The trend toward inquiry-based learning is providing today's students with a more enriching education. When implementing inquiry it is important to recognize the great number of safety concerns that accompany this paradigm shift. Fortunately, with some consideration, teachers can shape students' laboratory experiments into safe and valuable learning experiences. One very popular demonstration is the flame test. The author provides a safe and effective alternative to the traditional flame test without the traditional use of methanol, and provides strategies that allow students to safely gain a better understanding of the atomic structure, the nature of light, and the electromagnetic spectrum.