Science Toolbox



Science toolbox

Equipment list

|Equipment name & approximate cost |Sources |Suggestions for use |Notes |

|Alligator/crocodile clips |• Electrical suppliers |• Electrical circuits |The use of screw terminal clips is recommended. |

|$5–$10 |• Scientific suppliers | |Spring pegs can be used as an alternative. |

|Aquarium accessories |• Pet shops | | |

| |• Scientific suppliers | | |

| |• Hardware shops | | |

|• Net or plastic strainer: < $5 |• Budget retail stores | | |

|• Air pump: $45–$50 | | | |

|Aquarium or plastic tank |• Pet shops |• Pond and stream life |Pressed plastic aquariums are often easily damaged at the corners. |

|$500–$600 |• Scientific suppliers |• Stream life habitat |Glass merchants will make aquariums to size. |

| |• Glass merchants |• Terrariums | |

| |• Budget retail stores |• Mini glasshouse | |

| | |• Ripple tank | |

| | |• Sedimentation experiments | |

|Bags, feely |• Make your own |• Sensory perception |Feely bags can also be made from brown paper, wine bags, or old socks. |

| | |• Mystery games | |

|Balances, spring |• Scientific suppliers |• Measurement of force (including |Spring balances can be made from rubber bands and a ruler. |

|0–20 N (Newtons) | |weight) | |

|$5–$10 | | | |

|Ball and chain |• Scientific suppliers |• Demonstrating expansion of metals by | |

|$10–$15 | |heat | |

|Balls |• Bargain bins |• Motion | |

|(selection) |• Sports shops |• Making models (astronomy) | |

|< $5 |• Supermarkets |• Fair tests | |

| |• Budget retail stores |• Forces | |

| | |• Friction | |

|Batteries |• Electrical suppliers |• Electricity |Consider purchasing chargeable cells and a charger. |

| |• Supermarkets |• Electronics |Discharged dry cells are a useful source of zinc metal (casing) and |

| |• Budget retail stores | |carbon rod (central rod). |

|• AAA: $5–$10 | | | |

|• AA: $5–$10 | | | |

|• C: < $5 | | | |

|• D: < $5 | | | |

|• 9 V: $5–$10 | | | |

|Beakers, glass |• Scientific suppliers |• Necessary if heating with a naked |Jam jars often make good substitutes and can be heated in a microwave |

|(various sizes) | |flame |oven. |

|• 250 ml: < $5 | | |Clear film canisters can be used as small beakers. |

| | | |Glass beakers are easily broken. |

|Beakers, plastic |• Scientific suppliers |• Making sense of the material world |Consider plastic tumblers from supermarkets. |

|(various sizes) | |(chemistry) |Heat only by hot water. |

|• 250 ml: < $5 | | | |

|Bicycle pumps |• Sports shops |• Water rockets |An inflatable–mattress pump or an electric tyre pump can also be used. |

|$10–$15 |• Budget retail stores |• Expansion and | |

| | |compression of gases | |

| | |• Forces | |

|Bimetallic strips (Compound bars) |• Scientific suppliers |• Expansion of metals |Bimetallic strips could be borrowed from a secondary school. |

|Brass-iron |• The switch inside a pop-up toaster | | |

|$5–$10 | | | |

|Binoculars |• Budget retail stores |• Stargazing, especially at the Moon |Binoculars can be hired in some areas. They are better than a |

|(8 x 30 magnification) |• Sports shops |and planets |telescope. |

|$100–$125 | |• Birdwatching |Do not allow students to use them to look at the sun. (Can damage |

| | | |eyes.) |

|Bones and skeletons |• Butchers |• Looking at adaptive |X–ray negatives can also be used. |

|$800–$900 |• Museums |features and structures | |

| |• Farms | | |

|Bottles |• Scientific suppliers |• Storing solutions |Substances must not be stored in beverage bottles. |

|(clear, with screw top) |• Pharmaceutical suppliers |• Observing small animals | |

|$5–$10 | | | |

|BSM items |• Learning Media Limited, Box 3293, |• Modelling, grouping, and classifying | |

