Heat-map claim
Read a microarray heat map and write a claim that separates disease risk from disease diagnosis.
Shaded heat map of four genes and a CER claim (claim, two fold-change values as evidence, reasoning) that distinguishes risk from diagnosis.
- 1Do thisRead a microarray heat map and write a claim that separates disease risk from disease diagnosis.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisCER: Shaded heat map of four genes and a CER claim (claim, two fold-change values as evidence, reasoning) that distinguishes risk from diagnosis.
- 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) › Differential expression, fold change, correlation, disease risk vs. diagnosis. › CEROpen 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 does a color-coded grid of gene activity translate into a patient's disease risk versus a confirmed diagnosis?
- 0-8Hook heat maps; review risk vs. diagnosis distinction
- 8-25Shade fold-change values from Wednesday into heat map grid (high = one color, low = another)
- 25-45Identify the gene cluster with the greatest diseased-vs.-healthy difference
- 45-60Write CER claim using two specific fold-change values as evidence
- 60-72Add risk-vs.-diagnosis sentence; peer check for accuracy
- 72-80Submit heat map and claim to course shell; preview Friday report
- • Hook: Show two heat maps: one from a healthy subject, one from a diagnosed patient, and ask students to point to the biggest difference.
- • Why it matters: Clinicians use expression clusters to decide which patients need follow-up biopsies or monitoring.
- • Today's work: You shade your own data into a heat map and write the claim a clinician would write, carefully distinguishing risk from diagnosis.
- • Exit goal: Heat map and CER claim submitted before the bell.
- 1Shade your fold-change values from Wednesday into a small heat map, high values one color and low another.
- 2Identify the cluster of genes that differs most between diseased and healthy samples.
- 3Write a CER claim about what the pattern suggests, with two values as evidence.
- 4Add one sentence explaining why this pattern shows risk, not a confirmed diagnosis.
- 5Submit your heat map and claim as your daily evidence.
- • You'll be able to read clusters on a heat map.
- • You'll be able to distinguish risk from diagnosis in your claim.
- • A heat map encodes fold-change magnitude as color intensity; clustering similar patterns reveals co-regulated gene groups.
- • A risk indicator shows an elevated probability of disease; a diagnosis requires clinical confirmation beyond expression data alone.
- • CER claims from data should be falsifiable: if the expression pattern reversed, what would that mean for your claim?
Your PLTW work today
Differential expression, fold change, correlation, disease risk vs. diagnosis. · Heat-map claim
Day 2 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Open Activity 3.1.4 DNA Microarray in myPLTW and shade your fold-change values into a heat map to identify the gene cluster with the greatest difference.
Mark the heat-map activity complete after your heat map and CER claim are submitted.
Fold-change table should be done (Wednesday); heat map and CER claim due today.
Shaded heat map and CER claim distinguishing risk from diagnosis submitted.
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.
Differential expression, fold change, correlation, disease risk vs. diagnosis. · Heat-map claim
Open Activity 3.1.4 DNA Microarray in myPLTW and shade your fold-change values into a heat map to identify the gene cluster with the greatest difference.
Fold-change table should be done (Wednesday); heat map and CER claim due today.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Read a microarray heat map and write a claim that separates disease risk from disease diagnosis.
- Shade your fold-change values from Wednesday into a small heat map, high values one color and low another.
- Identify the cluster of genes that differs most between diseased and healthy samples.
- Write a CER claim about what the pattern suggests, with two values as evidence.
- Add one sentence explaining why this pattern shows risk, not a confirmed diagnosis.
- Submit your heat map and claim as your daily evidence.
CER: Shaded heat map of four genes and a CER claim (claim, two fold-change values as evidence, reasoning) that distinguishes risk from diagnosis.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Shade your fold-change values from Wednesday into a small heat map, high values one color and low another. | _______ |
| Identify the cluster of genes that differs most between diseased and healthy samples. | _______ |
| Write a CER claim about what the pattern suggests, with two values as evidence. | _______ |
| Add one sentence explaining why this pattern shows risk, not a confirmed diagnosis. | _______ |
| Submit your heat map and claim as your daily evidence. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You'll be able to read clusters on a heat map.
- You'll be able to distinguish risk from diagnosis in your claim.
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 as the classroom resource for Gene expression and microarray analysis.
Placement rationale
Matched Gene expression and microarray analysis by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-2_How-to-Screen-Your-Genes/00_Unit-Overview; keywords:gene expression, microarray. Score 138. 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 Gene expression and microarray analysis by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-2_How-to-Screen-Your-Genes/00_Unit-Overview; keywords:microarray. Score 126. 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 Gene expression and microarray analysis by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-2_How-to-Screen-Your-Genes/2.1_Genetic-Testing-and-Screening. 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
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 CER.
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:
Genetic Science Learning Center: Genes and gene expressionOptional extra credit (async)
You've passed Unit 2, so the optional extra-credit track is open. Complete reserved-unit work from home (virtual labs included) for extra credit, all submitted on Schoology.
Open the extra-credit track- 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 Thu, Mar 25, 2027 · Heat-map claim here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project