Unit 2.2 to 2.3: Chromosomal abnormalities, genetic risk, family evidence, diagnosis from mixed data.
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 - Genetic Risk: karyotypes, pedigrees, and diagnosing from mixed evidence
Use a karyotype, a pedigree, and a family history to reason about inheritance and propose a likely diagnosis for a patient with a chromosomal abnormality.
- 1Define genotype, phenotype, and carrier in your own words, then label each in a short example.
- 2Read the karyotype for your case patient and note any missing, extra, or rearranged chromosomes.
- 3Build a three-generation pedigree from the family history, marking affected and carrier individuals.
- 4Compare the karyotype and the pedigree and write what each piece of evidence tells you that the other does not.
- 5State the most likely diagnosis and the genetic risk for the next child, citing your two strongest pieces of evidence.
- 6Write one sentence on what additional test you would order before confirming the diagnosis.
- • You will be able to read a karyotype and identify a chromosomal abnormality.
- • You will be able to trace an inheritance pattern through a pedigree.
- • You will be able to combine mixed evidence into a justified diagnosis and risk estimate.
Daily lessons this week
Open any day for its full lesson, the work due that day, and guided notes.
Two-sentence written reflection naming the strongest opposing argument encountered during the debate.
Annotated notes on karyotype structure, aneuploidy, and inheritance patterns with a labeled karyotype diagram.
Completed karyotype template with labeled chromosome pairs, identified abnormality, and one stated procedural limitation.
Written CER with a quantitative genetic-risk claim, pedigree and Punnett square evidence, and at least one stated limitation.
Updated project tracker with unit status, self-assessed confidence rating, and one reflective note on remaining limitations.
Quick intro to the week
- Hook: a family wants to know the odds for their next child, and the answer is written in chromosomes and a family tree.
- Today's goal: learn to weigh a karyotype against a pedigree so your diagnosis rests on evidence, not a guess.
- Monday bioethics debate ties in: should parents be told the genetic risk of a condition that has no cure?
- Reminder: your graded pedigree and diagnosis write-up are submitted in the PLTW course shell.
Your PLTW coursework this week
Do this: Advance your PLTW PBS genetics benchmark by completing the genetic-risk case analysis and diagnosis worksheet in the online course shell.
- • A karyotype displays the number and structure of chromosomes and can reveal abnormalities.
- • A pedigree maps inheritance across generations to show carriers and affected individuals.
- • Genetic risk estimates the probability that a trait passes to the next generation.
- • Distinguish genotype from phenotype when reading a case.
- • Synthesize a karyotype and a pedigree into one diagnosis.
📋 PLTW evidence due: the completed pedigree and genetic-risk diagnosis write-up 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 | Wed, Oct 21 | Genetic testing ethics debate | Two-sentence written reflection naming the strongest opposing argument encountered during the debate. |
| Tuesday | Thu, Oct 22 | Karyotype and inheritance notes | Annotated notes on karyotype structure, aneuploidy, and inheritance patterns with a labeled karyotype diagram. |
| Wednesday | Fri, Oct 23 | Karyotype case analysis | Completed karyotype template with labeled chromosome pairs, identified abnormality, and one stated procedural limitation. |
| Thursday | Mon, Oct 26 | Pedigree and risk CER | Written CER with a quantitative genetic-risk claim, pedigree and Punnett square evidence, and at least one stated limitation. |
| Friday | Tue, Oct 27 | Submit tracker and evidence | Updated project tracker with unit status, self-assessed confidence rating, and one reflective note on remaining limitations. |
- 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: Genetic-risk explanation.
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: chromosomes and inheritance; MedlinePlus Genetics.
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:
NHGRI genome.govVocabulary
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 9 here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
Upload a project