Good science
starts with
safe habits.
Look for danger. Make a safer choice.
Learn to look after yourself and others.
A safe place to discover.
Chipo enters the science room. A bag blocks the doorway and a glass beaker is cracked. What should she do before the activity starts?
What you will learn
- Give a reason for a safety rule.
- Identify hazards and choose precautions.
- Identify protection and use it as shown.
- Practise the school’s emergency response.
- Communicate a clear safety message.
What you need
- A notebook and pencil.
- Paper and colours for your poster.
- A partner, if one is available.
- A teacher for equipment and first-aid practice.
A place for practical science work.
Something that could cause harm.
An action that reduces the chance of harm.
Safety protocol means an agreed set of steps for doing something safely. Everyone in the room shares responsibility for following it.
Small habits. A big difference.
Before practical work
- Wait for the teacher’s instructions.
- Read the task before starting.
- Keep bags out of walkways.
- Tie back long hair. Secure loose clothing.
- Wear closed shoes and the required protection.
- Report damaged apparatus before use.
During practical work
- Walk. Do not run, push or play roughly.
- Use apparatus only as instructed.
- Do not eat, drink or taste substances.
- Do not smell an unknown substance directly.
- Keep your hands away from your face.
- Tell the teacher about spills or injuries at once.
After practical work
- Follow instructions for stopping and putting away equipment.
- Leave your work area clear.
- Use the correct waste collection. Ask if unsure.
- Wash your hands.
A rule needs a reason.
A common mistake: “Goggles mean I can do anything.”
Protection reduces some risks. You must still follow instructions, use suitable apparatus and avoid unsafe actions.
Write two rules. Give a different reason for each one.
Example: “Tie back long hair so it does not catch in equipment or reach a heat source.”
Look closer. What could go wrong?
Explore this practice picture. For each numbered hazard, explain the possible harm and a safer action.
Use pictures for practice. Do not make real hazards.
Try these other situations
A bag in a doorway → someone could trip → store bags in the teacher’s chosen place.
Classroom investigation
- With your teacher, look around the room along a safe route.
- Record three hazards or use three picture cards.
- For each, describe the possible harm and a precaution.
- Share one finding. Listen to another group’s idea.
Observe only. Do not touch or move dangerous items. At home, use the picture above instead of inspecting equipment.
Choose protection with a purpose.
PPE stands for personal protective equipment. Choose it for the hazard and the activity, with your teacher’s guidance.
Goggles
Protect the eyes. Wear the correct type and fit them as shown.
Laboratory coat
Protect the body and clothes. Fasten it and secure loose sleeves.
Closed shoes
Cover the feet and toes. Keep footwear secure.
Gloves: different materials protect against different hazards. Use only the type approved for the task. A face shield, if required, must be used as instructed alongside other suitable protection.
Show it, then explain it
- Watch your teacher demonstrate suitable PPE.
- Check it for damage with the teacher.
- Put it on and take it off as shown.
- Explain what it protects and one limitation.
If equipment is unavailable, identify it using pictures. Ask your teacher to arrange the practical demonstration later; pictures alone cannot show correct handling.
Stay calm. Know what to do.
Before practical work, know your school’s alert signal, exit route, meeting point and who provides first aid.
Stop your own activity when it is safe to do so.
Avoid the danger and warn others nearby.
Tell the teacher what happened and where.
A device starts sparking.
If you see a spill
- Keep away and warn others.
- Tell the teacher what and where.
- Do not touch or clean an unknown spill.
If there is a fire
- Alert the teacher and others.
- Follow the school’s evacuation procedure.
- Go to the meeting point for a head count.
- Do not fight the fire or return for belongings.
Safety equipment: know the purpose
| Item or place | Purpose | Your role |
|---|---|---|
| First-aid kit | Supplies for immediate care | Know its location; get a trained adult. |
| Eye-wash or safety shower | Emergency rinsing equipment | Locate it and follow the teacher’s demonstrated procedure. |
| Fire alarm and exit | Alert people and provide a way out | Know the signal and practise the approved route. |
| Fire extinguisher | Fire control by a trained person | Know its location. Do not operate it independently. |
First aid is a practical skill
First aid is the immediate help given to someone who is injured or suddenly ill. Get a trained adult immediately. Do not put yourself in danger or touch someone who may still be in contact with electricity.
Station A — report a hazard: use a picture of broken glass. One learner keeps others clear; another reports the location to the teacher. Swap roles.
Station B — practise an evacuation: the teacher explains the school procedure, leads a calm drill and checks everyone at the meeting point.
Station C — first-aid demonstration: a trained first aider demonstrates an appropriate basic response using safe training materials. Learners practise only the demonstrated actions, under supervision. The teacher observes, gives feedback and repeats practice where needed.
No real fire, chemicals, live wires or injuries are used. First-aid technique must come from the school’s approved training, not from guessing on this page.
Reflect with a partner
- Which action was easy to remember?
- Which action needs more practice?
- How did your group help everyone stay safe?
Make a message that helps someone.
A useful safety poster has one accurate message, a clear picture and a reason people can understand.
Wear the goggles your teacher recommends for the activity.
Share, review, improve
- Show your poster to a partner.
- Ask them to explain its message without your help.
- Check the safety advice with your teacher.
- Improve any unclear words or pictures.
Prefer paper? Draw a large picture, add your message and explain your choice to the class.
What will you do differently?
Try these original practice questions. Then explain one safety choice in your own words.
Written practice · 6 marks
- Describe a hazard, the harm it could cause and a suitable precaution. [3]
- Name one item of PPE and explain what it protects. [2]
- State who you should alert when an accident happens. [1]
Show model answers and marking guidance
1. A cable across a walkway [1] could trip someone [1]. Keep clear and ask the teacher to have it secured safely [1]. Accept other correct examples.
2. Suitable goggles [1] protect the eyes from the relevant hazard [1]. Accept other correct item-and-purpose pairs.
3. Alert the teacher or laboratory supervisor [1].
These are author-created study questions, not an official ECZ examination or marking scheme.
Your exit ticket
“One hazard I can identify is ____. A safer action is ____, because ____.”
Your quiz score checks knowledge. Your teacher must observe practical safety skills before recording the competence as demonstrated.
Teach it. Observe it. Revisit it.
This original lesson pack addresses Form 1, subtopic 1.1.1, competence 1.1.1.1 in the 2024 CDC Physics syllabus. It develops safety habits through notes, visual questions, practical work and communication. It is not an official CDC publication or a prescribed word-for-word script.
Suggested teaching sequence · three 40-minute periods
The timings below are an editorial suggestion, not a CDC allocation for this subtopic.
| Period | Suggested sequence | Evidence to collect |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Recognise & prevent | Starter 5 min; vocabulary/rules 10; hazard picture and safe tour 15; PPE matching 5; exit explanation 5. | Hazard → harm → precaution notes; oral reasons. |
| 2 · Show safe practice | Recall 5 min; PPE demo and practice 10; emergency drill/reporting 10; trained first-aid demonstration and supervised practice 10; feedback 5. | Direct observation. Extend first-aid practice if needed. |
| 3 · Communicate & review | Recall 5 min; poster design 15; peer review 5; questions/written task 10; reflection 5. | Poster accuracy, explanation, quiz and written responses. |
Alignment, practical assessment and inclusion
| Curriculum activity | Where it is addressed | Teacher verifies |
|---|---|---|
| Safety protocols and role play | Safety habits; reporting station | Action and reason are correct. |
| Hazards and precautions | Interactive picture; safe room observation | Learner links hazard, harm and precaution. |
| Personal protection | PPE diagrams; matching; demonstration | Correct selection, fit and safe handling. |
| Emergency response | Scenarios; school evacuation drill | Correct alert, route and meeting point. |
| First aid | Trained adult demonstration and supervised practice | Observed performance against approved training. |
| Safety communication | Poster design and peer review | Accuracy, clarity, audience and explanation. |
Record practical performance as independent, with support or not yet demonstrated. Give specific feedback and another attempt. The web checklist records review only; it does not award practical competence.
Read prompts aloud, provide large-print or tactile materials as appropriate, allow oral answers, describe the diagram and plan accessible routes. Picture work supports learners without equipment; it does not replace required practical assessment.
Sources, research limits and design references
- CDC Physics syllabus, Forms 1–4 (2024) — printed p. 2, safety competence and activities.
- CDC Physics Teaching Module, Form 1 Term 1 (2025) — indexed official safety excerpts: tool role play, hazard identification, assessment and poster creation.
- Oak National Academy — lesson structure reference.
- Brilliant — visual learning and feedback reference.
Research checked 26 October 2026. The official module PDF timed out and returned a server error during retrieval. Its full safety chapter has not been downloaded or verified page by page; alignment uses the official indexed excerpts and the full syllabus. The pack needs review by a Zambian Physics teacher, including school-specific emergency and first-aid procedures.
All teaching prose, scenarios, questions and diagrams are original adaptations. Design principles are inspired by the reference sites; their branding, illustrations and questions are not copied. Existing Canva safety preview is shown at its native size; exact diagrams use SVG.