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Meet Miss Vivi: Toad euthanasia, 3D printing & a piglet on the chopping block

MakerBot 5th Gen 3D printers Credit: MakerBot®

toad euthanasia workshop by Dissection Connection

Save The Date!
Monday 19 October for
Workshops at Varsity College

With the final Student Free Day for the year looming Jaimie and I think it is high time we came south and brought some of our special brand of fun to you.

Workshop topics will include:

  • How to get away with murder: hands on toad euthanasia workshop using the current approved CO2 protocol
  • Stillborn piglet dissection: how to get the best bang for your buck
  • Meet the MakerBot: We’ve partnered with Berwicks Office Technology to bring you 3D printers for the classroom that come with THOUSANDS of free projects as well as the ability to 3D print almost anything your imagination can come up with

If you have an idea for a session or would like to run one on another topic then feel free to get in touch.

This is an ideal opportunity to get good quality PD right in your own backyard, so please encourage your colleagues to come along.  The workshops are open to all lab techs, teachers and any staff who are interested.

We’ve recently showcased the MakerBot 3D printer at a conference at Sydney Grammar and a teacher mentioned that he thinks it will be an fantastic tool for his special needs students – particularly for vision impaired kids.  Please let your colleagues know they can come and see it in action on October 19.

Varsity College have been kind enough to agree host us.  Cost will be kept to a minimum to cover consumables and Miss Vivi will organise some morning tea.

We will keep you posted on the final details of the program and open registration in the first week of next term.

Don’t forget to share this invitation with your local network as well – we don’t know everyone, it just feels like it!

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Top Tip: Simulated Blood Powder Preparation

SIMUBLOOD2

To make up the solution, introduce 500mL of hot water into a beaker on a
magnetic stirrer.  Add the powder and leave to stir until it is all dissolved.

To test for complete dissolution scrape a bit up the side of the beaker using a
spatula. If the powder is not fully dissolved you will see small dark spots in the
liquid.

The sachet contains enough powder to make 1L of solution, but when I made
up a sample I dissolved the powder in 500mL and I thought the consistency was
just right.

When the powder is fully dissolved make the solution your desired consistency
by adding more water to a maximum volume of 1L.

To add ‘blood clots’ make a batch of port wine jelly and freeze it. Break up the
frozen jelly into pieces and mix with the artificial blood solution.

The solution is based on methyl cellulose so it’s probably best stored in the
fridge.

This product is sold as blood simulant for medical training centres and also as
stage blood. Mr Vivi put a dollop on the back of his hand and it stained him for
a couple of days.

Here’s a brilliant, very easy blood spatter experiment you can do without having to pull special equipment together –>>

DC2013_060

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