Semester 2 (Spring) · Week 12 (teaching week 11 of 16)Apr 5–9

Literature review, source evaluation, decision matrices, validation metrics.

Your PLTW coursework: Biomedical InnovationProblem 3: Design of a Medical Innovation ▸ "Activity 3.1.1 Evolution of a Product", "Activity 3.1.2 Gathering the Facts", "Problem 3.1.3 Design Innovations"

What to do if absent
Color keyLearn firstGet orientedDo the workLab daySafety netCheck yourself
Portal terms
CER:
Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
SOP:
Standard Operating Procedure, the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
Tracker:
Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
myPLTW:
The PLTW course site where you do the online activities. Find it in Clever with your Microsoft sign-in, right next to Schoology.
Learn first

Week overview - Validating Your Prototype: literature review, decision matrices, and metrics

Apr 5–9

Run a focused , build a to choose a design, and define the metrics you will use to prove your prototype works.

Week arc
  1. 1Open your design notebook and write the one problem your prototype is meant to solve in a single sentence.
  2. 2Find three credible sources on your topic and write one fact from each, noting whether the source was peer reviewed.
  3. 3Build a with your top design options as rows and your criteria as columns, then score each cell 1 to 5.
  4. 4Circle the option with the highest total and write one sentence on why the matrix supports that choice.
  5. 5List two measurable validation metrics (a number you can record) that would show your prototype is working.
  6. 6Draft a simple : what you will measure, how many trials, and what result would count as success.
By week end
  • You will be able to summarize credible sources and tell peer-reviewed work from opinion.
  • You will be able to use a to justify a design choice.
  • You will be able to define measurable validation metrics for a prototype test.
The plan

Daily lessons this week

Open any day for its full lesson, the work due that day, and guided notes.

MondayMon, Apr 5
Validation plan

Validation plan with prototype claim, two measurable metrics with units and pass/fail thresholds, a control, a test procedure, and one error-reduction step.

TuesdayTue, Apr 6

Evidence for

WednesdayWed, Apr 7
Environmental justice debate

One-sentence evidence-based statement on who bears responsibility for unequal pollutant exposure and why.

ThursdayThu, Apr 8
Environmental data lab

Detection-limit : the claim you predicted, the concentration of every tube in the series, the color call for each, the positive and results named as such, the detection limit stated with units, the coded unknown result, one sentence comparing your detection limit to the assigned EPA drinking-water limit, and one named limitation of reading this test by eye.

FridayFri, Apr 9
Mitigation notes

Mitigation notes with two strategies (source-side and -side), dose-reduction predictions, feasibility tradeoffs, and a justified recommendation.

Get oriented

Quick intro to the week

  • Hook: real innovators do not guess whether their idea works, they measure it, and this week you learn how.
  • Today's goal: turn a pile of ideas into one defensible design with a behind it.
  • Monday bioethics debate ties in: is it ethical to cite a source you never actually read?
  • Reminder: your graded and validation plan are submitted on the class site.
Do the work

Your PLTW coursework this week

Do this: Advance your PLTW innovation benchmark by completing the and for your prototype in the online course shell.

Know when done
  • A gathers and summarizes credible prior work before you design.
  • A scores options against weighted criteria to support a choice.
Be able to do
  • Distinguish peer-reviewed evidence from unreviewed claims.
  • Define measurable validation metrics for a prototype.

📋 PLTW evidence due: a summary, a scored , and a prototype validation plan in the course shell.

All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment: this page only gives direction.

The plan

This week's PLTW tracker

Use this chart to keep your place. Nothing on it is turned in through the portal.

