SHS3 Biomedical Science · Semester 1, Week 7
Biosafety
Lesson notes
Learning Objectives
Indicator: 3.1.2.LI.2 - Identify the correct waste stream and demonstrate proper disposal of hazardous waste in the laboratory.
By the end of the lesson, learners can:
- Classify laboratory waste into at least four correct waste streams (e.g., infectious, sharps, chemical, radioactive) and give one example of each.
- Match a given hazardous waste item to its correct disposal container or waste stream with 100% accuracy in a sorting activity.
- Demonstrate the correct procedure for disposing of a sharp object and a used biological culture using the appropriate waste containers and safety steps.
- Justify why improper disposal of hazardous waste poses risks to human health and the environment, citing at least two specific consequences.
- Create a simple waste segregation chart for a school laboratory showing which items go into which coloured bin or container.
This lesson builds directly on the planning skills from Week 6 (Indicator 3.1.2.LI.1), where learners learned to plan experiments to avoid accidents. Proper waste disposal is part of that planning responsibility. The role of biosafety professionals will be covered in Week 8, so this lesson focuses only on the waste streams and disposal actions themselves.
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Sign in with phone numberCurriculum details
- Strand
- Biomedical Science in Society (Strand 1)
- Sub-strand
- Biosafety (1.2)
- Content standard
- 3.1.2.CS.1 - Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the principles of biosafety in setting up experiments. 3.1.2.LO.1 Apply the principles of biosafety to setup experiments.
- Indicator
- 3.1.2.LI.2 - Identify the correct waste stream and demonstrate proper disposal of hazardous waste in the laboratory.
- Suggested placement
-
Semester 1, Week 7
(Week 7 of the year)
Our suggestion, laid out in curriculum order across three terms of twelve weeks. NaCCA does not fix the week, so follow your school's scheme of learning.
- Curriculum reference
- NaCCA curriculum document, p. 85
Exemplars (from the NaCCA curriculum)
Digital Learning: Watch online videos or pictures on various waste streams that are generated in the hospital and how they can be properly disposed of. Collaborative Learning: Share experiences on the various waste streams that are collected at homes, schools, etc, and how to properly dispose of them. Brainstorm to agree on how best the various hazardous waste streams can be properly disposed in the laboratories. Teaching and Learning Resources: - Internet - Pictures - Different biological agent - Videos - Textbooks - Projector - Flip charts Assessment (3.1.2.AS.2). The document marks these depth-of-knowledge levels for this indicator: Level 2 Skills of conceptual understanding; Level 3 Strategic reasoning.