Case File: Cancer Detectives

Learning Goals & Products

Learning Goals

Students will be able to analyze patient symptoms, family history, genetic factors, and environmental and occupational exposures to develop and revise an evidence-based differential diagnosis while distinguishing evidence from assumptions.

Students will be able to explain how cell evidence, screening procedures, imaging, biopsies, and laboratory tests contribute to determining whether cancerous cells are present.

Students will be able to evaluate conventional and emerging cancer treatments—including individualized medications, rehabilitation, prosthetics, and nanotechnology—according to patient factors, benefits, limitations, and supporting evidence.

Students will be able to recommend evidence-based cancer risk-reduction strategies connected to genetic, environmental, occupational, and behavioral risk factors.

Students will be able to synthesize and communicate a respectful patient-case conclusion that acknowledges alternative explanations, evidence limitations, and changes made through peer feedback and reflection.

Products

individual

Individual Cancer Case Investigation Notebook

Each student documents focused questions, source notes, evidence tables, diagnostic-method analysis, a differential diagnosis, treatment and prevention comparisons, uncertainties, and revisions based on feedback. The notebook demonstrates independent mastery and supplies evidence for the team poster.

team

Medical Mystery Expo Patient Diagnosis Poster and Defense

Teams synthesize members’ investigations into a poster presenting the most likely and alternative cancer types, relevant exposures, recommended diagnostic steps, individualized treatment technologies, risk-reduction guidance, limitations, and revised conclusions. During the gallery walk, teams defend their reasoning with evidence while communicating empathetically and avoiding claims of medical certainty.

Rubric

Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric

Category	Learning Goal	Stage 1	Stage 2	Stage 3	Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies	Critical Thinking & Problem Solving	I can identify a few clues from the case file, such as symptoms, family history, or workplace exposure, and name a possible cancer with teacher support I can use simple evidence to explain why one clue matters, even if my reasoning still includes assumptions or incomplete links.	I can connect multiple pieces of case evidence, including symptoms, genetics, and environmental or occupational exposures, to compare more than one possible cancer I can use evidence to rule out some ideas, suggest needed diagnostic tests, and explain my thinking with partial independence.	I can analyze the case evidence to build a well-supported differential diagnosis that weighs symptoms, risk factors, and likely sources of illness I can justify which cancers should be considered most strongly and explain how diagnostic technologies could confirm or narrow the possibilities.	I can synthesize evidence from symptoms, family history, environmental and occupational exposures, and cancer technologies to make a clear, defensible recommendation for the most likely cancer and next steps I can evaluate competing explanations, explain how new treatments or individualized technologies fit the case, and revise my conclusions when new evidence or feedback changes my thinking.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Effective Communication	I can share basic observations about the patient case using some science words, and I can name a few possible cancers, symptoms, or risk factors from our evidence stations I can listen to my team, ask questions when I am unsure, and contribute one idea to our poster or discussion.	I can explain my thinking about the patient case with clear evidence from symptoms, family history, or workplace exposures, and I can distinguish evidence from assumptions in my explanations I can communicate my ideas to my team and class in a clear way, using some details about diagnostic tests or treatments.	I can present a well-organized explanation that connects the patient’s symptoms, genetics, environment, and occupation to the most likely cancer types and to possible diagnostic and treatment technologies I can use evidence to support my conclusions, respond to peer questions, and revise my message when feedback shows that my explanation needs more clarity or stronger support.	I can communicate a strong, evidence-based medical mystery conclusion that compares alternative diagnoses, justifies the most likely cancer type, and explains why specific diagnostics, individualized treatments, and risk-reduction strategies fit the patient case I can present with confidence and empathy, answer challenging questions, and clearly show how team feedback and new evidence changed our final reasoning.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Content Expertise	I can identify a few basic facts from the case file, such as symptoms, family history, or workplace exposure, and use them to name a possible cancer type with teacher support I can include simple evidence from the stations in my notes, even if my explanation still has gaps or mixes evidence with assumptions.	I can gather and organize relevant evidence about symptoms, genetics, environment, and occupation to explain why one or more cancer types are possible for the patient I can compare some diagnostic or treatment technologies and connect them to the case with mostly accurate reasoning.	I can analyze multiple pieces of evidence to build a clear, evidence-based differential diagnosis that explains which cancers are most likely and why others are less likely I can connect risk factors, prevention, diagnostic methods, and individualized treatments, including emerging technologies, to support a well-justified case poster.	I can independently synthesize complex case evidence into a strong, nuanced diagnosis recommendation that accounts for uncertainty, alternative possibilities, and the relationship among genetics, environmental exposures, occupation, symptoms, and technology I can evaluate the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment options for the patient, clearly explain how the evidence led to my conclusions, and refine my thinking using feedback and new information.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Collaboration	I can contribute to my team by sharing observations from evidence stations, listening to others’ ideas, and helping the group keep track of symptom, family-history, and exposure clues With support, I can help my team agree on an initial list of possible cancers and record one question or next step for our investigation.	I can work with my team to compare evidence, explain my thinking using patient clues, and help organize information into an evidence board or chart I can participate in shared decisions about which cancers to consider and use feedback from checkpoints or debriefs to revise part of our team’s ideas.	I can collaborate with my team to connect symptoms, genetics, environmental and occupational exposures, and diagnostic technology into a clear, evidence-based differential diagnosis I can help my group make and justify decisions, respond to peer critique, and revise our poster using stronger evidence about cancer risk, prevention, and treatment options.	I can lead and sustain highly effective collaboration by helping my team divide roles, resolve disagreements respectfully, and integrate multiple perspectives into a polished, evidence-based cancer case diagnosis poster I can co-create and defend a nuanced recommendation that includes likely cancer types, diagnostic and treatment technologies, individualized risk-reduction ideas, and clear acknowledgments of uncertainty and alternative explanations.
Deeper Learning Competencies	Self Directed Learning	I can use teacher and team prompts to notice gaps in my understanding, record what evidence I still need about the patient, and revise one part of my thinking after feedback or an exit reflection.	I can identify questions I need to answer, use checkpoint feedback to update my notes or evidence board, and explain one change I made to my ideas about likely cancers, risk factors, or treatments.	I can independently use evidence, peer critique, and reflections to monitor my learning, compare possible cancer types, and revise my claims when new information changes what seems most likely for the patient.	I can consistently direct my own learning by seeking out needed evidence, evaluating the strength of my conclusions, and using feedback and reflection to make thoughtful revisions to my diagnosis poster and treatment recommendations.