|Free |Wellington |activities | |

|Buckets |• Plastic-goods retailers |• See ‘Aquarium’ above |Alternatives are two-litre ice cream containers or four-litre margarine|

|< $5 |• Supermarkets |• Field trips |pails. |

| | |• Washing-up | |

|Bulb holders |• Scientific suppliers | |Make sure light bulbs are compatible with the holder. |

|MES (socket on plastic base) |• Car wreckers | | |

|$15–$20 |• Electrical suppliers | | |

|Bulbs |• Electrical suppliers |• Electric circuits |Ensure that the voltage of the bulb(s) is equal to the total voltage of|

| |• Scientific suppliers | |the cells in the circuit. |

|• MES 2.5 V | | |Consider using bi-directional LEDs as an alternative. |

|• MES 3.5 V | | | |

|$5–$10 | | | |

|Burners, spirit |• Scientific suppliers |• Heat source |It is advisable to embed the burner in a container of sand (such as an |

|• Aluminium: $5–$10 | | |ice cream container) when in use. |

|• Glass: $15–$20 | | |A hot plate, electric frypan, or water bath is usually a safer |

| | | |alternative. |

|Canisters with lid |• Photo processors (film canisters) |• Specimens | |

|Free | |• Mixing | |

| | |• Storage | |

| | |• Model rockets | |

|Carbon rods |• Old telephone cells or other |• Electrolysis |Do not cut open nicad or mercury cells. |

|Free |discharged dry cells |• Electric plating | |

| |• D cells | | |

|Chopping boards |• Budget retail stores |• For protection of surfaces in |Use plastic or cork tiles as an alternative. |

|$5–$10 | |construction and dissection activities | |

|Clinometer |• Scientific suppliers |• Measuring heights and |A clinometer can be made from a protractor and a plumb-bob. |

|$55–$60 | |angles | |

|Coins (5c) | |• Sample of metals | |

|Compasses | |• Magnetic fields |Compasses can be hired from some advisory or resource centres. |

|• Plotting or charm: < $5 |• Scientific suppliers | | |

|• Pocket: $45–$50 |• Sports shops | | |

|(as used in orienteering) | | | |

|Conductivity rings |• Scientific suppliers |• Conduction of heat |Conductivity rings could be borrowed from a secondary school. |

|$15–$20 | |energy | |

|Dishes, Petri |• Scientific suppliers |• Growing micro-organisms |Petri dishes can be re-used. |

|$5–$10 | |• Displaying things |Some processed cheese containers could be used instead. |

| | |• Studies of small animals and | |

| | |micro-organisms | |

|Electric frypans |• Appliance stores |• Use as a heat source or as an | |

|$90–$95 |• Second-hand shops |incubator for cultures. | |

|Electric jugs |• Appliance stores |• For heating purposes | |

|$40–$45 |• Second-hand shops | | |

|Eyedroppers / Pasteur pipettes |• Scientific suppliers | |Pasteur pipettes are plastic, graduated, and inexpensive droppers. |

|< $5 | | | |

|Filter funnels |• Scientific suppliers |• Separation by filtering |The top third of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) soft drink bottles |

|(plastic, polypropylene, 25 mm) |• Plastic-goods retailers | |are a satisfactory alternative. |

|< $5 | | | |

|Glass samples |• Glass suppliers |• Investigations of light |Ensure that edges of samples are filed or fired. |

|< $5 | |and colour | |

|Goggles |• Scientific suppliers |• For safety when heating | |

|(Polycarbonate construction) |• Engineering or construction suppliers|chemicals | |

|$10–$15 | |• For safety in any impact situations, | |

| |• Hardware shops |such as breaking rocks or collision | |

| | |activities | |

|Hairdryer |• Appliance stores |• As a source of heat or | |

|$40–$45 | |wind | |

|Hotplate or bench oven |• Scientific suppliers |• Heat source | |

| |• Appliance stores | | |

|• Single-hob (solid top): $200–$225 | | | |

|Jars |• Home |• Storage |Some jars, such as those containing pasta sauce, have a measuring |