DayWorkTurn in
Monday · Mon, Apr 5Validation planValidation plan with prototype claim, two measurable metrics with units and pass/fail thresholds, a control, a test procedure, and one error-reduction step.
Tuesday · Tue, Apr 6Evidence for
Wednesday · Wed, Apr 7Environmental justice debateOne-sentence evidence-based statement on who bears responsibility for unequal pollutant exposure and why.
Thursday · Thu, Apr 8Environmental data labDetection-limit data table: the claim you predicted, the concentration of every tube in the series, the color call for each, the positive and negative control results named as such, the detection limit stated with units, the coded unknown result, one sentence comparing your detection limit to the assigned EPA drinking-water limit, and one named limitation of reading this test by eye.
Friday · Fri, Apr 9Mitigation notesMitigation notes with two strategies (source-side and receptor-side), dose-reduction predictions, feasibility tradeoffs, and a justified recommendation.
  • M: evidence debate
  • W:
  • Th: validation plan
  • F: notes submit

Turn in: Literature review, source evaluation, decision matrices, validation metrics. weekly work due Prototype validation notes.

Go to Schoology to turn this in.

Submit one PDF. Put your first and last name in the document header. Name the file: FirstName LastName - Assignment Title - YYYY-MM-DD.pdf.

Open Schoology PDF upload help

If you cannot get in, see Mr. Mendoza. Do not skip the work.

The week, drawn

4 panels from the illustrated semester.

Fiction. There is no such student. The lessons, labs and dates are the real planned course; the student, the classmates and the conversations are invented.

Lab day

Lab day: what to bring & watch

Equipment you'll need
Design notebookPrototype materials or modelDecision matrix templateRuler or measuring toolStopwatch or timerData recording sheetCalculator
Khan Academy: scientific method and experiment design

This explainer accompanies the PLTW lab protocol: watch it before lab.

Safety net

What to do when absent

If YOU are absent

Most days, this class is your PLTW coursework: and PLTW is online and individual. So being out usually just means doing exactly what we did in class, from home.

Open Clever, then myPLTW

Sign in to Clever with your district Microsoft account to open Schoology or myPLTW. Follow today's posted steps. If myPLTW will not open, use the posted alternative and tell Mr. Mendoza. Turn in your completed work through the Schoology assignment.

Was today a lab or a group activity?

You can't do those from home: do this instead: Simulated validation plan.

If MR. MENDOZA is absent

Class still runs. A substitute will post today's plan: complete the online activity above; it's built to be self-guided. Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:

Khan Academy: scientific method and experiment design
Words

Vocabulary

Explore

Teacher-posted resources

Classroom documents for this lesson are posted in Schoology. Open Clever, then Schoology, and find each one by the name shown on its card.

Catch-up / reteachFor: Need extra support
BI Semester Final Skills-Based Assessment Report
worksheet/handoutPosted in Schoology
Open in Schoology

Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.

Placement rationale

Matched Prototype validation and evidence audit by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-3_Medical-Innovation/3.1_Medical-Innovation; keywords:rubric. Score 134. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).

Catch-up / reteachFor: Need extra support
Biomedical Innovation rubric (ALT 1)
worksheet/handoutPosted in Schoology
Open in Schoology

Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.

Placement rationale

Matched Prototype validation and evidence audit by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-3_Medical-Innovation/3.1_Medical-Innovation; keywords:rubric. Score 130. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).

Use during lessonFor: Everyone
BI Project 2.1.1 Scientific Research Student Activity
worksheet/handoutPosted in Schoology
Open in Schoology

Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.

Placement rationale

Matched Prototype validation and evidence audit by path:Biomedical-Innovations/Problem-2_Human-Physiology/2.1_Human-Physiology. Score 126. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).

Sign in to Clever with your district Microsoft account to open Schoology or myPLTW. Follow today's posted steps. If myPLTW will not open, use the posted alternative and tell Mr. Mendoza. Turn in your completed work through the Schoology assignment.

Aligned to

Standards this week

Biotechnology for Health and Disease 072125 · 5.5 Laboratory Standard Operational Procedures
NGSS science & engineering practices: analyzing & interpreting data, argument from evidence
Check yourself

WebXam practice

Tap an answer to check it · nothing is recorded or graded
After an experiment shows a new drug lowers cholesterol better than the placebo, what is the required next step before any commercial action?
A single data point in a drug trial shows a 90% drop in cholesterol, which is physically impossible for the drug. What should the researcher do first?
Why is peer review an important part of validating a prototype or research finding?
A team uses a decision matrix to choose among prototype designs. What is the main purpose of this tool?