Station Activity
Information Station
Students will read a passage and then complete a task to help increase science literacy and deepen their understanding of the science concept.
Observation Station
Students will have images, illustrations or actual samples that show application or processes. They will need to apply their observational skills to complete questions.
Calculation Station
Students use math skills such as graphing, analyzing data, measurement or calculating using formula
Investigation Station
Students will work with one another to explore concepts through hands-on activities/lab work
Communication Station
This could involve students in a number of different activities – interviews, videos, making posters or brochures or essays. It is about communicating in different ways to show what they know.
Creation Station
Studentscreate models or designs to solve a problem – a STEM type activity
These station activities could form the basis of a DBQ with a culminating writing task. Alternatively they could be used to allow students to demonstrate their mastery of standards in a variety of ways, using their individual learning styles and strengths.
Sample Living Environment Station Activity: Cell Structure & Function
Information Station
By the time you are a teenager, most cells you were born with have died and have since been replaced by new cells. On average, most body cells rejuvenate every 7 – 10 years. Recently, however, scientists have found that many of your body cells renew more rapidly depending on their function and a few stay with you from birth to death.
The most recent method of estimating the age of body cells was discovered when Dr. Frisen. A molecular biologist, was trying to determine the age of human cells. After many trials, he was finally successful when he started measuring levels of a radioactive material called carbon-14 in body tissue. But where did carbon-14 come from?
Carbon-14 entered the atmosphere during the Cold War nuclear weapon tests. These tests were banned in 1963, the carbon-14 remained. Carbon-14 in the air turns into carbon dioxide, CO2, which is used by plants. The plants are eaten by humans and animals every day. Once inside a human body, the carbon-14 becomes part of a person’s DNA, which is found in every body cell and can now be used to determine the age of the cells.
Dr. Frisen’s method has allowed scientists to study many different cells of the body and determine their life expectancies. Several cells studies can be found in the table below.
Cell type / Life span (approximate)Red blood cells / 4 months
Fat cells / 8 years
Platelets / 10 days
Taste buds / 10 days
Stomach / 5 days
Skin (epidermis) / 30 days
Sperm / 2 months
Oocyte (female egg) / Life span
Neurons of cerebral cortex / Life time
White blood cells / 4 days
Lens (eye) / Life time
Liver / 1 year
Skeletal (entire system) / 10 years
This indicates, for instance, that skin and red blood cells have very short life spans. Skin is replaced every two to four weeks, whereas red blood cells take about four months. Cells with even shorter life spans are those that line the surface of the stomach and the intestines. These cells only stick around for about five days due to the fact that they are constantly hit with corrosive stomach acid which helps digest food for energy.
Some cells you are stuck with for your entire life, which include muscle cells of your heart, the cells that make up the lens of your eyes and the neurons of the cerebral cortex, which is the part of your brainthat governs memory, thought, language and consciousness.
How often does a person get new taste buds?
List three types of body cells that do not get renewed?
How does carbon-14 enter the body?
What happens to the carbon-14 once it enters the body?
Observation Station
What types of cells are Cell A and cell B? How do you know?
Cell A: ______Cell B: ______
Identify the structures 1 – 6 and name their functions.
Number / Identify the structure / Function1
2
3
4
5
6
Calculation Station
The cell membrane controls what substances come into and out of a cell. The main method for small substances to move across the cell membrane is by diffusion. Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
The following data table shows the size of some molecules that are able to diffuse across the cell membrane.
1. Create a bar graph using the data table.
Molecule / Glycerol / urea / Water / Glucose / Ethanol / Oxygen / Carbon DioxideSize (nm) / 0.6 / 0.26 / 0.29 / 1.0 / 0.44 / 0.5 / 0.65
Size of molecules crossing the cell membrane
1. Infer what molecule moves the fastest across the cell membrane. Explain your answer.
2. Explain how a cell membrane acts like a screen door.
Investigation Station
The difference between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
Materials: microscope, prepared slides of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
Procedure:
1. Carefully place a prepared slide on the microscope stage
2. Use the low power objective lens to locate the cell(s). Turn the coarse adjustment knob until the cell comes into focus.
3. In the data table below, write the name of the cell you are examining, describe the shape of the cell and put a check mark in the column of the cell structure you are able to observe.
4. Switch to high power objective lens, and add a check mark for any structure you can now see that you couldn’t locate under low-power.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the other prepared slides.
6. Choose one prokaryotic and one eukaryotic cell you viewed and draw each (with labels) in the space provided.
Slide name / Cell structuresCell wall / Nucleus / Cell membrane / Cytoplasm / Vacuole / Prokaryotic / Eukaryotic
Slide: ______Slide: ______
Magnification______Magnification:______
Analyze and conclude:
1. Based on your observations, do all cells have the same shape? Explain
2. What cell structures did you observe that were common in all cells?
Communication Station
Complete the Venn diagram to compare and contrast the cell structure of plant and animal cells