|< $5 | |• Display |scale. |

| | |• Mixing | |

|Knives, craft |• Educational suppliers | |Do not use for cutting PET bottles. |

|$10–$15 |• Hardware stores | | |

| |• Hobby and craft shops | | |

|Lab coats |• Scientific suppliers |• Protective clothing |Alternatively, use old shirts. |

| |• Industrial suppliers | | |

|• Cotton drill (all sizes): $60–$65 | | | |

|• Polycotton: $55–$60 | | | |

|Lenses |• Scientific suppliers |• Investigations of light |A magnifying glass is a biconvex lens. |

|(See also ‘Magnifiers’ below) |• Opticians |• Looking at small objects such as |Lenses could be borrowed from a secondary school. |

|$25–$30 | |plants, animals, or rocks | |

| | |• Telescope | |

|Magnets |• Scientific suppliers |• Magnetism |Store away from computers and computer disks. |

| |• Electrical repair shops |• Earth science–model of Earth |Store with the keepers provided to protect the magnetism. |

|• Bar magnets (plastic coated, ceramic 80 x | |• Electromagnets and motors |Magnets can be obtained from old fridge doors, microwave ovens, and |

|20 x 10 mm): | | |speakers. |

|$5–$10 | | | |

|• Block magnets (ceramic, high field | | | |

|strength, 80 x 22 x 10 mm): | | | |

|$10–$15 | | | |

|• Horseshoe magnets (100 mm long): $15–$20 | | | |

|• Magnetic strip: < $5 | | | |

|• Ring: $5–$10 | | | |

|Magnifiers |• Scientific suppliers | |Store in a closed box to prevent them causing fire. |

|• Folding: $5–$10 |• Scientific suppliers | | |

|• Single lens with handle: $10–$15 |• Budget retail stores | | |

|Maps |• Observatory |• Identification of land forms, rock | |

|(geological, star) |• Geological society |types, stars, and constellations. | |

|$225–$250 | |• Field trips | |

|Marbles |• Toyshops |• Projectiles | |

|< $5 |• Budget retail stores |• Pinball-type experiments | |

| | |• Fair testing | |

|Material Safety |• Scientific suppliers |These sheets provide safety information|Request data sheets when purchasing chemicals. The supply companies are|

|Data Sheets | |and properties of substances. |obliged by law to supply them. (Refer to Safety and Science, pages 38 |

|Free | | |and 39). |

|Measuring cylinders |• Scientific suppliers |• Measurement of liquids |Measuring jugs will do the same job. |

|(plastic) | |• Making solutions | |

|• 100 mL polypropylene: $5–$10 | |• Cartesian divers | |

|• 100 mL TPX/PMP: $15–$20 | |• Density measurements | |

|• 250 mL polypropylene: $10–$15 | |• Fair testing | |

|Measuring jugs |• Plastic-goods retailers | | |

|$15–$20 |• Supermarkets | | |

|Measuring spoons |• Supermarkets |• Measuring liquids and | |

|< $5 |• Pharmacies |solids | |

| |• Plastic-goods retailers |• Fair testing | |

| |• Budget retail stores | | |

|Metal |• Scrap metal dealers |• Heat expansion | |

|(scrap) |• Sheet metal workshops |• Rusting | |

|Free |• Science resource centres |• Oxidation | |

| | |• Mass | |

| | |• Weight | |

| | |• Plumb-bobs for pendulums | |

| | |• Electroplating | |

| | |• Making batteries | |

|Meteorological |• Garden suppliers |• Weather |Meteorological instruments can be borrowed from a secondary school or |

|instruments |• Ship chandlers | |from people in the community. |

| |• Stock and station agents | |A rain gauge can be made from a PET bottle. |

| | | | |

|• Barometer: $75–$80 | |• Air pressure | |

|• Hygrometer: $40–$45 | |• Humidity | |

|• Maximum-minimum thermometer: | |• Temperature | |

|$25–$30 | | | |

|• Rain gauge: $30–$35 | |• Rainfall | |

|• Wind speed meter (in km/h, with conversion | |• Wind speed | |

|table): $55–$60 | | | |

|Metre rulers |• Hardware shops |• For measuring length |Metal tape-measures can also be used and are often more robust. |

