Write the report CER
Write a full investigative CER report integrating all evidence and acknowledging limitations.
Full investigative CER report: a clear cause-of-death claim, one piece of evidence cited from each of the four streams, a convergence reasoning paragraph, a conflict-resolution sentence, and at least two limitations.
- 1Do thisWrite a full investigative CER report integrating all evidence and acknowledging limitations.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisCER: Full investigative CER report: a clear cause-of-death claim, one piece of evidence cited from each of the four streams, a convergence reasoning paragraph, a conflict-resolution sentence, and at least two limitations.
- 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 1.3 Open Investigation: Virtual/open case investigation; synthesize scene, lab, suspect, and autopsy evidence. › CEROpen 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: A forensic CER report is the written translation of an evidence board into a logical argument that can be read and challenged by anyone.
- 0:00Review the CER report structure with a class example; annotate what goes in each section
- 0:12Students draft the claim sentence; teacher circulates and gives rapid feedback
- 0:22Draft the evidence section: one item per stream, specific and attributed to the correct collection method
- 0:42Draft the reasoning section: convergence argument plus conflict resolution
- 1:02Draft the limitations paragraph: at least two limitations that qualify the conclusion
- 1:05Peer review: swap reports, check that all four streams are cited and at least one limitation is stated
- 1:15Revise based on peer feedback; preview Friday final submission
- • Today is writing day. Your evidence board is done; now you translate it into a report that can stand on its own. Someone who was not in this room should be able to read your CER and understand exactly what you concluded and why.
- • Start with the claim. One sentence. Clear and specific. Then go through each of the four streams and pull the strongest piece of evidence from each.
- • In the reasoning section you explain why all four streams point in the same direction. If one of them conflicts, you address it here. You do not pretend it does not exist.
- • End with your limitations. These are the things your evidence cannot tell you. The best reports end with honest limitations, not false certainty.
- 1State your cause-of-death claim clearly.
- 2Cite evidence from each of the four streams that supports the claim.
- 3Reason through how the evidence converges on the conclusion.
- 4Address conflicting evidence and explain how you resolved it.
- 5List the limitations that qualify your conclusion.
- • I can write a CER integrating multiple evidence streams.
- • I can acknowledge limitations that qualify a conclusion.
- • A strong CER report opens with the claim, then provides one piece of evidence from each stream, then reasons through how the streams converge.
- • Conflicting evidence must be addressed and either explained (with a reason) or acknowledged as an unresolved limitation.
- • Limitations that qualify a conclusion are not weaknesses in the argument; they are signs of scientific honesty and increase the credibility of the report.
Your PLTW work today
Unit 1.3 Open Investigation: Virtual/open case investigation; synthesize scene, lab, suspect, and autopsy evidence. · Write the report CER
Day 4 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: In myPLTW, submit your Lesson 1.3 Open Investigation investigative CER report draft through the report section.
Mark the Lesson 1.3 CER draft task complete in myPLTW.
You built the evidence board Wednesday. By the end of today a complete draft (claim, evidence, reasoning, limitations) should be finished.
Draft CER report (handwritten or typed) peer-reviewed and uploaded to the 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 1.3 Open Investigation: Virtual/open case investigation; synthesize scene, lab, suspect, and autopsy evidence. · Write the report CER
In myPLTW, submit your Lesson 1.3 Open Investigation investigative CER report draft through the report section.
You built the evidence board Wednesday. By the end of today a complete draft (claim, evidence, reasoning, limitations) should be finished.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Write a full investigative CER report integrating all evidence and acknowledging limitations.
- State your cause-of-death claim clearly.
- Cite evidence from each of the four streams that supports the claim.
- Reason through how the evidence converges on the conclusion.
- Address conflicting evidence and explain how you resolved it.
- List the limitations that qualify your conclusion.
CER: Full investigative CER report: a clear cause-of-death claim, one piece of evidence cited from each of the four streams, a convergence reasoning paragraph, a conflict-resolution sentence, and at least two limitations.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| State your cause-of-death claim clearly. | _______ |
| Cite evidence from each of the four streams that supports the claim. | _______ |
| Reason through how the evidence converges on the conclusion. | _______ |
| Address conflicting evidence and explain how you resolved it. | _______ |
| List the limitations that qualify your conclusion. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- I can write a CER integrating multiple evidence streams.
- I can acknowledge limitations that qualify a conclusion.
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.
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 Biology Library- 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, Sep 25, 2026 · Write the report CER here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project