Cells

Just like all houses have the same basic structures like doors, windows and a roof, all animal cells have the same basic structures. Use to investigate the structures inside a generic animal cell.

Research the structure and function of each cell organelle.
Fill in the Worksheet.

Can't find chloroplast and cell wall? Look here: Cells Alive: Plant Cell

Task 2: Illustrate your own Cell Diagrams

Use any website that you prefer to draw and label an animal cell and a plant cell. Some suggested sites are listed below.

Prentice Hall Structure and Function Page

MIT Biology Hypertext book: Cell Organelles

Animal Cell Organelles

Task 3: Background

View online slides to get experience viewing microscopic information.

Cells Alive
How Big?

Virtual Electron Microscope

Microscope Slides On Line

Class Cell Project

Write "job descriptions" for the cell structures that have been assigned to your group.
Job descriptions must include what the cell structure does and the processes the structure is involved in. Answer these two questions:
1. What job does the structure do?
2. How does the structure do its job?
After the teacher approves your job descriptions, join your cell group.

Cell Groups

Discuss how plant and animal cells are similar in both structures and functions.
Complete the cell organizer "A Cell's Work is Never Done..." Use the link Structure and Function of Organelles to help complete the cell organizer. Handouts are located in your folder.

Cell Analogies

An analogy is defined as "Agreement or resemblance in certain aspects; as in form or function, between otherwise very dissimilar things; similarity without identify." Funk and Wagnalls Standard College Dictionary.

Cell Groups

Think of some examples of analogies. For example, a family is like a tree. The trunk is like the Great, great grandparents, and each branch is a child, each smaller branch is like the children of the children and so on.

Think of some analogies for the cell and its structures and functions. Discuss with your group why the analogies address all the structures and functions in a cell.

Choose the best analogy.

Complete the Plant Cell and Animal Cell Information Sheets.

Make a pair of educational posters that will help kids remember the structures and functions of a plant cell and an animal cell. Click here for a rubric that illustrates how the posters will be graded.

Human Body and Cells

Use these websites to complete the illustrations of the human body on your worksheet.

Systems Organs Tissues Cells Human Body Tissues and Cells Blood Cells Nerve Cells

Microscope Lab #1: Identify and Draw Known Objects

Discuss the use and structure of microscopes. Practice viewing and focusing using a known object such as the letter "e", a hair, insect parts and salt.

Microscope Lab #2: Identify Cell Structures

Identify cell structures and evidence of their function using microscopes.

Station 1: Amphiuma - Liver
Station 2: Spirogyra
Station 3: Paramecium
Station 4: Striated Muscle, Mammalian
Station 5: Amphiuma Blood
Station 6: Lillium Anthers
Station 7: Amoeba proteus
Station 8: Flea (just for fun under the stereomicroscope)

Working with your partner, spend 5 minutes at each station making detailed observations. Use words and pictures (sketches) to record in your science journal what you see in the microscope.
Discuss your observations with the class. Identify similar structures in each of the cells observed.

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