Course Syllabus
PLTW Principles of Biomedical Sciences
Fall 2016
Ms. Melissa Booth
980-343-5988 ext. 4008342
Tutoring: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:30-3:15
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the biomedical sciences through exciting hands-on projects and problems. Students investigate concepts of biology and medicine as they explore health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, sickle-cell disease, hypercholesterolemia, and infectious diseases. They will determine the factors that led to the death of a fictional woman as they sequentially piece together evidence found in her medical history and her autopsy report. Students will investigate lifestyle choices and medical treatments that might have prolonged the woman’s life and demonstrate how the development of disease is related to changes in human body systems. The activities and projects introduce students to human physiology, basic biology, medicine, and research processes and allow students to design experiments to solve problems. Key biological concepts including maintenance of homeostasis in the body, metabolism, inheritance of traits, and defense against disease are embedded in the curriculum. This course is designed to provide an overview of all the courses in the biomedical sciences program and lay the scientific foundation for subsequent courses.
HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT: One (1) unit of elective credit will be awarded upon passing of this course.
COLLEGE CREDIT: Students enrolled in this course will have the opportunity to earn/transfer college credits for universities such as Clemson University, Iowa, IUPUI, Stevenson University, or Missouri S & T. There are individual stipulations for each university that include items such as scoring a 6-9 on the Stanine scale on the end of course examination. There is an additional cost for the credits. Many other schools will also provide college credit but you must request it.
TEXTBOOK: None – curriculum is online. Use the Canvas Learning Management System log in.
SUPPLIES:
*3 ring 1 1/2” notebook – tabs include: Anna Garcia Investigative Notes & Case Evidence, Anna Garcia Medical History, Anna Garcia Autopsy Report, PLTW Resource Documents, Project/Problem/Activity Documents for Unit 1-6.
*4 GB or larger flash drive
Instructional Philosophy
Students learn best by inquiry. No matter their backgrounds, in my classroom, all students can learn. Using the project-based learning curriculum format, students learn by inquiring about specific content topics and completing hands on projects revolving around the essential content. They develop critical thinking, creativity, innovation and real-world problem solving skills necessary to become not only successful learners but successful contributors to our high tech, high skilled global economy.In my classroom, I believe that my role is that of a facilitator. I create a safe and comfortable environment for all students to explore, create, research, and acquire knowledge and understandings that can help them achieve their utmost potential.
Course Goals
The goals of the PBS course is to provide an introduction to the biomedical sciences through exciting hands-on projects and problems and to introduce students to human physiology, basic biology, medicine, and research processes and allow students to design experiments to solve problems, setting the foundation for subsequent courses.
Course Objectives
Unit One: The Mystery
Provides the foundation and develops the theme for the course. Students are engaged by reading about a woman, Anna Garcia, who is found dead in her home. Students investigate the scene, gather evidence and then move to the lab to analyze their findings. Through their examination of key evidence, students learn notebook organization, observation and documentation skills, and well as the fundamentals of experimental design. Students are introduced to the structure of DNA and investigate how basic molecular biology techniques can be used to connect suspects with a crime scene. Students also discuss the bioethics of scientific research and explore the bounds of HIPAA legislation. In each unit of the course, students obtain additional medical history information for Anna as well as details from her autopsy report as they explore the various illnesses she encountered throughout her life. Students will maintain a medical file for Anna Garcia, compile their ideas and findings over the duration of the course, and ultimately determine her cause of death in the final unit.
Unit Two: Diabetes
Students walk through Anna Garcia’s diagnosis of diabetes by completing simulated laboratory tests. Given results of the tests, students can deduce the basic biology of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. Students investigate the connection between insulin and glucose and discuss how feedback systems in the body regulate the function of key hormones. Students investigate the biochemical makeup of food and complete experiments to demonstrate the relationship between energy and food. As students explore diabetes, they are introduced to basic chemistry, the structure and function of macromolecules, and the relationship of these molecules to metabolic function. The causes, symptoms, treatments and side effects of diabetes are studied as well as the life style implications associated with this disease. Students examine complications related to diabetes and finally brainstorm and develop an innovation to help with the management or treatment of the disease.
