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FALL 2012 - SEYS 362

Assignment 5a


Assignment 5a–  Safety, Ethical and Legal issues, and Care of Living Organisms Module

Due Date - Week 11 - 11/8/2012

Possible Points - 15

How to Submit -

All assignments should post posted on the discussion board in BlackBoard first and then submitted as assignments in BlackBoard.  In addition, you should share a Google doc with qcscied@gmail.com as a backup.  The assigment posted on BlackBoard will be graded. 

Instructions for Assignment 5

This assignment meets NSTA Standard 9 related to Safety, Ethical and Legal Issues and Care of Living Organisms.

Teachers of science must be able to provide safe learning environments and also care properly for living things. Teachers of science must demonstrate that they:

  • Understand the legal and ethical responsibilities of science teachers for the welfare of their students, the proper treatment of animals, and the maintenance and disposal of materials;

  • Know and practice safe and proper techniques for the preparation, storage, dispensing, supervision, and disposal of all materials used in science instruction;

  • Know and follow emergency procedures, maintain safety equipment, and ensure safety procedures appropriate for the activities and the abilities of students;

  • Treat all living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field in a safe, humane, and ethical manner and respect legal restrictions on their collection, keeping, and use.

The Safety, Ethical and Legal Issues and Care of Organisms Module consists of a series of tasks that must be satisfactorily completed in order to proceed to student teaching. Please consult the following publications for help in completing this assignment:


Activity 1 – “Safety Roundtable Discussion” - Prepare a list of questions (at least three) that you have related to the legal and ethical responsibilities of a science teacher. One question should focus on the welfare of students, the second on the proper treatment of animals and the third should be related to the safe handling of materials. Do research to find the answers to your questions and post these on the discussion board in BlackBoard. Be prepared to discuss your questions and answers during the class Safety roundtable.

Activity 2 – “Safe Use of Materials Report” - Prepare a list of possible storage hazards associated with a science course in your area of certification, either Living Environment, Chemistry, Earth Science or Physics. Design a storage area for the materials you listed. You can consult safety sections in the Flinn Scientific catalog. Write a “Safe Use of Materials Report”. Your report must include the following: the list of possible hazards; the floor plan of your storage area, a discussion of the safe and proper techniques for the preparation, storage, dispensing, supervision and disposal of all materials used in science instruction.

Activity 3 – Development of a Safety Plan – Use the scoring guidelines to develop a safety plan for a school you have visited. The plan should demonstrate that you know emergency procedures, can maintain safety equipment, and can ensure safe procedures that are appropriate for different types of activities and suited to the abilities of the students. Your plan should have one of the following options:

  • Prepare a set of safety rules that you would place in a science laboratory in your area of science certification. Create a poster that displays your rules and attach the file to a posting on the discussion board in BlackBoard. OR

  • Create an original, one page safety contract for students who are taking a science course in your area of certification.

Activity 4 – Paper on the treatment of living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field. Read the National Association of Biology Teachers position statement on the use of animals in biology education, theNational Academy of Science’s Principles and Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Precollege Education and the NSTA Guidelines for Responsible Use of Animals in the Classroom.

Activity 5 – Safety Fieldwork Observation - During your fieldwork experience or Initial Clinical Experience, observe a science class in your area of certification that is carrying out a laboratory or other hands-on, inquiry activity. Record your observations with a special focus on safety and the welfare of the students. Answer the following questions: 1) What safety precautions were taken by the teacher? 2) What safety hazards did you observe? 3) What precautions did the students take to prevent accidents? 4) What did you learn about safety as a result of your observation? 5) Provide any other questions, comments or insights on safety that you arrived at as a result of your observation. (1 point for each correct answer)


Scoring Guidelines

  1. The scoring guide for the assessment

This assessment provides evidence that meets NSTA Standards 9 – Safety and Welfare – a,b,c,d

The following rubric is to be completed by the instructor of the secondary science methods course in order to assess candidate’s knowledge of safety, legal and ethical issues and care of living organisms. A second rubric is used by the student teaching supervisor to determine whether candidates are able to apply safe practices in the science classroom.

