Timeline/Lesson Sequence : This Set of Lessons Would Introduce the Unit on Cells
Timeline/Lesson Sequence: This set of lessons would introduce the unit on Cells.
Learner Characteristics/Audience: This course is one of the required science graduation requirements for most sophomore students. All levels and types and learners will be found as participants in this class.
Essential Questions:
- What is a cell?
- How do individual parts work together to improve efficiency of the system?
- How does interdependence relate to cellular systems?
Content Learning Standards and Objectives:
Students will:
- Observe and describe cellular structure and function.
- Identify the function and interdependence of cellular organelles.
NETS Standards:
Research and Information Fluency
- Students will apply digital tools to gather, evaluate, and use information.
Communication and Collaboration
- Students will use digital media and environments to communicate and work collaboratively.
Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, and Decision making
- Students will use critical thinking skills to plan and conduct research, manage projects, solve problems and make informed decisions using appropriate digital tools and resources
Background/Overview for the lesson: Understanding Cellular structure and process is an essential starting point for understanding biological systems. This series of lessons will connect prior knowledge of systems to new knowledge of life systems. Students will engage in the analysis of parts, subsystems, interactions, and matching. The descriptions of parts and their interaction are more important than just calling everything a system. In the context of cells, students should be encouraged to look at the cell as both a system and subsystem and to develop an understanding of how the parts of a cell interact with one another, i.e., how they help to do the "work" of the cell.
Assessment: Students will use the following tools
PowerPoint presentation
Online quizzes
Creation of Graphic Organizers
Personal reflection through email
Rubric and student check-list produced using RubiStar
Resources and Preparation
Laptops /computer lab for student use during the project (5 days)
LCD projector
Introductory PowerPoint presentation: for building and accessing prior knowledge
Design of Graphic organizer using SmartArt
List of suggested websites for research: found within the lesson
Assessment rubric
Instructional Lesson Plan:
Day One: Anticipatory Set
Show the video clip The Inner Life of the Cell. Ask students the following questions:
- What did we just see?
- How would you describe what was happening?
- How does this video relate to interdependence?
Instructional Activities:
- Lecture/Demonstration: Tell the students that we are going to begin a week long study of cells. Have the students view the PowerPoint presentation below. As they are listening to the lecture have the students create a graphic organizer using SmartArt in the word processing applications. The organizer will include blank areas to label the process, key vocabulary and concepts. Have the students put the term CELL in the center and then organize the information given around it.
PowerPoints/Cell_structure_function.ppt
- Guided Instruction:
Using their laptops or computer lab, allow for students to practice or become familiar with the parts and functionsof the organelles that were introduced in the lecture Have the students go to
Instruct the students to click on each of the organelles read the text and watch the animation.
Day 2: Guided Practice:
1. Have the students access the Instructional Architect Project
- Click on the second (Cell Organelles) on Tamara Luke’s page. Student’s can participate in four different games found on the “Cell Organelles” link. Tell the students that they need to complete each game. The following assignments need to be submitted for each of the games.
- Flashcards: Using index cards, create your own set of cards while you play the game.
- Matching Squares: Print/email a copy of the completed activity
- Concentration: Print/email a copy of the completed activity
Word Search: Print/email a copy of the completed word search
- In writing, have the student’s describe which activity you liked the best and why. Have them email the response.
- Click on the third link (coloring page) Have Students can print and color the picture
2. Give an exit vocabulary quiz (if clickers are available use them) to assess the content knowledge of students.
Day 3&4: Independent Practice:
1. Anticipatory Set and Review:Have the students begin the class period by taking 20 minutes to review the following Instructional Architect site.
2. Students will research information on cells and then create a project (poster or model) of a plant or animal cell. Students will use the Instructional Architect project guide them through the research process.
Remind the students of the following assignments that need to be completed for the project:
- Poster, model, model, digital creation, or diorama of a plant or animal cell. The project must include 10 organelles that are described, labeled and present.
- Brief description of the evolution (comparison of prokaryotes and eukaryotes) of the cell organelles. Typed and no more than 1 page. This can be emailed.
- Cell organelle Table that compares and contrasts plant and animal cells.
Individual Assessment:
- Have the students Click on the “Cells are the Starting Point” link in the above IA project. Then read the passages and take the short quiz at the end of each section. Have the students record their score after each quiz and submit with final project.
Extension/Differentiation:Students will be able to differentiate this lesson through an application exercise.
Compare a cellular system to a factory system:
Have the students visit this site and complete the activity.
Day 5&6: Evaluation and Synthesis
- Each student will present their project to the class.
- Completion of the written project components.