Unit Three: Sickle Cell Disease
Students learn basic concepts of genetics and inheritance as they explore Anna Garcia’s struggle with sickle cell disease. Students examine sickled red blood cells under a microscope and learn what life is like with the disease by reading and writing patient diary entries. They simulate the process of protein synthesis, examine the assembly of the protein hemoglobin, and demonstrate how sickle cell disease results from a mutation that alters a protein product. Students create chromosomes spreads, examine the structure of chromosomes, and show how traits are passed through generations on these chromosomes in our cells.
Unit 4: Heart Disease
Students examine the normal function of the human heart and investigate malfunctions in the cardiovascular system that can lead to heart disease. Students complete a dissection to tour heart anatomy and study heart function using probes and data acquisition software. They collect and analyze heart data including heart rate, blood pressure, and EKG readings and analyze cardiac test results of Anna Garcia. Students explore the role cholesterol plays in the body. Students further their knowledge of molecular biology as they run gel electrophoresis and complete RFLP analysis to diagnose familial hypercholesterolemia. Students design models to simulate the function of a pump and design visuals to show interventions for blocked coronary vessels.
Unit 5: Infectious Disease
Students follow the spread of a simulated epidemic as engagement to a thorough examination of the agents of disease. Students use clues from their investigation of Anna Garcia’s medical history to deduce that she was suffering from a bacterial infection. Through a series of laboratory investigations, students learn the fundamentals of aseptic technique, complete visual identification of bacterial morphology, use the Gram stain to examine bacterial cell structure, and run metabolic tests to pinpoint the particular bacterium at the heart of the illness. Students explain the functioning of the human immune system in a visual project and explore how this system is designed to protect against invaders.
Unit 6: Post Mortem
In the final unit of the course, students put together all they have learned throughout the course to determine Anna Garcia’s cause of death. Students will investigate the structure and function of key human body systems and relate the illnesses in the course to a breakdown in these systems. Students will begin to recognize the coordination and interconnections of the body systems required to maintain homeostasis, a precursor to the theme of the Human Body Systems course.
STANDARDS:
Standards for this course are taken from National Science Education Standards, Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, National Health Care Cluster Foundation Standards, Standards for the English Language Arts, Standards for Technology, and Common Core State Standardsand are available by going to this link .
REFERENCES:
This course was developed by Project Lead the Way, Inc. and all materials and information originated from their curriculum development. Only teachers who have received training by Project Lead the Way have permission to teach this course and use the materials. Although students will have access to the curriculum on outside computers through the LMS, the curriculum is not to be shared on any unprotected space with the public.
Instructional Delivery Plan
Utilizing the activity-project-problem-based (APPB) teaching design, along with inquiry based learning, students will be introduced to the topic with the use of technology and given the opportunity to make the topic relevant. Next, students will complete guided self-inquiry deeper into the content as they complete an activity or project. Finally, students will be given the opportunity to reflect on learning through drawing individual conclusions and being formally assessed.
Grading & Assessment
Varied assessments will be used throughout the curriculum; however each assessment will be categorized as either a formal or informal assessment. Students are allowed to reassess on any formal assessment if they score less than a 79%. The student will receive the higher of the 2 scores with the highest score possible being a 79/C. Any reassessment must take place within 2 weeks of the date that the assessment score was provided to them. Refer to the Administrative Policy Manual on the Hopewell and CMS website for more information. Parents are welcome and encouraged to get a parent account through Powerschool in order to have access to their student’s grades online. Students can have their own access to Powerschool as well. Please email if you need access to Powerschool.
Assessment / Weight / Description of AssessmentFormal Assessments / 70% / Projects, Tests, Formal Presentations, etc.
Informal Assessments / 30% / Journal and Portfolio checks, Homework, Professionalism/Employability, etc.
