Education Standards
The cell. Lesson description
Microscopic observation instructions
Pair Activity
Summary Activity
The cell master award
The cell: Animal cell and plant cell comparison
Overview
The smallest unit of life is the cell. Cells are tiny factories that work with incredible precision. All living organisms consist of one or more cells. Regardless of their shape and form, which vary greatly, in each cell we can distinguish common organelles. The two most important cell categories are animal and plant cells. In this lesson, we will talk about the similarities and differences of the organelles found in animal and plant cells as well as their functions.
Introduction (5 minutes)
Brainstorming: Teacher shows students a collage of photographs of animal and plant cells, and asks them what they think they are. Teacher writes student responses on the board.
Photographs' URLs: https://www.flickr.com/photos/montshiremuseum/4520938556/in/photolist-7tdAth-ca3N59-8bVDuL-jBjftx-a2M7C2-8vadEq-bAiEZy-aWoAr4-dYehzg-o6jjwv-emZC21-dYjZ4W-ehg2g-cWnvWE-7GA2wD-8bSiF2-mAQdFq-9vBjxj-dYjZ7N-82eC8C-dYeBrK-bAiLXS-dYehHM-fnGkte-4VhzC-ca47XL-iT3m2n-4VhzF-92fevM-o34zxP-ckQaFo-42tifp-i7rcq8-5VF5WE-dd59gW-dd55bx-e2MnG2-dawnSU-eK2WzP-7TuZwu-mbQKF5-fb1Zmt-27TvVk-dYjZcG-AaQPAp-dYehNB-WTKs5h-mbNYWi-e2T7US-8oK74f https://www.flickr.com/photos/kaibara/4966621857 https://pixabay.com/el/%CE%BC%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%83%CE%BA%CF%8C%CF%80%CE%B9%CE%BF-%CE%B1%CF%87%CE%B9%CE%BD%CF%8C%CF%82-1276131/ https://pixabay.com/el/pomiformis-bartramia-%CE%BA%CF%8D%CF%84%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1-895203/ https://pixabay.com/el/barbilophozia-floerkei-%CE%BA%CF%8D%CF%84%CF%84%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%B1-895150/ Introductory image: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/11/10/02/47/blood-1813410_960_720.jpg
What do you see in these pictures?
Teacher shows students a photograph of Amoeba, a single-cell organism, and explains that it is the simplest form of life.
Photograph URL: https://www.flickr.com/photos/67725936@N05/6167894750/in/photolist-ap35dW-fuLKx-a5CeCx-71vWyc-5gWgdc-7t8ttP-5wb4FT-8Myiqw-nztEr2-dyg3Qo-bbNcWn-97yYpy-kh9dH-5Mwk4L-sDXRn-qnfZzN-daPKDS-23r33Qv-rEwcKs-4BYHUQ-6PT9Ze-8Pp9DT-7WMGY-qHQAcM-CYpDa-7wXXr2-uwHQG-4E6KR9-3aV3Qf-7jSVDh-FxnPc-4S9eDu-5nzDus-8ea5VJ-bESAkm-8B7Vpg-9iJvvp-7wXXpe-pWjb9L-8AN6Ud-24PkMU-Fyr6e-cMV8FQ-23cVB1p-VFxYqN-T1K9U5-8twH6H-cEbVKb-WbUtas-hjj4np/
Do you know what is this? This is Amoeba. It is a single-cell organism. This is a life. You cannot see it n bare eyes but still it is a life. The simplest form of life.
How small do you think an organism can be? Before the discovery of the microscope, the answer to this question was a well-hidden secret. Today we know that the cell is the smallest unit that can feed,
breathe, reproduce, namely, to display the characteristics of life. For this reason, the cell is characterized as the basic unit of life. Just as a building consists of many bricks, so does a plant or animal consists of many tiny cells. That is why organisms such as plants and animals are called multicellular. There are also unicellular organisms, such as amoeba, which consist of a single cell. These organisms are only visible with the help of a microscope.
Presentation (15 minutes)
Teacher informs students that the lesson is about the cells found in animals and plants and their similarities and differences.
Teacher discusses the two types of cells, animal and plant cells, and with the use of a projector, teacher shows them a video that describes the organelles of the two types of cells. He/she pauses the video in order to clarify possible questions.
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nBtY6LR030
There are two types of cells, animal and plant cells. In the following video, you will learn about the organelles that are inside the cells.
Teacher informs students that apart from the organelles they watched in the video, there are also Lysosomes and Peroxisomes. Both of these organelles are found in animal cells and are responsible for the breaking down of the cell's waste to clean it up and to salvage any material the cell can use. This means that they are the recycling station of the cell.
Peroxisomes, also found in plant cells, are involved in photorespiration.
Apart from the organelles you watched in the video, there are also Lysosomes and Peroxisomes. These organelles are found in animal cells and are responsible for the breaking down of the cell's waste to clean it up and to salvage any material the cell can use. This mean that they are the recycling station of the cell. Peroxisomes, also found in plant cells, are involved in plant processes such as photorespiration.
Implementation (15 minutes)
Students are divided in two teams. In each team there is a plant cell group and an animal cell group. They teams with compete each other, one group at a time, about who will complete first the matching game found in the following links:
Animal cell game: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/health/anatomy/cell/cell_game.htm Plant cell game: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/health/anatomy/cell/plant_cell_game.htm
Depending on the class equipment, the game can be played on one computer while teacher times each group, or on two or more computers simultaneously. A student can play the role of the judge.
Teacher prints and cuts the award template, one for each student. At the end of the game the winning team gets the cell master award.
Introductory image: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2012/05/07/14/58/view-48543_960_720.png
You will be divided in two teams. Each team will consist of two groups, the plant cell group and the animal cell group. One of you will be the judge. Your goal is to finish the matching games faster than the opponent team. The winning team will be crowned THE CELL MASTER!
Follow the links below to play the games. Good luck!
Animal cell game Plant cell game
| 1st Team Name | 2nd Team Name | |
| Animal Cell Group Time: | ||
| Plant Cell Group Time: | ||
| SUM: |
Check (15 minutes)
Teacher pairs students and distributes the check activity.
Students collaborate in order to find the organelles that are only in plant cells, the organelles that are only in animal cells, and the organelles that are in both cells, and to match each organelle to its function.
After the completion of the activity, teacher projects the page on the white board and asks students to write the right answers. When the activity is finished students correct their errors.
Introductory image: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/08/20/21/43/animal-cell-1608621_960_720.png
Work with the classmate sitting next to you in order to find which of the organelles are only in plant cells, are only in animal cells, and are in both cells; match each organelle to its function.
Optional task: Microscopic observation of animal and plant cells (30 minutes)
Depending on the school equipment, the teacher, within the context of this lesson, can show students how animal and plant cells are using a microscope.
The most suitable for observation is cheek cells and onion skin.
Teacher follows the instructions described in the link below:
Introductory image: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2016/11/11/20/03/microscope-1817641_960_720.jpg
Students, one by one observe the specimens. The cells can be drawn on the whiteboard by the teacher or a student.
Your teacher will follow the instructions and prepare specimens of animal and plant cells. You will take turns observing. The findings will be drawn on the whiteboard.
Summary (10 minutes)
Individual activity. Teacher distributes photocopies of a summary activity. Students are asked to label the organelles of a plant and an animal cell.
Introductory image: https://cdn.pixabay.com/photo/2017/12/13/14/19/mitochondria-3016868_960_720.png
In this activity you are asked to label the organelles of a plant and an animal cell.
Teacher goes back to the initial brainstorming of the question in Task 1, and discusses students' initial responses. He/she concludes to the importance of each cell separately but also their communication and collaboration.
How is it possible for a tiny cell to survive and perform its functions? How is it possible for a multicellular organism, such as a man or a pine, to survive without "messing up" the functions of its innumerable cells? If you think about what happens to the city houses, you will also understand the secret of the cells of a multi-cell organism. Each house is separate, but everyone communicates in a variety of ways (telephone and electricity network, water supply and sewerage network, etc.). So cells can also provide energy, maintain their internal organization, and communicate with their environment and "cooperate". These capabilities are ensured by the structure and functions of the cell.