THE BUZZ CONTINUES…
Last year 133 applications were received
from prospective freshmen to enter into the
biomedical
program
(Principles
of
Biomedical Science).
This year, 175
applications were submitted, a 32%
increase over last year. The 175 applicants
represent 29% of the 8 th grade students
enrolled in the Plymouth schools. With only
125 seats available, 71% of the students
will be allowed acceptance into the program.
A wait list will be put together and used only
in the event that a student selected for the
program does not enroll in the program.
This wait list will dissolve at the start of the
school year.
Additionally, of the 106 students currently
enrolled in the Principles of Biomedical
Science course, 90 students have chosen to
enroll in the second year course, Human
Body Systems. This is an attrition rate of
only 15%. If this rate were to continue,
there would still be over 70 students
graduating from the Plymouth Schools
having been part of this pathway – quite the
accomplishment!
NEXT STEPS
Freshmen enrolled in Principles of Biomedical Science at PSHS in Mrs. Denn’s class. These
students and Mrs. Denn are in the Spotlight on page 2.
PRINCIPLES OF BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE COURSE UPDATE
Students are currently following up on a portion of Anna Garcia’s autopsy
report that indicated she suffered from sickle cell anemia. Included in their
study of sickle cell is learning basic information about the disease (e.g.,
related health problems, description of treatments). Additionally, students
will also learn about protein synthesis and the impact that changing one
nucleotide would have on a specific sequence of amino acids. Furthermore,
students will explore how genes are passed from parent to child by studying
pedigrees and calculations of inheritance. An examination of bioethics, as
well as the biomedical professions a patient with sickle cell encounters during
their treatment journey will also be completed. This work follows a unit on
diabetes and precedes the fourth unit, which is on heart disease.
Next Community
Committee Meeting
June 7, 2016
PNHS, Room 202A
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm
All welcome!
Plymouth’s four PLTW staff members
will attend ten days of professional
development at Stevenson University
in Maryland from July 10-21. This Core
Training is a collaborative, in-person
training experience offered only at
PLTW Affiliate institutions across the
nation and facilitated by
END OF COURSE ASSESSMENTS
PLTW Master Teachers. Staff
attending
will
explore
applications of APB Learning
(Activities, Project, ProblemBased) and STEM education,
and gain confidence with the
Human Body Systems course
curriculum as they engage in
activities such as exploration
of anatomy and physiology
of the human eye.
In
August, after they return,
staff will continue working
to gain further comfort with
the second year course, HBS.
Second-Year Scrubs/
White Coat Ceremony
Are you interested in planning for
these special events? Fundraising?
If interested, email Alison Riordan
[email protected].
Alison Riordan • Science Curriculum Coordinator • [email protected] • 508-830-4477
In the Spotlight
“Students are engaged in learning every
day,” boasts Fei Denn, Science Teacher
at Plymouth South High School.
Not an easy feat in 2016 where distractions of social
media, extracurricular activities, and personal
commitments abound.
And yet, these first year Biomedical Science (BMS)
students are inquisitive and willing to participate.
They never question the lessons or lab instructions.
They know they are in the driver’s seat; navigating
clues with every pivotal turn, and plotting their next
path as the puzzle unfolds. The end goal: solving the
death of fictitious character, Anna Garcia.
To Ms. Denn, Science has always been at the
forefront of her mind, evident in the multiple degrees
she holds. Along with both undergraduate and
graduate degrees in Science Education, Ms. Denn has
a combined twenty-two years of teaching experience
at both the middle and high school science levels.
Says Denn, “I’m looking forward to my students
progressing from being passive learners to active
learners who are able to research, problem solve, and
analyze.” She adds, “They are ultimately in charge
of their learning.”
The program is offered through Project Lead the Way
(PLTW), a non-profit organization that strives to
foster the development of critical skills needed to
succeed in the global economy. It is largely studentfocused and the teaching style is much less directive
than it is supportive, encouraging, and guided.
Student Emily Kunkle notes, “My biggest success so
far was writing the investigative essay because I got
to really show what I've learned this year as an
individual.”
Hannah Laudermilk’s biggest takeaway has been
“becoming better at teaching myself things and
becoming more independent in learning.”
(Written by Jennifer Nolan, Academic Coordinators’ Secretary)
The opportunity to teach BMS struck Ms. Denn with
a wave of nostalgia. In high school, she was enrolled
in a lab research course. She gained valuable
exposure to career opportunities within lab facilities
at a number of local colleges and medical schools.
This ultimately led to her first position as a Lab
Technician at a small Biotech company.
For the majority of students, the choice to enroll in
the introductory course was fueled by their interest in
science and medicine. College and career aspirations
are often formulated in the early years of education
so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that freshmen make
their course selections based on what will give them
the most exposure to their desired career path.
Recent feedback from BMS students Calisto Betti
and Ian Harrington is a case in point.
“I wanted to be in this program because I had a deep
interest in being a Biomedical Engineer and
designing prosthetics, specifically,” notes Betti.
Adds Harrington, “I wanted to further learn about
Life Science and how medicine is used with
diseases.”
Time management is the key to success within this
program. It is a balancing act of gathering data,
analyzing results, and testing hypotheses. Students
must maintain focus and commit to follow-through.
“Trying to stay organized and not procrastinate,” is a
goal that Connor Maloney and his classmates share.
Now in their third semester, it is evident that the
students have matured, gained confidence, and have
adapted to the self-directed problem-solving.
Ms. Denn observes, “They are doing research,
working cooperatively, doing presentations,
performing labs, and writing reports;” traits that will
effectively contribute to their employment readiness
upon graduation.
The PLTW brochure tag line reads, “Bring the Future
of Biomedical Sciences Alive.” Perhaps now Ms.
Denn can sit back, relax, and observe her students as
they collectively bring Anna’s death to life.