Teacher Monitoring Guide
Grade 7 · Cycle 1 · Week 3 — Cell Communication & Gene Expression

Learning Goal

Students will develop models to explain how cells communicate through chemical signals and how gene expression determines which proteins a cell produces and its resulting function.

Station Checkpoints

Station 1 — Hook & Phenomenon
Look for: Students connecting the phenomenon to prior knowledge and generating testable questions
Common misconception: Genes are always active in every cell — redirect to the concept of gene regulation and differential expression
Station 2 — Investigation / Data Collection
Look for: Accurate data recording and identification of emerging patterns in the evidence
Common misconception: Signals only travel inside a single cell — use hormone examples to show intercellular and endocrine signaling pathways
Station 3 — Sense-Making
Look for: Students revising their model based on evidence collected during investigation
Common misconception: Mutations always cause disease — show that most mutations are silent or neutral; only some alter protein function

Exit Ticket Monitoring

Score Range Interpretation Next Step
18–23 pts Meeting target Extend with synthesis question
10–17 pts Developing Small group re-teach at day start
0–9 pts Needs support 1:1 intervention before next station

MTSS Tier 2 Supports

For students scoring below 10 pts on the exit ticket: use the sentence frames below during the next class's hook.