School District of Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Grading Scale
90-100 / A80-89 / B
70-79 / C
60-69 / D
0-59 / F
Late work
The student will be held responsible for meeting all deadlines for assignments. If a student fails to complete assignments on time, they will receive a maximum score of 65% for all work that shows a concerted effort if completed by the next class meeting. After this point, late work will receive a maximum score of 50% until exams start for that quarter. After exams begin, no more work will be accepted. Concerted effort means that the work reflects thoughtful effort towards ALL items on classwork, homework, and/or assessments.
Missed work from absences
The student will be held responsible for all work presented in class. It is the responsibility of the student to make-up any work missed due to an absence. Any handouts will be placed in the trays in the back with their name on it. A student has 5 days from the time they return to school to turn in missed work, unless they make other arrangements with the teacher on the day they return. Any work submitted without prior approval beyond this deadline will fall under the late work policy as described above.
Academic Integrity
Do not copy another student’s work. A grade of zero will be given on any work a student submits if it is not completely his or her work. The student whose name appears on the work must have completed the entire assignment. First offense, warning. Second offense, both parties receive a 0 but are allowed to make up assignment. Third offense, both parties receive a 0, discipline referral, and parents are notified.
Course Outline – Activity and Project Plan
Hopewell High School
Course Syllabus
Unit One: The Mystery (16 days)
Lesson 1.1: Investigating the Scene (8 days)
Activity 1.1.1: A Mysterious Death
Activity 1.1.2: Examining the Scene
Activity 1.1.3: Careers in the Biomedical Sciences
Activity 1.1.4: The Evidence
Activity 1.1.5: Time of Death
Project 1.1.6: Blood Spatter Analysis
Lesson 1.2: DNA Analysis (4 days)
Activity 1.2.1: What is DNA?
Activity 1.2.2: DNA Extraction
Activity 1.2.3: DNA Analysis
Lesson 1.3: The Findings (4 days)
Activity 1.3.1: The Autopsy
Activity 1.3.2: Confidentiality
Activity 1.3.3: Was It a Crime?
Unit Two: Diabetes (18 days)
Lesson 2.1: What Is Diabetes? (5 days)
Activity 2.1.1: Diagnosing Diabetes
Project 2.2.2: The Insulin Glucose Connection
Activity 2.1.3: Feedback
Lesson 2.2: The Science of Food (6 days)
Project 2.2.1: Food Testing
Activity 2.2.2: Food Labels
Activity 2.2.3: The Biochemistry of Food
Activity 2.2.4: Energy in Food
Lesson 2.3: Life With Diabetes (11 days)
Activity 2.3.1: A Day in the Life of a Diabetic
Project 2.3.2: Diabetic Emergency!
Activity 2.3.3: Complications of Diabetes
Problem 2.3.4: The Future of Diabetes Management and Treatment
Unit Three: Sickle Cell Disease (12 days)
Lesson 3.1: The Disease (3 days)
Activity 3.1.1: Blood Detectives
Activity 3.1.2: Sickle Cell Diaries
Lesson 3.2: It’s In the Genes (4 days)
Activity 3.2.1: Protein Synthesis
Activity 3.2.2: The Genetic Code
Activity 3.2.3: Does Changing One Nucleotide Make a Big Difference?
Lesson 3.3: Chromosomes (2 days)
Activity 3.3.1: How is DNA Passed Through the Generations?
Activity 3.3.2: Chromosomes – A Closer Look (Optional)
Activity 3.3.3: The Immortal Cells (Optional)
Lesson 3.4: Inheritance (3 days)
Activity 3.4.1: Family Inheritance
Activity 3.4.2: What’s the Probability?
Activity 3.4.3: World Distribution of Sickle Cell Disease (Optional)
Unit 4: Heart Disease (20 days)
Lesson 4.1: Heart Structure (2 days)
Activity 4.1.1: Path of Blood in the Heart
Activity 4.1.2: Anatomy of the Heart
Lesson 4.2: The Heart at Work (6 days)
Project 4.2.1: Heart Rate
Project 4.2.2: Blood Pressure
Activity 4.2.3: EKG
Lesson 4.3: Heart Dysfunction (6 days)
Project 4.3.1: What is Cholesterol?
