Lab notebook and portfolio
Set up the notebook and digital portfolio habits you will use to document every investigation this year.
First complete six-part notebook entry documenting the safety lesson; photographed and uploaded to the portfolio.
- 1Do thisSet up the notebook and digital portfolio habits you will use to document every investigation this year.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisNotebook check: First complete six-part notebook entry documenting the safety lesson; photographed and uploaded to the portfolio.
- 4Submit it here
- 1CMSD website. Go to clevelandmetroschools.org and click the Clever button.
- 2Clever. Clever opens. Sign in if it asks.
- 3Microsoft (district) login. Use your district Microsoft account (the one for school).
- 4Schoology. Open Schoology, then your class, then Assignments, and find the file named below.
The file to submit is named: Genetics of Disease (Medical Interventions) › Course launch, safety, Smith family case, intervention categories, and the daily submission routine. › Notebook checkOpen Schoology
- 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 — you open it through Schoology.
Minute-by-minute · 80-minute block
💡 Big idea: Why does precise documentation make science repeatable and trustworthy?
- 0-10 minNumber notebook pages and write the table of contents header on page one
- 10-20 minCopy the six-part entry template and discuss each component as a class
- 20-40 minWrite a practice entry documenting yesterday's safety lesson using all six parts
- 40-55 minLog in to the PLTW course shell, locate the submission folder, and upload a photo or scan of your entry
- 55-70 minPartner self-check: swap notebooks and test whether a stranger could repeat what you described
- 70-80 minAdd any missing details flagged by your partner; confirm upload is visible in the course shell
- • Real scientists are only as good as their records; a brilliant experiment no one can repeat is worthless.
- • This template is used by researchers, clinicians, and forensic scientists to make sure findings hold up under review.
- • Today you set up the system you will use every single week for the rest of the course.
- • Exit goal: one complete notebook entry uploaded to your portfolio so the workflow is locked in.
- 1Number the first ten pages of your notebook and reserve page one for a table of contents.
- 2Copy the entry template: Date, Question, What I did, Data, What it means, Next step.
- 3Write a practice entry about yesterday's safety lesson using all six template parts.
- 4Open the online PLTW course shell and confirm you can log in and find where work is submitted.
- 5Upload a photo or scan of your practice entry to your portfolio folder so you know the workflow.
- 6Self-check: does your entry let a stranger repeat what you did? Add one missing detail if not.
- • You will be able to keep a complete, repeatable lab notebook entry.
- • You will be able to log in to the PLTW course shell and submit work.
- • You will be able to explain why documentation matters in science.
- • A complete lab notebook entry has at minimum: date, question, procedure, data, interpretation, and next step.
- • Documentation must be specific enough that someone else could repeat your exact procedure.
- • Digital portfolios create a permanent record that connects raw data to final conclusions.
Your PLTW work today
Course launch, safety, Smith family case, intervention categories, and the daily submission routine. · Lab notebook and portfolio
Day 2 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Open the course documentation module in myPLTW for Lesson 1.1 The Mystery Infection and confirm the notebook format used for evidence this year.
Upload your first practice notebook entry to the portfolio folder in the course shell.
Safety contract should already be signed (Tuesday); first notebook entry due today.
Practice entry visible as submitted in the course shell portfolio folder.
All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment — this page only gives direction. Submit producibles on Schoology.
Today's PLTW tracker
Check things off as you work, then submit. This tells Mr. Mendoza how you're doing so he can help the class. It does not replace turning in your producible on Schoology.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
Course launch, safety, Smith family case, intervention categories, and the daily submission routine. · Lab notebook and portfolio
Open the course documentation module in myPLTW for Lesson 1.1 The Mystery Infection and confirm the notebook format used for evidence this year.
Safety contract should already be signed (Tuesday); first notebook entry due today.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Set up the notebook and digital portfolio habits you will use to document every investigation this year.
- Number the first ten pages of your notebook and reserve page one for a table of contents.
- Copy the entry template: Date, Question, What I did, Data, What it means, Next step.
- Write a practice entry about yesterday's safety lesson using all six template parts.
- Open the online PLTW course shell and confirm you can log in and find where work is submitted.
- Upload a photo or scan of your practice entry to your portfolio folder so you know the workflow.
- Self-check: does your entry let a stranger repeat what you did? Add one missing detail if not.
Notebook check: First complete six-part notebook entry documenting the safety lesson; photographed and uploaded to the portfolio.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Number the first ten pages of your notebook and reserve page one for a table of contents. | _______ |
| Copy the entry template: Date, Question, What I did, Data, What it means, Next step. | _______ |
| Write a practice entry about yesterday's safety lesson using all six template parts. | _______ |
| Open the online PLTW course shell and confirm you can log in and find where work is submitted. | _______ |
| Upload a photo or scan of your practice entry to your portfolio folder so you know the workflow. | _______ |
| Self-check: does your entry let a stranger repeat what you did? Add one missing detail if not. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You will be able to keep a complete, repeatable lab notebook entry.
- You will be able to log in to the PLTW course shell and submit work.
- You will be able to explain why documentation matters in science.
Teacher-posted resources
Classroom documents for this lesson. Ones marked “Open the file” open right here; the rest are posted in Schoology. Use the label on each card to choose the right move.
Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Course launch, safety, SDS, notebook setup by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-1_How-to-Fight-Infection/00_Unit-Overview; keywords:intervention. Score 130. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Use this after the required lesson work when you are ready for a harder application or a deeper connection.
Placement rationale
Matched Course launch, safety, SDS, notebook setup by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-1_How-to-Fight-Infection/00_Unit-Overview; keywords:safety. Score 126. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
How to get there: open the CMSD website, click Clever, sign in with your Microsoft (district) account, then open Schoology from Clever.
Lab & supplies
WebXam practice
Where this leads — careers
What today's skills lead to. These are real health-science careers this course builds toward. Tap one to see, on the US Department of Labor's O*NET site, what the job actually involves, what it pays, and how fast it is growing.
What to do if you were absent
Today is individual PLTW work, so do exactly what we did in class, from home: complete the same PLTW target above, then submit your Notebook check.
Open Schoology (CMSD) and keep goingHow to get there: open the CMSD website, click Clever, sign in with your Microsoft (district) account, then open Schoology from Clever.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
OSHA — Hazard Communication & Safety Data Sheets (authoritative)- CompleteEvery required part of the artifact is present, nothing left blank.
- AccurateThe science and the data are correct and match the evidence.
- Scientific reasoningYou explain your claim with evidence and reasoning (CER), not just an answer.
- Professional communicationClear, organized, labeled, and written the way a clinician or scientist would.
- SubmittedTurned in the right way (Schoology for routine work) and confirmed.
Drop your Tue, Aug 25, 2026 · Lab notebook and portfolio here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project