Science class can provide unexpected opportunities for students to be exposed to a variety of situations and substances. To enable teachers to provide safe activities for all students have guardians fill out the following 1 page survey. 

 Example: 

  My child CANNOT be in the same room as: cat fur (highly allergic – throat swells)

  My child CAN be in the same room but CANNOT touch: dandelion pollen_______

  My child CAN touch but CANNOT eat: peanuts and penicillin_________________

Background: This survey was created after one of my students correctly identified a "mystery sample" as a substance that they were allergic to that I was unaware was a possible allergen. The lab I conducted included mustard seeds as a "mystery plant." The student came to me asking if it was mustard seeds and I said "you need to find out, its part of the lab" and they said "No, Miss, I am allergic to mustard plants." I quickly modified my expectations for this student and changed the procedure for his lab group. The nurse had no record of this allergy since the parents would have never predicted that this student would come in contact with mustard plants at school!