Christina McLellan

Grade: 8 Science Unit: Mix and Flow of Matter Date: September 10 (70 min)

Activity: Topic 1.2: WHMIS (Lesson 1)

Goals/Key questions
Goals: Students will understand the importance of WHMIS and be able to identify symbols and their
meanings
Learning Objective: Students will appreciate the importance of WHMIS and why they are learning about
this system through small and large group discussions
Students will classify and match symbols and definitions by completing their work-booklet as well as
a matching card game.

GL0s/SL0s addressed:
1. Investigate and describe fluids used in technological devices and everyday materials
-explain the Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) symbols for labelling
substances at home and in the laboratory
-describe examples in which materials are prepared as fluids in order to facilitate transport,
processing or use
Skills: Students will…
-Ask questions about the relationships between and among observable variables, and plan
investigations to address those questions
-Work collaboratively on problems; and use appropriate language and formats to communicate ideas,
procedures, and results
-Conduct investigations into the relationships between and among observations, and gather and record
qualitative and quantitative data
Attitudes: Students will…
-Interest in science
-Scientific Collaboration
-Safety
Pre lesson Considerations
Lesson overview of main scientific content, skills to be learned
-What is WHMIS?
-Why is WHMIS important?
-What do WHMIS symbols mean?
Materials needed/pre-set up required/logistical considerations needed (seating arrangement):
-Powerpoint
-Video on WHMIS
-WHMIS booklet
- Card game
 Christina McLellan

Content:
What is the teacher doing? What are the students doing?

-Give brief description of WHMIS -Students will participate in small and large
-Explain what WHMIS stands for group discussions on why we need WHMIS
Introduction -Think Pair Share: ask students and why it is important to learn about
why this would be important for
us to learn? Why do we have
WHMIS?

-Introduce Symbols and meaning: -Students will review what symbols mean
hand out work booklets for individually and collaboratively
Activity 1 students to review what each
symbol means.

-In groups, have students create a -Students will collaborate in groups to create a
silent action for their symbol silent action to correspond with their assigned
symbol. Students will share this symbol with
which they will share with the rest
of the class and students will do the rest of the class.
the action when brought up on
power point

-Hand out set of cards to each -Students will play the card game in their
group. Students will move around groups to quiz each other on the symbols of
Activity 2 the room as they quiz one WHMIS
another

-Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up: each

student is given a card, they will
stand up and pair up with a free
student and quiz one another.
After each student understands
the card meaning, they switch
cards and continue on in the
game.
 Christina McLellan

-Review symbols as a class -Students will engage in group discussion on

(encourage students to do the importance of WHMIS
silent actions)
Conclusion -Ask students to go home and find
an item that contains a WHMIS
symbol—share for next class

-For next lesson: How we use

WHMIS in labels and everyday
items and lab safety

-Checking for understanding: fist

to five (your understanding of
-Students will represent their own
WHMIS and its importance)
understanding of today’s lesson (1 finger = do
not understand, 5 fingers = completely
understand)

Assessment:

-Observation/Discussion (F)—Instructor will look for appreciation of why WHMIS is important to learn
about

-Worksheet (F)—instructor will use this to see how well students understand the symbols and their
meaning

Extension and extra time activity:

- “Women in Science” reading

Reflection: