• Biomedical Innovations (PLTW)

    Clayton High School

    2024-2025

    Instructor: Mrs. Susan Murray

    Email: susanmurray@claytonschools.net

    Course Information and Expectations

    In this capstone PLTW Biomedical Sciences course, students apply their knowledge and skills to answer questions or solve problems related to the biomedical sciences. Students design innovative solutions for the health challenges of the 21st century as they work through progressively challenging open-ended problems, addressing topics such as clinical medicine, physiology, biomedical engineering, and public health. They have the opportunity to work on an independent project and may work with a mentor or an advisor from a university, hospital, physician's office, or industry. Throughout the course, students are expected to present their work to an adult audience that may include representatives from the local business and healthcare community.

    Students will be asked to apply what they have learned in the previous three courses to solve unique problems in science, medicine, and healthcare. Students will work systematically through required problems before completing optional directed problems or independent work. WEach problem is staged as a mission - a unique set of tasks the students must work through to achieve their desired objective. Students are presented with each problem as a Mission File - a document that includes a case brief, a list of completion tasks, links to available resources, as well as a reflection section. Working through the missions not only exposes students to current issues in biomedical science, but it also provides skills-based instruction in research and experimentation - tools students will use to design innovative solutions to real-world problems. Students will use what they learn in these missions as they develop and implement their independent project at the end of the year. 

    Units include:

    1. Design an effective emergency room

    2. Exploring Human Physiology

    3. Design a Medical Innovation

    4. Investigating Environmental Health

    5. Combating a Public Health Issue

    6. Molecular Biology in Action (Optional)

    7. Forensic Autopsy (Optional)

    8. Independent Project (Optional).

     

    Grade Calculation:

    The course will have a weighted grade calculation made up of three categories:

    • Classwork = 10%

    • Quizzes & Labs  = 40%

    • Projects = 50%

    Rubrics will be given for projects and labs.





    Lab: 

    • One of the most important aspects of this course is the lab portion of the course. 

    • You will learn what is expected in a lab report and will write your own lab report even if you worked in a group or with others for the lab. 

    • Your report will be graded for accuracy, and neatness.

    Late Lab reports or projects:

    • Lab participation, certain lab reports and projects are required elements for completion of the Biomedical Innovations course.

    • If a lab activity is missed, the student should arrange a time with me to make up the lab activity within the same unit of learning.

    • If a lab report is missing on the due date a grade of “INS” (insufficient) will be entered into the gradebook. INS = 0%. INS may be entered even if the student was absent for the lab activity.

    • A student must make up missing lab activities and lab reports unless it is determined by me that an alternative activity could replace the learning objectives, or an exemption may be given in rare instances.

    • Projects are subject to the “INS” grade if it is not turned in on time.

    Quizzes: both announced and unannounced, will be given periodically. Quizzes may not be retaken. 

     

    Projects: Each unit culminates in the completion of a "mission" or "project". Your mission/project will be a summative assessment. Therefore, you will not take traditional "unit tests".

     

    Absences:  

    • If the student is absent, it is the students’ responsibility to obtain missed notes and assignments, make up the work, contact me for help, and get caught up. 

    • I will keep Google Classroom (GC) up to date by the end of each school day by 4:00pm.

    • An absent student should check GC for new assignments or directions at 4:00 pm or later.  If hard copies of papers were given out in a class while absent, you may obtain them when you return to class, print your own copy from the e-copy posted on GC, convert the e-copy into a writable pdf, or have a friend /sibling bring you one.

    • Notes that are missed will be posted on GC by the end of the day or early the next day. It is the absent students' responsibility to stay caught up with new material and ask questions by email or in person upon return.

    • If absent for a quiz, it is expected that the student will take the missed test or quiz on the next day of returning to school during Greyhound time or another arranged time

    Classroom Behavior Expectations:

    The purpose of school is to receive an education.  Anything that interferes with that purpose will not be tolerated.  The following rules have been established because all students need to know what their boundaries are, and what the consequences of exceeding those boundaries are.  As your teacher, I have the right and the authority to discipline whenever necessary in a fair, firm, and consistent manner.  Please note that all rules outlined in the student handbook will be observed in this classroom.

     

    Classroom Rules:

    1.  Mutual Respect -- We want to establish an atmosphere of mutual respect toward peers and the teacher.  Treat others the way you would like to be treated.  This includes:

    a.  Respect others' property (teacher's, student's, or school's)

    b.  Respect others opinions

    • When other students are sharing their ideas, our job is to listen and develop a critical opinion in favor of or against their opinion or idea.  Our job is not to talk at the same time.

    • When I am speaking, your job is the same. I would encourage you to share your critical opinion or understanding with us. Raising your hand will indicate to us that you have developed a critical opinion or have a misunderstanding.

     

    2.  Be on time.

    When the bell rings, every student is expected to be present in the classroom.  Promptness is a habit that is necessary in this and all future phases of life. Being on time indicates that you are committed to your learning and that you respect the importance of your classmates' and teacher's time and ideas.

     

    3.  Be prepared--This includes:

    a.  Learning materials

    • At every class meeting, students should bring appropriate learning materials—pen, pencil, binder, three-hole punched loose-leaf paper, and a charged chromebook.

    b.  Assignments

    • Assignments are expected to be turned in by the assigned deadlines to best enhance learning. When circumstances arise and deadlines can not be met, please communicate (email or otherwise). See “Late classwork/homework” above for details.

     

    c. No food or drink, except water, in the classroom during class time.

    d.No food or drink including water in the lab area unless special permission is granted.

     

    4. Be Safe.

    All rules for your safety and the safety of other students will be followed in class and lab. Specific safety rules as pertains to lab experiments will be instructed before beginning the lab. If at any time you or another student accidentally injures themselves, you should notify me immediately. If at any time you accidently break glassware or other lab equipment you should notify me immediately. No “horseplay” will be tolerated in the classroom or lab.

     

    5. Personal Electronic Devices

    Our goal at Clayton High School is always to maintain a distraction free, academic environment. With this in mind, the use of electronic devices such as (but not limited to) cell phones and earbuds is prohibited during instructional time. Smart watches and similar wearable devices should be placed in airplane or school mode. The expectation is that all students will have these devices put away during instructional time unless I have given permission for use in a specific instructional activity. Students who violate the personal electronic device expectations will be subject to progressive disciplinary consequences including, but not limited to, loss of privileges. Exceptions to this rule may apply based on accommodations included in a student’s 504, IEP or health plan. As a reminder, students should only access the internet through district-provided networks during the school day. For more information, please reference this document. 

     

    6. Attendance

    A student will not be allowed more than EIGHT (8) absences per semester, excused or unexcused. On the ninth absence, “No Credit - Absences” (NCA) will be issued for the class. Students will need to serve a Greyhound Time detention to mitigate a class absence (One detention served will count for one class absence removed). If the student is failing the course at the end of the semester, an “F” will override the “NCA.” If the student is passing the class, an “NCA” will appear on the grade report to indicate that a passing grade was earned but credit was not awarded for that course due to lack of attendance in the class. For more information, please reference this document. 

    *Please note, Religious Observances, while excused, do not factor into the count of 8+ absences. 

     

    7. Greyhound Time

    Clayton High School provides a common time each day to support the academic and personal growth of students. This time may be used in a variety of ways such as academic support (tutoring, reassessment, conferences), club meetings, LINK Crew meetings, exercise and mental wellness activities.  While students are encouraged to be proactive in meeting their academic needs, I may require students to come to office hours for additional assistance. The expectation is that students will prioritize their academic needs during this time.  Failure to comply with teacher requests may result in a loss of privileges until their academic obligations are met and/or appropriate disciplinary action. 



    Enforcement of Policies:

    All interventions are aimed at modifying unacceptable behaviors. Once again, my ultimate goal in this course is for you/your student to learn Science. Excessive time spent addressing unacceptable behaviors will take away from this goal. The interventions that follow describe typical courses of action if a rule is broken.

     

    Absences and/or tardies will be dealt with according to school policy. 

     

    Disrespect directed toward peers or the teacher will be addressed according to severity of the infraction and number of occurrences. Typical interventions include: verbal warning, conference with teacher, conference with parent, and referral to an administrator. These interventions will be administered relative to the severity of the infraction.



    Google Classroom: IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS AND PARENTS:

    I will make every effort to keep Google Classroom up to date; students should get in the habit of checking Google classroom for assignments and copies of handouts from class as well as copies of notes we go over. If a parent wishes to be able to view my Google Classroom (where I post everything), please email me with your child's name as the subject line and a note requesting to join the Google Classroom. Please use your preferred email.