Unit 1.1 Bones: Bone structure/function, skeletal system, fractures, bone remodeling, repair technologies.
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 - Bones: structure, fractures, and how the skeleton repairs itself
Examine bone structure and function, explain how fractures heal through bone remodeling, and connect repair technologies to real patient cases.
- 1Examine a bone model or image and label compact bone, spongy bone, and a joint.
- 2Write one job of osteoblasts and one job of osteoclasts in your notebook.
- 3Sort a set of fracture images or descriptions by how severe the break is.
- 4Sketch the stages of fracture healing and label where new bone is being built.
- 5Connect one repair technology, such as a cast, plate, or pin, to the type of fracture it helps.
- 6Write a two-sentence claim about why bone is a living, changing tissue and back it with evidence from the lab.
- • You will be able to identify compact bone, spongy bone, joints, and ligaments on a model.
- • You will be able to explain how osteoblasts and osteoclasts remodel bone.
- • You will be able to match a fracture type to an appropriate repair technology.
Daily lessons this week
Open any day for its full lesson, the work due that day, and guided notes.
One-paragraph CER defending a specific allocation principle for scarce bone-graft material.
Bone-cell roles summary (osteoblast/osteocyte/osteoclast) plus two-column compact-vs-spongy bone comparison chart.
Fracture classification table: each image labeled with fracture type, nearest joint type, and predicted healing speed with justification.
Repair-stage timeline diagram (four stages with active cells labeled) plus a CER arguing when a specific repair technology is the best choice.
Complete skeletal evidence packet: bone-cell chart, fracture classification table, repair-stage diagram, repair-technology CER, and two-sentence reflection.
Quick intro to the week
- Hook: bone is not dead scaffolding, it is living tissue that tears down and rebuilds itself every day.
- Today's goal: read a fracture like a clinician and explain how the body and technology heal it together.
- Monday bioethics tie-in: should a young athlete return to play before a fracture is fully healed if they really want to?
- Reminder: your graded fracture analysis is submitted in the PLTW course shell.
Your PLTW coursework this week
Do this: Advance the PLTW HBS online benchmark through Unit 1.1 Bones.
- • Osteoblasts build new bone and osteoclasts break bone down during remodeling.
- • Bones contain compact and spongy regions and connect at joints held by ligaments.
- • Classify a fracture by its severity.
- • Match a fracture to an appropriate repair technology.
📋 PLTW evidence due this week: your bone and fracture analysis with a fracture-to-repair recommendation.
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, Feb 2 | Bioethics: bone donation and 3D parts | One-paragraph CER defending a specific allocation principle for scarce bone-graft material. |
| Tuesday | Wed, Feb 3 | Bone cells and bone structure | Bone-cell roles summary (osteoblast/osteocyte/osteoclast) plus two-column compact-vs-spongy bone comparison chart. |
| Wednesday | Thu, Feb 4 | Fracture analysis lab | Fracture classification table: each image labeled with fracture type, nearest joint type, and predicted healing speed with justification. |
| Thursday | Fri, Feb 5 | Bone repair and repair tech | Repair-stage timeline diagram (four stages with active cells labeled) plus a CER arguing when a specific repair technology is the best choice. |
| Friday | Mon, Feb 8 | Submit skeletal evidence | Complete skeletal evidence packet: bone-cell chart, fracture classification table, repair-stage diagram, repair-technology CER, and two-sentence reflection. |
- First class day: bioethical debate (Monday is a closure)
- 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: Bone/fracture analysis.
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: skeletal 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: Bone Diseases and FracturesVocabulary
Virtual resources
Standards this week
WebXam practice
Drop your Week 3 here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project