ABSTRACT
Classroom management includes issues of safety. Attending to possible threats to physical safety needs to be considered part of science instructional decision making. A significant way to avoid injuries, falls, and so on is to announce sources of those problems at the outset of each science activity. Sharing responsibility with the students for monitoring safety concerns reduces the likelihood of physical harm. Teachers may struggle with classroom management if they ignore potential cultural influences on students' actions. Becoming more informed about cultural norms will provide teachers with insights that will increase their effectiveness at creating a classroom environment supportive of students' sense of belongingness. Cooperative learning is a common technique associated with hands-on science learning. This strategy goes beyond organizing students into groups because it includes, among other things, the need to provide specific information to students so they develop social skills.
