Unit 1.2 Master the Morgue: Body systems, toxicology evidence, tissue microscopy, gross anatomy, preserved-heart/autopsy alternative.
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 - Master the Morgue: body systems, tissues, and toxicology evidence
Examine tissue samples under the microscope, connect organ systems to homeostasis, and read toxicology evidence to reason about a mechanism of death.
- 1Open the Unit 1.2 task in your PLTW shell to see what autopsy evidence is graded.
- 2Review the major organ systems and how each one helps maintain homeostasis.
- 3Examine prepared tissue slides under the microscope and sketch what histology reveals at the cellular level.
- 4If available, observe a preserved heart or anatomical model and label its gross anatomy structures.
- 5Read a sample toxicology panel and note which results are outside the normal range.
- 6Use the tissue and toxicology evidence to write a reasoned statement about a possible mechanism of death.
- • You can identify tissue types from microscope observations.
- • You can connect an organ system to how it maintains homeostasis.
- • You can use toxicology evidence to reason about a mechanism of death.
Daily lessons this week
Open any day for its full lesson, the work due that day, and guided notes.
Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing whether autopsies should require family consent, with a reference to either investigative truth or bodily autonomy in the reasoning.
Exit ticket: name all four tissue types, one identifying structural feature of each, and one organ that contains each type.
Lab notebook pages: four histology sketches (one per tissue type, magnification labeled, one feature identified), a labeled heart diagram with chambers, valves, and major vessels, and one limitation and one error source noted.
CER arguing what tissue damage could indicate as a cause of death, using Wednesday's microscopy observations as evidence and referencing a comparison to normal histology in the reasoning.
Complete morgue packet: four labeled histology sketches (magnification noted), heart anatomy diagram (four chambers, two-plus valves, major vessels), Thursday CER with reference comparison, and self-assessment form.
Quick intro to the week
- The morgue is where the body's own systems become the evidence, and reading tissue is a skill real pathologists train for years to master.
- Today's goal: use histology and toxicology data together to reason carefully about how a death happened.
- Monday's bioethics debate connects here: who should be allowed to decide that an autopsy is performed, and does the family get a say?
- Your graded autopsy evidence table is submitted in the PLTW course shell.
Your PLTW coursework this week
Do this: Advance the PLTW PBS Unit 1.2 benchmark by analyzing tissue microscopy and toxicology evidence in the online course shell.
- • Homeostasis is the body's maintenance of stable internal conditions across organ systems.
- • Histology is the microscopic study of tissues, which differ by structure and function.
- • Toxicology evidence compares measured levels against a normal range.
- • Identify tissue types using a microscope.
- • Interpret toxicology results relative to a normal range.
📋 PLTW evidence due Friday: completed Unit 1.2 autopsy evidence table from tissue microscopy and toxicology data.
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, Sep 15 | Ethics of autopsy | Written CER (3-5 sentences) arguing whether autopsies should require family consent, with a reference to either investigative truth or bodily autonomy in the reasoning. |
| Tuesday | Wed, Sep 16 | Body systems and tissues | Exit ticket: name all four tissue types, one identifying structural feature of each, and one organ that contains each type. |
| Wednesday | Thu, Sep 17 | Tissue and heart lab | Lab notebook pages: four histology sketches (one per tissue type, magnification labeled, one feature identified), a labeled heart diagram with chambers, valves, and major vessels, and one limitation and one error source noted. |
| Thursday | Fri, Sep 18 | Analyze histology evidence | CER arguing what tissue damage could indicate as a cause of death, using Wednesday's microscopy observations as evidence and referencing a comparison to normal histology in the reasoning. |
| Friday | Mon, Sep 21 | Submit morgue evidence | Complete morgue packet: four labeled histology sketches (magnification noted), heart anatomy diagram (four chambers, two-plus valves, major vessels), Thursday CER with reference comparison, and self-assessment form. |
- 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: Autopsy evidence table.
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: human body systems; visible body/anatomy references if district approved.
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:
Khan Academy: human body systems (Health and medicine)Vocabulary
Virtual resources
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.
Standards this week
WebXam practice
Drop your Week 4 here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project