Unit 3.1 Gas Exchange: Respiratory anatomy, sheep pluck or virtual alternative, lung volumes, spirometry, expedition clearance.
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 - Gas Exchange: lung volumes, spirometry, and expedition clearance
Use spirometry data to measure lung volumes and decide whether a client is medically cleared for a high-altitude expedition.
- 1Label the alveoli and airways on a respiratory diagram and describe where gas exchange happens.
- 2Define tidal volume, vital capacity, and oxygen saturation in your notebook.
- 3Measure your tidal volume and vital capacity using the spirometer or simulation.
- 4Record your readings in a data table and compare them to a typical reference range.
- 5Interpret a client scenario by comparing their spirometry values to the clearance threshold.
- 6Write a short claim-evidence-reasoning statement on whether the client is cleared.
- • You will be able to explain where and how gas exchange occurs in the lungs.
- • You will be able to measure tidal volume and vital capacity with a spirometer.
- • You will be able to use spirometry data to justify a clearance decision.
Daily lessons this week
Open any day for its full lesson, the work due that day, and guided notes.
Written position on ventilator allocation, citing one ethical criterion and naming one genuine tradeoff in triage decisions.
Annotated gas-exchange diagram showing oxygen and carbon dioxide diffusion directions at the alveolus with partial-pressure labels, plus definitions of tidal volume and vital capacity.
Completed spirometry data table: tidal volume (3 trials, average), vital capacity (3 trials, best), oxygen saturation, resting heart rate, and predicted vs. measured comparison.
Written CER analyzing spirometry data: claim about respiratory capacity, two specific measurement evidence entries compared to predicted values, reasoning linking alveolar structure to capacity, and one factor affecting vital capacity.
Completed weekly progress tracker showing submission status for the gas-exchange diagram, spirometry data table, and CER, plus a reflection naming one surprising concept and one to revisit.
Quick intro to the week
- Hook: before anyone climbs to thin air, a clinician checks their lungs, and today you run that test with a spirometer.
- Today's goal: measure lung volumes and use the data to clear or hold an expedition client.
- This week's Monday bioethics debate: should a client be allowed on a risky expedition against medical advice?
- Reminder: your graded spirometry CER and clearance decision live in the PLTW course shell, not on loose paper.
Your PLTW coursework this week
Do this: Advance the PLTW Gas Exchange benchmark by completing the online evidence on respiratory anatomy and lung volumes in the course shell.
- • Gas exchange occurs across the thin walls of the alveoli.
- • Tidal volume and vital capacity are measurable lung volumes that reflect respiratory function.
- • Spirometry data can be compared to reference ranges to evaluate clearance.
- • Measure tidal volume and vital capacity using spirometry.
- • Use spirometry data to support a clearance claim with evidence and reasoning.
📋 PLTW evidence due: spirometry CER using tidal volume and vital capacity to justify an expedition clearance decision, submitted in the 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 | Fri, Apr 23 | Ventilator allocation ethics debate | Written position on ventilator allocation, citing one ethical criterion and naming one genuine tradeoff in triage decisions. |
| Tuesday | Mon, Apr 26 | Alveoli and gas exchange | Annotated gas-exchange diagram showing oxygen and carbon dioxide diffusion directions at the alveolus with partial-pressure labels, plus definitions of tidal volume and vital capacity. |
| Wednesday | Tue, Apr 27 | Spirometry lab | Completed spirometry data table: tidal volume (3 trials, average), vital capacity (3 trials, best), oxygen saturation, resting heart rate, and predicted vs. measured comparison. |
| Thursday | Wed, Apr 28 | Spirometry data CER analysis | Written CER analyzing spirometry data: claim about respiratory capacity, two specific measurement evidence entries compared to predicted values, reasoning linking alveolar structure to capacity, and one factor affecting vital capacity. |
| Friday | Thu, Apr 29 | Submit tracker and evidence | Completed weekly progress tracker showing submission status for the gas-exchange diagram, spirometry data table, and CER, plus a reflection naming one surprising concept and one to revisit. |
- M: Philosophy for Kids / John Carroll bioethical debate
- T: teacher background notes + PLTW launch task
- W: lab / data or model work
- Th: analysis / CER or design revision
- F: submit tracker + weekly evidence
Due by week's end: Spirometry/client clearance CER.
Lab day — what to bring & watch
This explainer accompanies the PLTW lab protocol — watch it before lab.
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: Teacher-posted data/model packet, same objective. Supplemental: Khan: respiratory system.
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: Pulmonary function testsVocabulary
Virtual resources
Standards this week
WebXam practice
Drop your Week 13 here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project