Unit topic/theme: Cellular Biology

Grade: 11

Lesson topic/theme: Structures in an Animal Cell

Lesson objective: Students will be able to relate cell parts/organelles to their functions.

Instructional techniques: group/partner work, lecture, online computer travel activity, discussion, debate

Instructional materials:

    Lecture notes

    Website: About a Cell - http://wsc.ma.edu/personalpages/draker/edcom/final/webprojects/sp10/cell/index.html

    Handout: Link to Handout

Theoretical perspective:

    It is essential for students to know about the parts of a cell and how they function within the cell. Cells are the building blocks of life. Without cells, nothing would be alive. All organisms are composed of one or more cells, which perform vital life functions; different types of cells include brain, liver, skin, stomach cells, etc. In order to understand how animals’ bodies work, it is crucial to understand animal cells.

Procedure:

A.) Introductory activity:

    Ask students: “What is the basic unit of life?” Divide students into groups of four to discuss what they think the answer is. Make sure they use their prior knowledge to guide their answers.

    Have each group write down their answer. Review the answers with the class, and explain whether each one is right or wrong, and why.

B.) Step-by-step procedure:

    Give lecture on cells, specifically animal cells. Describe the different structures found in a cell, and the function of each. How does each organelle help the cell function as a whole?

    Have students go to online travel site “About a Cell”. They will journey through an animal cell, traveling to each structure and answering a question about each.

    While completing the online activity, students will fill in a handout. As they go through each prompt, they will write down how many tries they took to correctly answer each question, and one new fact that they learned about each organelle.

C.) Closure:

    In pairs, students will describe which organelle they believe is the most important. Why? Explain/defend your answer.

    Have students share their beliefs with the class.

    If there is enough time, have a debate about this topic.

D.) Adaptations for different learners:

    Students with learning disabilities will be able to complete the online activity at their own pace. If they do not finish, they can access the travel website at home/outside of class to work on it. Because they will record their answers on the handout, they will easily be able to return to the question where they previously left off.

    Because of the nature of the lesson, students with behavior problems or attention disorders will be focused on completing the activities; therefore, they will not have time to misbehave or lose insight as to what they should be doing.

    For non-native speakers, I will allow them to work with a native speaking student during the journey through a cell. During the other parts of the lesson, they will already be placed with a partner/group, so this will not be an issue – the other pupils can help explain what is being said in ways that the non-native speakers can fully understand. If they have an aide, he or she will be able to translate the material for the student.

    Students with fine motor disabilities might have trouble manipulating the mouse while using the computer. Again, I will allow them to work with a partner (or aide). A copy of the lecture notes will be provided.

    I will allow unlimited time for all students to complete the activity, since all students work at different paces. I want to make sure that everyone is fully grasping the material, and do not want anyone to feel rushed or overwhelmed. I will be available after school for extra help.

E.) Homework:

    Have students build 3-D models of an animal cell. The models can be made of any materials that they think will resemble an actual cell, and can be edible if the student desires. All organelles must be included.

    Along with the model, the students must write at least one function of each structure. This can be done in paragraph format, or a bulleted/numbered list.

Evaluation:

A.) I will be able to determine if the students have learned what I intended throughout the entire lesson. Specifically, I will use the information from their answers on the handout to see if they comprehend the material. How many tries did it take them to get the correct answer? Did they write down logical/correct information/facts? The next day, I will evaluate their homework – cell models and explanations. Did they demonstrate their knowledge? Is the information correct? I will compare the handout with the homework to see student progress.

    During the online activity, I will walk around the room to see student progress/completion of the travel site. I will answer any questions and provide insights to students. At the end of the period, I will see if students are able to successfully back up their claims as to which part of the cell is the most important. Who participates in the discussion and their reasoning behind their choices are important for me to notice in order to determine if students have met my objectives.

B.) I am concerned that students will not complete the travel site activity and search the Internet instead. Because of the class size, it will be difficult to monitor each student to see if they are actually completing the lesson. Also, it may be hard to answer all students’ questions throughout the period.

    I am concerned that pupils will rush through the online activity instead of actually taking the time to do a complete, thorough job while answering the questions. Will they choose random answers just to finish? Will they actually utilize the links to learn more about parts of an animal cell? Next, I must make it clear to my students that the handout will not be graded – it is solely a way for me to keep track of their progress. That way, they will be more likely to tell the truth about the number of tries it took to get the correct answer. Otherwise, I will not be able to successfully monitor their growth in knowledge.

    Finally, I must make sure that students are discussing and debating the prompt I give them, instead of talking about random ideas or gossip. I need to monitor their conversations to make sure they are staying on topic.