Activity 4.3.2: Hypercholesterolemia
Problem 4.3.3: The Heart as a Pump
Lesson 4.4: Heart Intervention (4 days)
Project 4.4.1: Unblocking the Vessels
Project 4.4.2: Heart Disease Intervention
Unit 5: Infectious Disease (10 days)
Lesson 5.1: Infection (10 days)
Activity 5.1.1: Contagious
Activity 5.1.2: Infectious Disease Agents
Activity 5.1.3: Isolating Bacteria
Activity 5.1.4: Gram Staining
Activity 5.1.5: Bacterial Identification
Project 5.1.6: Lines of Defense
Unit 6: Post Mortem (4 days)
Lesson 6.1: Analyzing Anna (4 days)
Project 6.1.1: How Do the Parts Make a Whole?
Activity 6.1.2: How Did She Die?
Final Exam and End of Course Assessment
Hopewell High School
Course Syllabus
Classroom Procedures
Classroom Procedures
Students should ask permission to leave the room. If students are granted permission to leave the room they should take a hall pass. Students should practice time management and return as quickly as possible. Students who arrive late should report to attendance.
Classroom Rules – BE READY, RESPONSIBLE, and RESPECTFUL !
- Be Here! Do what you know is right!
- Be ready to learn when the bell rings with all classroom materials and a good attitude.
- Respect yourself, your classmates, and your school.
- Wear your safety equipment at all required times.
- No food, drink, candy, gum, or cell phones. You are in a lab!
- Display personal integrity at all times – Be honest and do not plagiarize.
7. Pull your own weight! We will be doing a lot of group work – do your part as you would in a professional facility.
Consequences for Minor offenses
- Redirection/Verbal Warning
- Phone call home & Minor SIR
- Bounce to another classroom & Minor SIR
- Parent/Teacher conference & Minor SIR
- Major SIR
Consequences for Major offenses (repeated minor infractions, fighting, profanity, threats, skipping, drugs/alcohol offenses, etc)
- Removal from class
- Parent phone call
- Major SIR
END OF COURSE ASSESSMENT: ALL students taking this course will take an end of course assessment in addition to the final exam. This assessment is conducted by national PLTW and is used in the collection of national student outcomes.
PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE:
If your student chooses to continue in the PLTW Biomedical Cluster and sit for the Work Keys test they must take the following sequence of courses:
Semester 2: Human Body Systems-Honors
Semester 3: Medical Interventions - Honors
Semester 4: Entrepreneurship 1
Behavior Expectations/Policies
ClassroomH
Honor / *Do your own work.
*Follow “Stop Light” Cell phone policy.
*Be courteous to everyone.
D
Duty / *Arrive on time and prepared.
*Complete assignments on time.
*Be accountable for your own learning.
*Follow all procedures for entering and exiting the room.
U
Unity / *Work well with other students.
*Work together to maintain a clean, organized environment.
*Follow teachers’ directions.
B
Belief / Youcan be successful.
Electronic Portfolio including Major Course Projects
***All students will complete an electronic portfolio which will include the following major course projects, along with 5 career journals of their choice, photos of student participation, list of lab skills acquired and personal resume.
Final Case Report of Anna Garcia from Unit 1
Activity 1.1.3 Experimental Design
Activity 2.1.1 Final Venn Diagram on difference between Type I and II Diabetes
Activity 2.1.1 graph of GTT vs. Insulin testing
Activity 2.2.2 – Anna Garcia’s nutrition report as evaluated through online tool
Activity 2.3.1 – Diabetes brochure
Activity 2.3.4 – Diabetic Innovation presentation
Activity 2.1.3 – Feedback loop
Activity 4.1.1 – Heart diagram
Activity 4.2.3 – Copy of your evaluated EKG
Activity 4.3.1 – Cholesterol brochure/handout
Activity 4.2.2 – Blood Pressure Lab Report
Activity 5.1.2 – Infectious Agent chart
Activity 6.1.1 – Body Systems presentation
*More Information to follow soon!
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RETURN TO TEACHER:
I have reviewed the attached course syllabus, classroom rules, and procedures for Principles of Biomedical Sciences. I understand that I/ my child must comply with all of the expectations.
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Student signature ______
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Hopewell High School