Safety rules are only for babies.” Everyone follows safety rules, even scientists.
13–15. Assessment questions, answer keys, marking scheme
Use the quiz, the 10-mark exam practice and the worksheet on this page. All answers and marking guides are in the answer sections above. Re-check every answer before use.
16–19. Remediation, enrichment, homework, teacher reflection
Remediation. Practise one rule at a time with a role play, such as “tell an adult” when something spills. Enrichment. Look for one new example near your home or school, draw it and explain it to someone. Homework. See above.
Teacher reflection. After teaching, record: which ideas learners understood; which misconceptions occurred; which activities worked; which learners need more practice; and what to improve next time.
Sources and standards
This lesson is based on the sources below, and no official endorsement is claimed. Reference starting points: Next Generation Science Standards, Cambridge Primary Science and the IB Primary Years Programme. Where a standard code is named, it points to the official framework.
Research used to shape this lesson. Courseversity Science curriculum, Grade 1 Unit 1, topic 10; Next Generation Science Standards, practices of planning safe investigations; Cambridge Primary Science Stage 1, working safely; IB Primary Years Programme, inquiry-based learning. These sources informed the lesson.