Bioethics of evidence
Debate whether forensic and biomedical evidence should ever be trusted blindly, and defend a claim with reasons.
Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing one side of the trust-the-evidence debate with a claim, one piece of evidence, and one reasoning sentence.
- 1Do thisDebate whether forensic and biomedical evidence should ever be trusted blindly, and defend a claim with reasons.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisCER: Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing one side of the trust-the-evidence debate with a claim, one piece of evidence, and one reasoning sentence.
- 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: Principles of Biomedical Technology (Principles of Biomedical Science) › Unit Course Launch: PLTW access, lab notebook, PPE/SDS, evidence handling, variables, controls, graphing, descriptive statistics. › CEROpen Schoology
A logical claim vs. an opinion
What makes a statement a claim you can defend, instead of just an opinion?
A claim is a statement that answers a question and can be supported or challenged with evidence. “This water sample is unsafe to drink” is a claim: we can test it. An opinion is a personal preference that does not have to be defended. “Tap water tastes better than bottled” is an opinion: it is true for you and that is fine.
Science runs on claims, not opinions. A good claim is specific (it says exactly what you think is true), it answers the actual question, and it is testable (there is some evidence that could prove it right or wrong).
The same sentence can hide either one. “Vaccines are good” is vague. “The MMR vaccine reduces measles cases in a community” is a claim, because we can go look at the data.
- • Specific: it states exactly what you think is true.
- • On-target: it answers the question that was asked.
- • Testable: some evidence could support it or prove it wrong.
- • Honest: you would change it if the evidence pointed the other way.
- • “Best / worst / prettiest” usually signals an opinion, not a claim.
- • If no possible evidence could change your mind, it is probably an opinion or a belief, not a scientific claim.
Write one claim and one opinion about a topic in this course. For your claim, name one piece of evidence that could prove it wrong.
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: Scientific evidence is only as reliable as the method and person behind it.
- 0:00Hook: show a headline where lab evidence was later overturned; brief discussion
- 0:08Introduce CER framework (claim, evidence, reasoning) with a class example
- 0:18Read the Philosophy-for-Kids prompt silently, annotate, list two reasons evidence could mislead
- 0:28Small-group debate: pick a side and argue with one reason and one example
- 0:50Individual writing: draft CER on the trust-the-evidence question
- 1:10Share out two or three CERs; teacher models strong vs. weak reasoning; wrap-up
- • Welcome to Principles of Biomedical Science. This course asks one big question all year: how do we know what we know about the body, disease, and death?
- • Today we start with philosophy, because before we touch a single piece of equipment, we need to ask: can evidence lie? Can a lab result be wrong?
- • Think about a courtroom. Someone goes to prison because DNA evidence said so. But what if the sample was contaminated? What if the analyst made a mistake?
- • Your job today is to pick a side and defend it. By the end of class you will have written your first CER, which is the writing structure we will use all year.
- 1Read the Philosophy-for-Kids prompt: Can a lab result be wrong, and who is responsible when it is?
- 2List two reasons a measurement could mislead an investigator or doctor.
- 3Pick a side: evidence is objective truth vs. evidence is only as good as its method.
- 4Argue your position aloud in your small group using one reason and one example.
- 5Post a short written CER: claim, one piece of evidence, one sentence of reasoning.
- • I can state a claim and back it with a reason.
- • I can explain why a method affects whether evidence is trustworthy.
- • A claim must be supported by evidence and reasoning to be credible.
- • Measurement error, bias, and human judgment all affect whether evidence can be trusted.
- • CER (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) is the framework scientists use to defend conclusions.
Your PLTW work today
Unit Course Launch: PLTW access, lab notebook, PPE/SDS, evidence handling, variables, controls, graphing, descriptive statistics. · Bioethics of evidence
Day 1 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Log in to myPLTW and open the Principles of Biomedical Science course. Navigate to the course launch unit and read the introductory overview so you know what to expect from Unit 1.
Mark the course-launch overview task complete in your myPLTW progress tracker.
This is Day 1 of the course. You have no prior lessons to finish. By the end of today you should have logged in, read the overview, and written your first CER.
Screenshot of your myPLTW progress showing the launch overview task marked complete, plus your posted CER from today.
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 Course Launch: PLTW access, lab notebook, PPE/SDS, evidence handling, variables, controls, graphing, descriptive statistics. · Bioethics of evidence
Log in to myPLTW and open the Principles of Biomedical Science course. Navigate to the course launch unit and read the introductory overview so you know what to expect from Unit 1.
This is Day 1 of the course. You have no prior lessons to finish. By the end of today you should have logged in, read the overview, and written your first CER.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Debate whether forensic and biomedical evidence should ever be trusted blindly, and defend a claim with reasons.
- Read the Philosophy-for-Kids prompt: Can a lab result be wrong, and who is responsible when it is?
- List two reasons a measurement could mislead an investigator or doctor.
- Pick a side: evidence is objective truth vs. evidence is only as good as its method.
- Argue your position aloud in your small group using one reason and one example.
- Post a short written CER: claim, one piece of evidence, one sentence of reasoning.
CER: Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing one side of the trust-the-evidence debate with a claim, one piece of evidence, and one reasoning sentence.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Read the Philosophy-for-Kids prompt: Can a lab result be wrong, and who is responsible when it is? | _______ |
| List two reasons a measurement could mislead an investigator or doctor. | _______ |
| Pick a side: evidence is objective truth vs. evidence is only as good as its method. | _______ |
| Argue your position aloud in your small group using one reason and one example. | _______ |
| Post a short written CER: claim, one piece of evidence, one sentence of reasoning. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- I can state a claim and back it with a reason.
- I can explain why a method affects whether evidence is trustworthy.
Resources & readings
Hand-picked materials for this lesson. Class file items open the document directly; the rest are vetted readings and interactives from other biomedical programs.
Lab & supplies
This unit's vocabulary
Tap the speaker to hear a term. Weekly vocabulary task: add two of these terms to your notebook glossary with a definition and an example in your own words.
WebXam practice
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
Watch the recorded prompt, then post your written CER (claim-evidence-reasoning) to the discussion board taking one side of the trust-the-evidence debate.
John Carroll Philosophy for ChildrenThen submit your CER 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:
OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (SDS format)- 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, Aug 24, 2026 · Bioethics of evidence here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
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