|$5–$10 |• Scientific suppliers | | |

|Microscopes |• Scientific suppliers |• Binocular microscopes |Microscopes can be borrowed. |

| |• Universities or secondary schools |(low magnification) are most useful for|A class requires at least 2–3 microscopes. |

| | |looking at small animals, plants, |These should be low-powered binocular microscopes (up to 20X |

|• Binocular (stereo): $900–$1,000 | |fabrics, crystals, paper. |magnification is adequate), easy to use, and durable. |

| | |• Monocular microscopes |Buying microscopes is a good project for PTA funding. |

|• Monocular: $400–$500 | |(high magnification) are used for | |

| | |looking at thin sections and prepared | |

| | |slides. | |

|Microscope slides |• Scientific suppliers |• Holding specimens for |Slides can be made using sticky tape instead of cover slips. |

|< $5 | |examination |Microscope slides are also useful for observing crystallisation. |

|Microwave | |• Heating, drying, and | |

|(access only) | |cooking | |

|Free | | | |

|Mirrors, plastic |• Signwriters |• Light investigations |Alternatively, use plastic mirror tiles and strips from bathroom |

|• Plane (150 mm x 100 mm) |• Glass shops |• Reflection, translation, |supplies or sign writers. |

|• Convex (100 mm) |• Scientific suppliers |and rotation | |

|$35–$40 | |• Periscopes | |

|Nails |• Hardware stores |• Testing hardness of minerals |Use brass, steel, and galvanised nails. |

|$10–$15 | |• Rusting and corrosion | |

| | |• Metal testing (different | |

| | |types of metal) | |

|Paint-mixing trays |• Educational suppliers |• Collecting |Ice cube trays are a suitable alternative. |

|< $1 | |• Testing acidity or starch | |

| | |• Small-scale experiments | |

|Perfume bottles |• Students’ homes |• Scent | |

|(empty or full) | |• Diffusion | |

|Free | |• Storage | |

|Photographs |• Students’ homes |• To show changes in | |

|(old) |• Newspaper offices |land use | |

|Free |• Museums | | |

|Prisms, glass |• Scientific suppliers |• Light and colour | |

|(equilateral, 50 mm) |• Display agents |• Refraction | |

|$5–$10 |• Signwriters | | |

|Probes | |• Investigating rocks |Old dental probes may be obtained from dentists. |

|< $5 | |• Testing hardness of |Alternatively, use sharpened nails. |

| | |minerals | |

|Pulleys |• Stock agents |• Toys |Sturdy pulleys are required for primary students. These can be hired |

|$10–$15 |• Hardware shops |• Machines |from some advisory or resource centres. |

| |• Ship chandlers |• Forces | |

| | |• Motion | |

| | |• Construction | |

| | |• LEGO Technic | |

|Rock and mineral kits |• Geology Department at |• Growing crystals |Rock and mineral kits can be hired from some advisory or resource |

|$100–$125 |Otago University |• Fossils |centres. |

| |• Science Resource Centre at Dunedin |• Jewellery | |

| |College of Education |• Earth Science, such as volcanos, | |

| | |erosion, weathering, stones, | |

| | |history of the Earth | |

|Rocks |• Geology Department at |• Classification and grouping | |

| |Otago University |• Making comparisons and observations | |

| |• Science Resource Centre at Dunedin | | |

| |College of Education | | |

|Rulers and tape measure |• Stationers |• Measuring |Use tape measures or |

|< $5 |• Budget retail stores |• Making telescopes |graduated bamboo stakes. |

| |• Educational suppliers | | |

| | | | |

| | | | |

|Safety and Science: A Guidance Manual for New|Learning Media Limited, Box 3293, |Detailed reference book |All schools have been issued with a copy for every teacher of science. |

|Zealand Schools |Wellington | | |

|Free to all NZ schools | | | |

|Scales |• Sports shops |• Measuring mass | |

|(kitchen, diet) |• Budget retail stores |• Cooking and making food | |

|< $10 | |• Predicting and estimating | |

|Scissors |• Stationers |• Construction | |

|< $5 |• Budget retail stores | | |

|Sieves |• Plastic goods retailers |• Straining |Can use old net curtains or pantyhose instead. |

