Signs vs symptoms
Tell the difference between signs and symptoms and use both to begin describing a mystery illness.
Two-column signs-and-symptoms chart from three patient cases, plus a one-sentence disease category prediction.
- 1Do thisTell the difference between signs and symptoms and use both to begin describing a mystery illness.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisData table: Two-column signs-and-symptoms chart from three patient cases, plus a one-sentence disease category prediction.
- 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) › Outbreak investigation, symptom clusters, pathogen categories, evidence maps. Monday debate: isolation vs. autonomy. › Data tableOpen 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: How do clinicians turn a patient's story into measurable evidence for a diagnosis?
- 0-10 minWrite your own definitions of sign and symptom; class compare and correct
- 10-30 minRead three patient descriptions; underline signs (one color) and symptoms (another color)
- 30-45 minBuild the two-column sorting chart; note which clues are measurable vs patient-reported
- 45-60 minWrite one sentence explaining why both types matter for diagnosis
- 60-72 minPredict one disease category that fits the clue pattern; share prediction with a partner
- 72-80 minExit check: read one partner's chart and mark any items they put in the wrong column
- • A detective and a doctor both start the same way: collect clues before deciding what happened.
- • Signs and symptoms are your first set of clues, and mixing them up leads to diagnostic errors that cost lives.
- • Today you practice the sorting skill every medical professional uses in the first minutes with a patient.
- • Exit goal: a two-column chart of signs and symptoms from three patient cases, plus one disease prediction.
- 1Write your own definitions of sign and symptom, then check them against the class definition.
- 2Read three short patient descriptions and underline every sign in one color, symptom in another.
- 3Make a two-column chart sorting all the clues you found into signs and symptoms.
- 4Note which clues a doctor can measure versus which only the patient can report.
- 5Write one sentence explaining why both signs and symptoms matter for diagnosis.
- 6Predict one disease category that might fit the pattern of clues you sorted.
- • You will be able to distinguish a sign from a symptom with examples.
- • You will be able to sort clinical clues into signs and symptoms.
- • You will be able to explain why both are useful for diagnosis.
- • A sign is an objective, measurable finding (fever temperature, rash visible under a light); a symptom is subjective and reported by the patient (pain, fatigue).
- • Clinicians use both signs and symptoms together because each type of clue catches things the other misses.
- • Sorting clinical clues is the first step in building a differential diagnosis.
Your PLTW work today
Outbreak investigation, symptom clusters, pathogen categories, evidence maps. Monday debate: isolation vs. autonomy. · Signs vs symptoms
Day 2 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Open Activity 1.1.2 Investigating an Outbreak in myPLTW and locate the patient case data with signs and symptoms.
Complete the signs-and-symptoms sorting chart and write your one-sentence disease prediction.
Monday CER should be posted; signs/symptoms chart due today.
Two-column signs and symptoms chart in notebook with prediction sentence.
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.
Outbreak investigation, symptom clusters, pathogen categories, evidence maps. Monday debate: isolation vs. autonomy. · Signs vs symptoms
Open Activity 1.1.2 Investigating an Outbreak in myPLTW and locate the patient case data with signs and symptoms.
Monday CER should be posted; signs/symptoms chart due today.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Tell the difference between signs and symptoms and use both to begin describing a mystery illness.
- Write your own definitions of sign and symptom, then check them against the class definition.
- Read three short patient descriptions and underline every sign in one color, symptom in another.
- Make a two-column chart sorting all the clues you found into signs and symptoms.
- Note which clues a doctor can measure versus which only the patient can report.
- Write one sentence explaining why both signs and symptoms matter for diagnosis.
- Predict one disease category that might fit the pattern of clues you sorted.
Data table: Two-column signs-and-symptoms chart from three patient cases, plus a one-sentence disease category prediction.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Write your own definitions of sign and symptom, then check them against the class definition. | _______ |
| Read three short patient descriptions and underline every sign in one color, symptom in another. | _______ |
| Make a two-column chart sorting all the clues you found into signs and symptoms. | _______ |
| Note which clues a doctor can measure versus which only the patient can report. | _______ |
| Write one sentence explaining why both signs and symptoms matter for diagnosis. | _______ |
| Predict one disease category that might fit the pattern of clues you sorted. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You will be able to distinguish a sign from a symptom with examples.
- You will be able to sort clinical clues into signs and symptoms.
- You will be able to explain why both are useful for diagnosis.
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.
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Outbreak investigation and case framing by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-1_How-to-Fight-Infection/1.1_The-Mystery-Infection; keywords:outbreak, pathogen. Score 142. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Outbreak investigation and case framing by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-1_How-to-Fight-Infection/1.1_The-Mystery-Infection; keywords:outbreak, case. Score 138. 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 Outbreak investigation and case framing by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-1_How-to-Fight-Infection/00_Unit-Overview; keywords:outbreak, pathogen. Score 134. 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.
WebXam practice
Cumulative WebXam review
A quick mixed-review pulling questions from earlier units plus today, so the WebXam material stays fresh.
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 Data table.
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:
CDC — Principles of Epidemiology (self-study)- 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, Jan 26, 2027 · Signs vs symptoms here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
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