Heavy-metal exposure debate
Students will debate the ethics of testing heavy-metal toxicity and who bears responsibility for environmental exposure.
Written position on heavy-metal exposure responsibility, citing one factual reason and naming one genuine tradeoff in regulation.
- 1Do thisStudents will debate the ethics of testing heavy-metal toxicity and who bears responsibility for environmental exposure.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisExit ticket: Written position on heavy-metal exposure responsibility, citing one factual reason and naming one genuine tradeoff in regulation.
- 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 2.3 Challenge Accepted: Open-ended C. elegans/heavy metal investigation or validated simulation; data and conclusions. › Exit ticketOpen Schoology
Read to prepare for today
Vetted sources picked for today's question. Skim these before you take a position or start the work, so your argument and evidence are grounded.
- 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: Environmental toxins affect human health at the cellular level, and society must decide who is responsible for preventing and remediating exposure.
- 0-8Read the heavy-metal contamination scenario; assign stakeholder groups
- 8-22Group prep: list 2 arguments about responsibility from your stakeholder view
- 22-40Debate round 1: each group states its strongest argument
- 40-55Rebuttal round: each group responds to one opposing claim
- 55-70Individual writing: state your position with one supporting reason
- 70-80Pair-share and submit exit ticket
- • Heavy-metal contamination has caused documented health crises in cities across the United States.
- • Today you will debate who is responsible for those crises and for preventing future ones.
- • Your stakeholder role forces you to think beyond your own perspective, a key skill in public health.
- • Leave with a written position you can defend with at least one factual reason.
- 1Read a brief scenario on heavy-metal contamination.
- 2Form groups for industry, regulators, and affected residents.
- 3List two arguments about responsibility for cleanup.
- 4Trade one rebuttal with another group.
- 5State your position with one supporting reason.
- • Each student takes a reasoned position on responsibility.
- • Groups name one genuine tradeoff in regulation.
- • Heavy metals such as lead and arsenic interfere with enzyme function and disrupt cellular homeostasis.
- • Environmental health connects to pathophysiology: toxin exposure can cause organ system dysfunction.
- • Ethical analysis of environmental harm requires identifying who benefits, who is harmed, and who has power to act.
Your PLTW work today
Unit 2.3 Challenge Accepted: Open-ended C. elegans/heavy metal investigation or validated simulation; data and conclusions. · Heavy-metal exposure debate
Day 1 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Open Lesson 2.3 Challenge Accepted in myPLTW and complete the debate or ethics reflection prompt assigned for today's heavy-metal exposure stakeholder activity.
Mark the activity complete in myPLTW after submitting your exit ticket on environmental-exposure responsibility.
You finished the research-design week; this begins Lesson 2.3 hands-on investigation, and the task should be checked off today.
Note or screenshot of completion status for your tracker.
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 2.3 Challenge Accepted: Open-ended C. elegans/heavy metal investigation or validated simulation; data and conclusions. · Heavy-metal exposure debate
Open Lesson 2.3 Challenge Accepted in myPLTW and complete the debate or ethics reflection prompt assigned for today's heavy-metal exposure stakeholder activity.
You finished the research-design week; this begins Lesson 2.3 hands-on investigation, and the task should be checked off today.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Students will debate the ethics of testing heavy-metal toxicity and who bears responsibility for environmental exposure.
- Read a brief scenario on heavy-metal contamination.
- Form groups for industry, regulators, and affected residents.
- List two arguments about responsibility for cleanup.
- Trade one rebuttal with another group.
- State your position with one supporting reason.
Exit ticket: Written position on heavy-metal exposure responsibility, citing one factual reason and naming one genuine tradeoff in regulation.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Read a brief scenario on heavy-metal contamination. | _______ |
| Form groups for industry, regulators, and affected residents. | _______ |
| List two arguments about responsibility for cleanup. | _______ |
| Trade one rebuttal with another group. | _______ |
| State your position with one supporting reason. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- Each student takes a reasoned position on responsibility.
- Groups name one genuine tradeoff in regulation.
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
Debate who is most responsible for preventing heavy-metal exposure: industry, government, or individuals; record two points per side.
Then submit your Exit ticket on Schoology.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
CDC: Lead poisoning preventionOptional 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 Fri, Nov 6, 2026 · Heavy-metal exposure debate here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
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