Explanations of ratings:

Rating

Description

Unsatisfactory

The candidate exhibits little or no evidence of meeting the standard. The candidate’s performance is below the minimum standard.

Basic

The candidate exhibits minimum performance in relation to essential knowledge, skills or dispositions required by the standard. Basic evidence is provided that meets minimum program expectations.

Proficient

The candidate exhibits intermediate performance in relation to essential knowledge, skills, or dispositions required by the standard. The candidate provides convincing evidence of attainment that moderately exceeds minimum program expectations.

Distinguished

The candidate exhibits advanced performance in relation to essential knowledge, skills, or dispositions required by the standard. Provides convincing evidence of excellent work, usually with multiple examples of achievement that substantially exceed minimum expectations and show excellence in performance.




Safety, Ethical and Legal Issues and Living Organisms

NSTA Standard

Unsatisfactory

Basic

Proficient

Distinguished

Points earned

Points value


0 points

1 point

2 points

3 points


Safety roundtable discussion (one question on legal and ethical issues, one on safe handling of materials, and one question on care of living organisms)

The candidate understands the legal and ethical responsibilities of science teachers for the welfare of their students, the proper treatment of animals, and the maintenance and disposal of materials. (NSTA 9a)

No questions are answered correctly

Or

No sources used to find answers

Or

Candidate does not have an understanding of the safety, legal and ethical issues, and the care of living organisms and cannot answer questions.

One question is answered correctly

And
One or more sources are used to find answers

And

Candidate provides very basic answer to question

Two questions are answered correctly

And
Two or more sources are used to find answers

And

Candidate is able to answer questions with sufficient information

All three questions are answered correctly

And
Two or more sources are used to find answers
And

Candidate demonstrates detailed and complete knowledge of subject









Safety, Ethical and Legal Issues and Living Organisms

NSTA Standard

Unsatisfactory

Basic

Proficient

Distinguished

Points earned

Points value


0 points

1 point

2 points

3 points


Safe Handling of Materials Report

The candidate knows the safe and proper techniques for the preparation, storage, dispensing, supervision, and disposal of all materials used in science instruction. (NSTA 9b)

Report does not contain all three required components: hazardous materials list; floor plan; discussion of safe and proper handling techniques

Or

Candidate does not understand the required information.

Or

The candidate is not aware of the importance of the required information.


Report contains all three required components: hazardous materials list; floor plan; discussion of safe and proper handling techniques

But

Candidate’s knowledge reflects only basic safety information and procedures

And

Candidate is aware of the importance of the required information.


Report contains all three required components: hazardous materials list; floor plan; discussion of safe and proper handling techniques

And
Candidate’s knowledge exceeds basic safety information and procedures but lacks detail and thorough knowledge.

And

Candidate is aware of the importance of the required information and realizes the impact it may have on science learners.

Report contains all three required components: hazardous materials list; floor plan; discussion of safe and proper handling techniques

And
demonstrates complete and detailed knowledge of safety information
And

Candidate is aware of information’s importance and realizes the impact it may have on science learners

And

Candidate makes it clear that safety is a priority


Safety, Ethical and Legal Issues and Living Organisms

NSTA Standard

Unsatisfactory

Basic

Proficient

Distinguished

Points earned

Points value


0 points

1 point

2 points

3 points


Safety Plan

The candidate knows emergency procedures, can maintain safety equipment and ensure safety procedures appropriate for the activities and the abilities of students (NSTA 9c)

Safety rules poster or contract is missing

Or

Candidate does not know emergency procedures and/or equipment maintenance techniques

Or

Candidate is not aware of required information’s importance.

Safety rules poster or contract submitted and complete.

And
Safety plan addresses all required components, actions needed to ensure student safety, rules and procedures
But

Plan is not well thought out or logically presented

Or

Plan would be difficult to implement or manage

And

Candidate aware of information’s importance

Safety rules poster or contract submitted and complete.