|$5–$10 |• Budget retail stores |• Filtering | |

| | |• Separating mixtures | |

|Skateboard |• Sports shops |• Friction |Students can provide their own. |

|$40–$45 |• Budget retail stores |• Safety | |

| | |• Motion | |

| | |• Fair tests | |

|Slag hammers |• Hardware shops |• Breaking soft rocks |Wear safety goggles. |

|$100–$125 | | |Do not allow mass destruction of geological samples or sites. |

| | | |For safety reasons, do not use carpentry hammers for breaking rocks. |

|Spoons |• Supermarkets |• Stirring | |

|(wooden spoons and teaspoons) |• Budget retail stores | | |

|< $5 | | | |

|Stoppers |• Scientific suppliers | |Stoppers can be rubber or cork. |

|(rubber, cork) |• Supermarkets | |Wine-bottle corks may be used. |

|$10–$15 | | | |

|Stopwatches |• Electrical suppliers |• Timing, such as animal |Stopwatches could be borrowed from secondary schools. |

|$20–$25 |• Sports shops |studies, pulse rates, fair tests, speed| |

|Tarpaulin |• Budget retail stores |• Use for all science activities. |Spread on floor to protect carpet. |

|$150–$175 |• Garden centres | |Plastic sheeting can also be used. |

| |• Paint shops | | |

|Telescope |• Scientific suppliers |• Astronomy |Binoculars are more useful for stargazing. |

|$500–$600 |• Camera shops |• Lenses |Make your own telescope or binoculars with a ruler and lenses. |

|Test tube holders |• Scientific suppliers |• For holding hot test tubes |Alternatively, use a folded paper strips or bent wire. |

|< $5 | | | |

|Test tube racks |• Scientific suppliers |• For storing test tubes safely | |

|$10–$15 | | | |

|Test tube brushes |• Scientific suppliers |• For cleaning test tubes | |

|< $5 | | | |

|Test tubes |• Scientific suppliers |• Holding substances |Test tubes are available from a university glass blower. |

|(25 mm x 150 mm with rim) | |• Heating and mixing |Polypropylene test tubes may also be available. |

|$95–$100 | | | |

|Thermometers |• Scientific suppliers |• Measuring temperature |Do not use for stirring. |

|(red spirit, 300 mm) | | |Do not use over a naked flame. |

|$5–$10 | | | |

|Torch |• Budget retail stores |• Light | |

|$5–$10 |• Appliance stores |• Shadows | |

| | |• Electric circuits | |

| | |• Models of the sun | |

|Tubing |• Scientific suppliers |• Construction | |

|(PVC non-toxic, black, thin wall-tube) |• Hospitality industry suppliers |• Models | |

|• 30 m coil, 3.2 mm internal diameter: |• Pet shops |• Animal studies | |

|$10–$15 |• Garden suppliers | | |

|• 30 m coil, 5.5 mm internal diameter: | | | |

|$25–$30 | | | |

|Tuning forks |• Music shops |• Sound |Use a length of metal rod held at the centre instead. |

|$75–$80 |• Scientific suppliers | | |

|Tweezers and forceps |• Pharmacists |• Examining things | |

|< $5 |• Scientific suppliers |• Dissections | |

| | |• Picking up small objects | |

|Vacuum cleaner |• Students’ homes |• Source of an air current |Use school vacuum cleaner. Check that the vacuum cleaner will actually |

|Free | | |blow out air. |

|Wheels, Plastic |• Educational suppliers |• Motion |Use 4.5 mm cane skewers as axles. |

|< $5 | |• Friction |Kebab sticks and plastic milk bottle lids are an effective substitute. |

| | |• Forces | |

| | |• Fair tests | |

| | |• Construction | |

|Wires |• Budget retail stores |• Electricity |Do not allow children to strip wire with their teeth. |

|(plain, nichrome, copper, fuse, florist’s) |• Electrical suppliers |• Cutting ice | |

|$10–$15 |• Science suppliers | | |

| |• Radio wholesalers | | |

| |• Auto electricians | | |

| |• Electrical suppliers | | |

| |• Electricians | | |

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