Gene therapy, viral vectors, somatic vs. germline editing, CRISPR basics, reproductive screening.
What to do if absent- 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.
Week overview - Editing the Code: Gene Therapy and Its Ethics
Use a CRISPR article to build a claim-evidence-reasoning argument about whether somatic or germline editing should be allowed for a given case.
- 1Open the CRISPR article in the PLTW course shell and annotate where it explains vectors and Cas9.
- 2In your notes, define somatic versus germline editing in one sentence each.
- 3Circle one place in the article that mentions off-target effects and note why that worries scientists.
- 4Write a claim stating whether the case should use somatic or germline editing.
- 5Add two pieces of evidence from the article that support your claim, including informed consent.
- 6Finish your CER with reasoning that connects the evidence to your claim in two sentences.
- • You'll be able to tell somatic editing from germline editing.
- • You'll be able to explain what a viral vector and CRISPR-Cas9 do.
- • You'll be able to write a CER argument grounded in an article.
Daily lessons this week
Open any day for its full lesson, the work due that day, and guided notes.
One CER on whether germline gene editing should ever be permitted, plus a reflection naming one counterargument about consent of future generations.
Viral vector delivery diagram with labeled components, somatic vs. germline distinction, two-vector comparison row, and one sentence on vector-cell targeting.
Annotated CRISPR article (guide RNA, Cas9 cut, repair step marked; off-target defined) plus a CER on using CRISPR in the reproductive screening case.
Complete gene therapy ethics CER: claim on whether the case patient should receive therapy, two evidences from vector chart and CRISPR work, reasoning naming one risk.
Quick intro to the week
- Today matters because gene therapy is moving from science fiction to clinics, and you get to weigh in.
- Goal for today: read a CRISPR article closely and turn it into a clear claim-evidence-reasoning argument.
- Monday's debate is germline editing: should we make changes that pass to a person's children and beyond?
- Your annotations and CER are graded in the PLTW course shell, so submit them there.
Your PLTW coursework this week
Do this: Advance the Unit 2 gene-therapy benchmark by submitting your CRISPR-article CER in the PLTW course shell.
- • Gene therapy delivers corrected genes, often using a viral vector.
- • Somatic edits affect one patient while germline edits pass to descendants.
- • CRISPR-Cas9 can cut DNA at a target, but off-target effects are a real risk.
- • Distinguish somatic from germline editing.
- • Build a CER argument from an article with evidence and reasoning.
📋 Tracker evidence due this week: your annotated CRISPR article and completed CER argument uploaded to the PLTW course shell.
All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment — this page only gives direction.
This week's PLTW tracker
Your week at a glance. Check off each deliverable as you finish it, then submit so Mr. Mendoza can see how the class is pacing.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
| Day | Date | Focus | Key deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Tue, Apr 6 | Germline editing debate | One CER on whether germline gene editing should ever be permitted, plus a reflection naming one counterargument about consent of future generations. |
| Tuesday | Wed, Apr 7 | Viral vector chart | Viral vector delivery diagram with labeled components, somatic vs. germline distinction, two-vector comparison row, and one sentence on vector-cell targeting. |
| Thursday | Thu, Apr 8 | CRISPR and reproductive screening | Annotated CRISPR article (guide RNA, Cas9 cut, repair step marked; off-target defined) plus a CER on using CRISPR in the reproductive screening case. |
| Friday | Fri, Apr 9 | Gene therapy ethics CER | Complete gene therapy ethics CER: claim on whether the case patient should receive therapy, two evidences from vector chart and CRISPR work, reasoning naming one risk. |
- M: germline debate
- T: vector chart
- W: no school
- Th: reproductive screening case
- F: ethics CER
Due by week's end: Gene therapy ethics CER.
What to do when 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 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.
You can't do those from home — do this instead: CRISPR article annotation and CER.
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:
MedlinePlus: What is gene therapy?Vocabulary
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 Gene therapy, CRISPR, reproductive ethics by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-2_How-to-Screen-Your-Genes/2.2_Our-Genetic-Future; keywords:gene therapy, reproductive. Score 138. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Gene therapy, CRISPR, reproductive ethics by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-2_How-to-Screen-Your-Genes/2.2_Our-Genetic-Future; keywords:ethics, reproductive. 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 Gene therapy, CRISPR, reproductive ethics by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-2_How-to-Screen-Your-Genes/00_Unit-Overview; keywords:gene therapy, crispr. 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.
Standards this week
WebXam practice
Drop your Week 12 here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project