How do the parts of a cell contribute to a cell’s overall function?
Cycle Summary
Session
1
Elicit
Students complete a probe about their prior knowledge of what
makes up a cell.
Engage
Students watch a video on the inside of a cell.
Explore
Students complete an investigation on diffusion/osmosis through a membrane.
Session
2
Explain
Students label an animal cell diagram.
Session
3
Elaborate
Students create cell organelle analogies.
Session
4
Evaluate
Students develop and write about an animal cell model.
Session
5
Evaluate
Students develop and write about an animal cell model.
Extend
Extend
Students watch a video and explore an interactive website.
In the previous Concept, students explored the characteristics of living things. They conducted several microscope investigations to provide evidence that living things are made of cells. They classified organisms as multicellular or unicellular, and began to consider how microscopic patterns in cell appearance might lead to macroscopic patterns in organism appearance.
In this cycle, students consider the general parts of a cell, and how the structures of those parts leads to their function. They use models to specifically show how the cell membrane’s structure allows it to function in guarding entrance to and exit from the cell. Ultimately, students develop their own model to showcase these structure/function relationships, and how the parts of a cell work together as a system in order to carry out life processes.
In the next cycle of this Concept, students will use what they have learned about animal cells to explore the differences between plant and animal cells.