Episode 12: How the Lab Day Starter Kit Makes Labs Run Smoother

In this episode of The Confident Chemistry Teacher Podcast, I’m sharing how I used the Lab Day Starter Kit in my own classroom and why it made a “simple” lab run smoother and more meaningful for both me and my students.

I’ll walk you through each piece of the kit, show how it supported my Cooling Rate of Hot Water Lab, and give you practical tips for making your own lab days less stressful.

By the end of this episode, you’ll learn how to:

• Use the Lab Day Checklist to plan ahead and save brainpower on lab day
• Support students (and yourself!) with a Google Slides template for organization and clarity
• Add humor and structure with Lab Station Laugh Cards
• Track groups, cleanup, and teacher questions with the Lab Station Signup Sheet

Activities / Lab Featured

Cooling Rate of Hot Water Lab – Students transfer hot water, measure cooling rates in different beakers, practice with thermometers, and build graphing skills

Standards Connections

• HS-PS1-3: Plan and conduct investigations to gather evidence of physical and chemical properties.
• Science & Engineering Practices: Collecting data, graphing results, and constructing explanations.
• Crosscutting Concepts: Cause & effect.

🎁 Free Resource Grab the Lab Day Starter Kit – includes a lab checklist, editable Google Slides template, joke-filled station cards, and a station signup sheet to keep labs organized and stress-free. 👉 https://learn.chemschemistryclassroom.com/lab-day-starter-kit

🧪 Paid Resource Want ready-to-run labs each month? The Confident Chem Lab Membership launches this October with student handouts, teacher guides, quizzes, videos, and PD support.

Stay tuned! Next Episode Teaser Next time, I’ll be sharing strategies for handling parent communication without losing your cool.