And
Safety plan addresses all required components, actions needed to ensure student safety, rules and procedures
And

Plan is well thought out and logically presented.

But

Parts of plan would be difficult to implement, but manageable

And

Candidate aware of information’s importance

Safety rules poster or contract submitted

And
Two or more sources are used to find answers
And

Candidate demonstrates detailed and complete knowledge of subject

And

Plan is well thought out and logically presented, well articulated and easily implemented and managed by colleagues

And

Candidate aware of information’s importance
























Safety, Ethical and Legal Issues and Living Organisms

NSTA Standard

Unsatisfactory

Basic

Proficient

Distinguished

Points earned

Points value


0 points

1 point

2 points

3 points


Position paper on the treatment of living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field

The candidate knows how to treat all living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field in a safe, humane, and ethical manner and respects legal restrictions on their collection, keeping and use. (NSTA 9d)

Summary contains fewer than the ten required components: (principles guiding space, privacy, and attention to animals, student-living things interaction rules, rules for handling sick animals and providing medical attention, rules to prevent students from becoming ill from exposure to toxins or disease-causing organisms, knowledge of state and federal restructions on using living materials, restrictions on experimentation and the collection of living things or materials from nature, cautions on the use of preserved animals, alternatives to the use of preserved animals for dissection, candidates position on the treatment of living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field)

Or

Candidate does not have grasp of information

Or

Candidate is unaware of information’s importance

Summary contains all ten required components: (principles guiding space, privacy, and attention to animals, student-living things interaction rules, rules for handling sick animals and providing medical attention, rules to prevent students from becoming ill from exposure to toxins or disease-causing organisms, knowledge of state and federal restructions on using living materials, restrictions on experimentation and the collection of living things or materials from nature, cautions on the use of preserved animals, alternatives to the use of preserved animals for dissection, candidates position on the treatment of living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field)
But

Candidate’s knowledge reflects only basic information and procedures for the safe, humane, and ethical treatment of animals in science classrooms

And

Candidate is aware of information’s importance, but key considerations and supporting evidence in the position statement are missing.

Summary contains fewer than the ten required components: (principles guiding space, privacy, and attention to animals, student-living things interaction rules, rules for handling sick animals and providing medical attention, rules to prevent students from becoming ill from exposure to toxins or disease-causing organisms, knowledge of state and federal restructions on using living materials, restrictions on experimentation and the collection of living things or materials from nature, cautions on the use of preserved animals, alternatives to the use of preserved animals for dissection, candidates position on the treatment of living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field)

And
Candidate’s knowledge exceeds a basic understanding of information and procedures, but lacks detail and thorough knowledge for the safe, humane, and ethical treatment of animals in science classrooms.

And

Candidate is aware of information’s importance and realizes the impact it may have on living organisms, science learners, and the learning environment; supporting evidence is contained in the position statement.

Summary contains fewer than the ten required components: (principles guiding space, privacy, and attention to animals, student-living things interaction rules, rules for handling sick animals and providing medical attention, rules to prevent students from becoming ill from exposure to toxins or disease-causing organisms, knowledge of state and federal restructions on using living materials, restrictions on experimentation and the collection of living things or materials from nature, cautions on the use of preserved animals, alternatives to the use of preserved animals for dissection, candidates position on the treatment of living organisms used in the classroom or found in the field)

And
Candidate demonstrates detailed and complete knowledge of how to treat all living organisms in the classroom or field in a safe, humane, and ethical manner.
And

Candidate is aware of information’s importance and realizes the impact it may have on living organisms, science learners and the environment.

And

Candidate makes it clear in the position statement that appropriate treatment of animals in the classroom is a priority.



Safety Fieldwork Observation

NSTA Standard

Unsatisfactory

Basic

Proficient

Distinguished

Points earned

Points value


0 points

1 point

2 points

3 points