Description

Anatomy students explore the world of the Medical Examiner with this bundle designed to reinforce and review the basic concepts included in every high school Anatomy class!

Looking for a creative real-world project for your Anatomy & Physiology or Forensic classes this year? These two (2) project-based learning cases explore the most common objectives found the first unit of a high school Anatomy & Physiology course (see list of topics below).

Anatomy Review

In the first PBL, students explore/review basic anatomical terminology, body cavities & membranes, directional terms, and body planes as they participate in an Assistant Medical Examiner Training Program. Student teams participate in 9 Modules (see list below) and prepare a portfolio to be submitted to the Medical Examiner. An “official certificate” is also provided for their successful completion! The case ends with a presentation to the Medical Examiner by the student teams defending their determination of the mechanism of death, cause of death, and manner of death of a patient. This PBL also includes a Teacher’s Guide containing hints for each Module from my own classroom, as well as 2 small quizzes and a Review Worksheet. As a bonus, several diagrams included with this PBL could be used with your other units. This stand-alone activity includes everything you need to engage your students in a real-world application of Anatomy! Perfect for an end of the year review for Anatomy or for an Anatomy review for your Forensics class!

Materials Included in This PBL File:

1. Blank Grade Sheet/ Training Checklist

2. Module 1: Literature Review- Article “Reviewing & Comprehending Autopsy Reports” with Guided Questions

3. Module 2: Directional Terms- Practice & Application Questions

4. Module 3: Body Planes & Sections- Practice & Application Questions

5. Module 4: Regional Terms & Application Question

6. Module 5: Body Cavities & Membranes- Practice

7. Module 6: Operation Autopsy Practice (directions for playing the game “Operation” using directional terms!)

8. Module 7: Oh No! Torso- Part A Major Organs & Structures Diagram (with word bank for students to label)

9. Module 7: Oh No! Torso- Part B Abdominopelvic Regions Diagram (with word bank for students to label)

10. Module 8: Injury Report- Follow the Medical Examiner’s notes to identify injuries on a diagram (blank diagram is included)

11. Module 9: Amended Injury Report- Students delve deeper into the injuries to make connections between the wounds and the organs damaged

12. Module 10: Cause of Death (COD) Determination Report- Teams must provide a defensible Cause of Death, Mechanism of Death, and Manner of Death

13. Certificate of Achievement that can be personalized with student’s name

14. Glossary of Death Vocabulary- 20 terms students would need to know as Medical Examiners

15. Death Vocabulary Matching QUIZ- 20 terms (Includes Teacher’s KEY)

16. REVIEW WORKSHEET that covers: (Includes Teacher’s KEY)

• • the functions of each body system
  • the organs contained with each body system
  • a torso diagram to label with the major organs
  • the functions of each of the major organs.

12. QUIZ to accompany the Review Worksheet above (Includes Teacher’s KEY)

13. A Grade Sheet/ Rubric for project assessment

To see this activity in action in my classroom (& more PICTURES) please visit my blog at https://ateacherontheedge.wordpress.com/2019/05/09/assistant-medical-examiner-training-program-a-comprehensive-pbl-for-high-school-anatomy-or-forensics-classes/

Extend

Take students deeper with the 2nd PBL! This PBL activity can be used as a stand-alone project or as an enrichment companion activity to the Assistant Medical Examiners Training Program PBL. It is intended as a deeper review of the various body systems within a practical application. Students will be exposed to medical vocabulary used in the context of an actual autopsy report. Every effort was made to produce an autopsy report that mirrors what is produced from a real Medical Examiner’s office. Some of the vocabulary might be unfamiliar, but will make an excellent “teachable moment” for things like word parts (ex. thromboemboli- “thrombo”= blood clot; “emboli”- moving) or common medical conditions (ex. Atherosclerosis- hardening of the arteries).

Students always enjoy the opportunity to debate! This project provides students with the opportunity to analyze information, form an opinion, and defend their decision with direct evidence from their patient (via the autopsy report). I also included several rubrics that I use for assessment as my students complete this project. These instruments include opportunities for students to evaluate themselves, their team, as well as tools for me as the teacher to evaluate their work as a team and the product they produce.

I have also included my KEY to the Interpretation of Autopsy Findings Chart, although answers could certainly vary with your students’ the depth of analysis. As for the “answer” to Patient X’s death, arguments can be made for both sides for manner of death 1) Death by heart attack or stroke (natural causes), then he had the accident or 2) Death resulting from injuries caused by the accident (accidental). A case could also be made for 3) undetermined because it really is difficult to pinpoint an exact event that caused his death (Since he was on blood thinners, he experienced heavier than normal bleeding from all the injuries (especially the lacerated liver) and maybe he would have survived these injuries if he wasn’t taking this drug). It’s all in the perspective so grading for this project is flexible for the teacher!

The project grading rubric is included (I count this project 150 points) with the point values for each part. This stand-alone activity includes everything you need to engage your students in a real-world application of Anatomy! Perfect for an end of the year review for Anatomy or for an Anatomy review for your Forensics class!

Materials Included in This PBL File:

1. Overview of the Project (including 4 student team “jobs” and duties)

2. Team Responsibilities (Complete Description with responsibilities and guiding questions for each job)

3. CER requirements for Medical Examiner Meeting Presentation

4. CER Rubric

5. Medical Examiner Meeting Worksheet

6. Interpretation of the Autopsy Worksheet

7. Interpretation of the Autopsy Worksheet Key

8. Patient X Autopsy Report (including diagram with injuries marked)

9. Autopsy Body Diagrams (Blank in case you’d like to have students mark injuries)

10. Self/Peer Evaluation Form (top 1/2 sheet) and Team Reflection Form (bottom 1/2 sheet) *These can be re-used with any project*

11. Team Evaluation Form (for the teacher) *This can be re-used with any project

12. Project Rubric/ Grade Sheet

13. Teacher Guide/ Helpful Hints