Drug effects on signaling
Analyze your reaction-time data and explain how drugs alter neural signaling with a CER.
Bar graph of baseline vs distraction average reaction time (labeled, with units) plus a CER explaining how a depressant or stimulant would alter the pattern via synaptic mechanism.
- 1Do thisAnalyze your reaction-time data and explain how drugs alter neural signaling with a CER.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisCER: Bar graph of baseline vs distraction average reaction time (labeled, with units) plus a CER explaining how a depressant or stimulant would alter the pattern via synaptic mechanism.
- 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: Human Anatomy & Physiology (Human Body Systems) › Unit 2.1 Reflexes: Drug impacts on neuron signaling, reflex and reaction time, patient diagnosis challenge. › 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: Drugs alter reaction time by changing neurotransmitter availability or receptor sensitivity at synapses; your experimental data provides a baseline to reason from.
- 0-8Intro: how depressants and stimulants alter synaptic transmission
- 8-25Build bar graph: baseline vs distraction average reaction time
- 25-45PLTW online analysis: drugs and synaptic signaling
- 45-55Describe observed trend and predict direction of drug effect
- 55-75Write CER: depressant or stimulant effect on reaction time, mechanism at synapse
- 75-80Submit labeled graph and CER
- • Your data table is now a scientific instrument. Today you use it to reason about drug effects on the nervous system.
- • Drugs work at the synapse. They either make transmission faster or slower. Your distraction condition shows what slower looks like in your data.
- • Your graph goes condition on the X-axis, average reaction time on the Y-axis. Error bars if you have them. Title, labeled axes, units.
- • The CER picks one drug class, claims the direction of its effect on your reaction-time pattern, and explains the mechanism at the synapse level.
- 1Graph your reaction times by condition.
- 2Describe how the distraction or a drug would shift the results.
- 3Complete the PLTW online analysis on drugs and synaptic signaling.
- 4Write a CER claiming how a depressant or stimulant would change reaction time, using your data pattern as evidence.
- 5Submit your labeled graph and signaling CER.
- • You can graph and interpret reaction-time differences.
- • You can explain drug effects on signaling with a CER.
- • Depressants (alcohol, antihistamines, opioids, benzodiazepines) slow synaptic transmission by enhancing inhibition or blocking excitation, increasing reaction time.
- • Stimulants (caffeine, amphetamines) accelerate synaptic transmission by increasing excitatory neurotransmitter release or blocking reuptake, decreasing reaction time.
- • A data-based CER about drug effects must use the observed distraction-condition pattern as the analogy: if distraction slowed reaction by X ms, a depressant would be expected to slow it further and in a similar way.
Your PLTW work today
Unit 2.1 Reflexes: Drug impacts on neuron signaling, reflex and reaction time, patient diagnosis challenge. · Drug effects on signaling
Day 4 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Complete the drug-effects and neural-signaling analysis task in Lesson 2.1 Getting Nervous on myPLTW; finish all screens before writing your CER about drug effects.
Mark the drug-effects task complete after submitting your CER.
Lab task is done; today the analysis task should show complete and your CER should be submitted.
myPLTW completion status plus submitted CER.
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.
Unit 2.1 Reflexes: Drug impacts on neuron signaling, reflex and reaction time, patient diagnosis challenge. · Drug effects on signaling
Complete the drug-effects and neural-signaling analysis task in Lesson 2.1 Getting Nervous on myPLTW; finish all screens before writing your CER about drug effects.
Lab task is done; today the analysis task should show complete and your CER should be submitted.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Analyze your reaction-time data and explain how drugs alter neural signaling with a CER.
- Graph your reaction times by condition.
- Describe how the distraction or a drug would shift the results.
- Complete the PLTW online analysis on drugs and synaptic signaling.
- Write a CER claiming how a depressant or stimulant would change reaction time, using your data pattern as evidence.
- Submit your labeled graph and signaling CER.
CER: Bar graph of baseline vs distraction average reaction time (labeled, with units) plus a CER explaining how a depressant or stimulant would alter the pattern via synaptic mechanism.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Graph your reaction times by condition. | _______ |
| Describe how the distraction or a drug would shift the results. | _______ |
| Complete the PLTW online analysis on drugs and synaptic signaling. | _______ |
| Write a CER claiming how a depressant or stimulant would change reaction time, using your data pattern as evidence. | _______ |
| Submit your labeled graph and signaling CER. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You can graph and interpret reaction-time differences.
- You can explain drug effects on signaling with a CER.
Resources & readings
Vetted readings and references for this unit. Use them to prepare, to catch up if you were absent, or to go deeper on today's target.
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:
Khan Academy: Neurons and SynapsesOptional 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 Mon, Oct 19, 2026 · Drug effects on signaling here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project