Rough draft.This research track is under review with Dr. Atit's lab. Content and sequence may still change.
Craniofacial Research Track
Session 1The Case Opens, SeptemberLens: PBS
Meet Mateo
Discovery question
Mateo was born with a lip and . What questions would a research lab ask first?
A patient case is the start of a . Good scientists begin by observing carefully and listing what they do not yet know.
Learn first
What to learn
Goal: Describe Mateo's case in plain language and generate a list of researchable questions that will drive the year.
Know by the end
- A lip is a gap in the upper lip; a cleft is an opening in the roof of the mouth; a person can have one or both.
- Mateo is a composite patient, built from published science, so no real person's private information is used.
- Scientists turn observations into questions, and questions into testable studies.
- lip and is one of the most common birth differences worldwide.
The plan
Guided notes
1
What we see
Model start: Mateo has an opening on the left side of his upper lip that reaches toward his nose, and an opening in the roof of his mouth.
- In one sentence, describe Mateo's using the words lip and .
- List three things you notice or wonder when you read his case.
2
From observation to question
Model start: How does the lip form before birth, and what step did not finish for Mateo?
- Write two questions that start with "Why" and two that start with "How" about Mateo's case.
- Star the one question you most want this year to answer.
3
What kind of question can science answer?
- Cross out any question that cannot be tested with evidence.
- Rewrite one of your questions so it is specific and answerable.
Explore
Reading the Research
What to read
Read the overview section at the top of the page only. Cleft lip and cleft palate (overview)
Why this source matters
This is the published evidence behind today's idea: A patient case is the start of a . Good scientists begin by observing carefully and listing what they do not yet know.
Words to unlock first
Reading moves
- Skim the title and abstract first to get the gist.
- Circle the one sentence that states the main claim.
- Box the evidence the authors give for that claim.
- Mark one sentence that confuses you, and move on.
Stop point
You do not need every detail on the page. Stay with the parts that connect to Mateo.
Your output
Write one claim-evidence sentence: what this source claims, and the one piece of evidence that backs it up.
Lab day
Using the database (what to capture)
MedlinePlus
Open the tool Plain-language explanations of a gene or condition, written for patients and families.
When you use this: Use this when a research paper is too dense, or when you need to explain a finding to Mateo's family in everyday words.
What the screen looks like
Step by step
- 1Open medlineplus.gov/genetics and search the gene or condition (IRF6).
- 2Read the summary written in everyday words.
- 3Note the conditions the gene is linked to at the bottom of the page.
Capture these fields
- Topic: IRF6 gene
- Plain-language summary: IRF6 helps the tissues of the face join correctly before birth.
- Linked conditions: Van der Woude syndrome; nonsyndromic cleft
How to read it: Start here when a research paper is too dense. MedlinePlus gives you the gist in everyday words so you can go back to the harder source knowing what it is about.
Lost? About MedlinePlus GeneticsLearn first
Pick your level
Level 1, Guided
Use the sentence starters, a word bank from the vocabulary, a labeled diagram, and the exact source link.
Level 2, Collaborative
Complete a partly blank model or table and explain it.
Level 3, Independent
Make a claim from a new example or an unfamiliar entry in the same database.
The plan
Work as a research team
Team roles
- Manager: keeps the group moving
- Recorder: writes the shared model or table
- Evidence checker: verifies each claim against the source
- Reporter: explains the group's reasoning
Process reflection
- What evidence changed your thinking today?
- What did your group disagree about, and how did you resolve it?
- What question is still unresolved?
Check yourself
Demonstration of learning
By the end of this session, submit ONE of: a labeled diagram with a 2-sentence explanation; a claim, evidence, reasoning paragraph; a completed data table from a real database; or a one-question exit ticket using today's vocabulary.
Meets standard if your explanation correctly connects structure, timing, gene or protein function, or evidence source to Mateo's case: Describe Mateo's case in plain language and generate a list of researchable questions that will drive the year.
How this is graded (rubric)
For: Describe Mateo's case in plain language and generate a list of researchable questions that will drive the year.
| Criterion | Proficient | Developing | Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete | Every required part of the artifact is present and filled in. | Most parts are present, but one is missing or left blank. | Several parts are missing. |
| Accurate | The science and data are correct and match the evidence. | Mostly correct, with a small factual slip. | Key science or data is wrong. |
| Scientific reasoning (CER) | States a claim, backs it with specific evidence, and explains the reasoning. | Has a claim and evidence, but the reasoning is thin or missing. | Gives an answer with no evidence or reasoning. |
| Professional communication | Clear, organized, and labeled the way a clinician or scientist would write it. | Readable but disorganized or missing labels. | Hard to follow. |
| Submitted | Turned in the right way (Schoology for routine work) and confirmed. | Turned in, but in the wrong place or unconfirmed. | Not turned in. |
How the model answer scores against this rubric
- CompleteProficient: Nothing is left blank: the model fills every part of "Describe Mateo's case in plain language and generate a list of researchable questions that will drive the year.".
- AccurateProficient: Every number and claim matches the case evidence.
- Scientific reasoning (CER)Proficient: It names a claim, cites the specific evidence, and explains the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Professional communicationProficient: It is organized and labeled like a real chart note.
- SubmittedProficient: It would be turned in on Schoology and confirmed.