Introduction to the Cell

Introduction

What do bacteria, redwood trees, & cats have in common?  They are all made of CELLS!  CELLS are the building blocks of all living organisms.

  In 1800’s, less than 100 yrs ago, scientists developed the CELL THEORY, which states

  1. All living things are composed of cells

  2. Cells are the basic unit of structure and function in living things

  3. New cells are produced from existing cells.

In this WebQuest, you will learn about the 2 major types of cells, the difference between animal & plant cells, & the function of some of the organelles of the cell all while working in small groups (2-3/ group).

Task

The GOALS of this WebQuest are to:

  • Differentiate between eukaryotic & prokaryotic cells

  • Compare & contrast a typical plant cell with a typical animal cell

  • Learn the major organelles of the cell, where they are located within the cell, & their major contribution to the survival of the cell

Tasks: 

  • Each member of your team… 

    • will complete a diagram of a plant cell & of an animal cell & be able to answer questions about them.  

    • will complete a crossword puzzle of the vocabulary found in this WebQuest.  

    • Will write a “Help Wanted” ad that one of the organelles would be tempted to answer.  These will be posted in the hallway.  Include what the organelle will be expected to do in this job.  This is to be on 8.5 x 11 paper, informative, & eye-catching.

  • YOUR TEAM…  

    • will design a 3D model of either a plant or an animal cell & share it with the class. 

    • Return the Packet with everyone’s plant & animal diagrams, crossword puzzles, & “Help Wanted” ads

Process

TYPES OF CELLS:

‘There are 2 major types of cells: prokaryotes & eukaryotes.  Bacteria is the most recognized prokaryote, but there are many other prokaryotic organisms.  What are 2 differences between prokaryotes & eukaryotes?

We will be focusing on eukaryotic cells.  There are 2 major types- plant cells & animal cells.  What are 2 differences between the plant cell & the animal cell?

Use these resources to help in your Quest:

 

EUKARYOTES Have Membrane-Bound ORGANELLES

The eukaryotic cells have many structures within itself; many organelles are common to both the animal cell & the plant cell; others, like the chloroplast, is found in only 1 type of cell.

PACKET: At this time, you each are to complete the 2 cell diagrams that are in your packet.  You can work together, & refer to the resources given.  Complete the crossword puzzle.  Put these 3 pages back into your packet.

MODEL: Work together on your 3D model of the cell.  You may use craft supplies or other common items.  You will be presenting this to the class & answering questions about your model.  These will be due at the end of the week.

"HELP WANTED" Ads: Each team member is to design an eye-catching "Help Wanted" ad for a position as a specific organelle.  Include the major responsibilities of this job & how this job helps with the survival of the cell.  These are to be on 8.5 x 11 paper & will be displayed in the Science Hallway.

 

 

Evaluation

This WebQuest will be graded on:

  • TEAMWORK:  how well you & your teammates worked together to accomplish the tasks

  • RESEARCH:  You & your team needed to gather pertinent information from the resources to complete the tasks (diagrams, crossword puzzle, 3D Model, "Help Wanted" ad)

  • APPLYING THE CONTENT: Working with your team, you will design a 3D model of a cell, answer questions about your model.  Individually, you will design "Help Wanted" signs that an organelle would qualify for; including what the job entails & how it contributes to the survival of the cell.

  • PEER ASSESSMENT: Each member of the team will assess every other member of the team for cooperation, helpfulness, & how each specifically added to the project.  These Assessments are to be included in your packet.

     
     

    criteria not met ~ CRITERIA ~ criteria exceeded

     

    ______/100 
    TEAMWORK Work together towards completing the WebQuest.  Addressing conflicts maturely.  Work together to answer questions from the class on the 3D Cell Model. ______/ 25 pts
    RESEARCH Uses the resources to find the information needed to complete thew WebQuest, including thew diagrams, crossword, 3D Model, "Help Wanted" ad, & presentation. ______/ 25 pts
    APPLYING THE CONTENT Applying the information you learned to making the 3D Model & to making the "Help Wanted" ad ______/ 25 pts
    PEER EVALUATION Peer evaluation from your teammates. ______/ 25 pts

     

 

Conclusion

Congratulations!  

You now have a good understanding of the basics of cell structure & function.  Because you are familiar with the normal functions, you can better understand what happens if something goes wrong.  

In the next few chapters we will be building on this information to learn how cells work together, how they reproduce, & what can happen if any of these processes go awry.

Credits

 

 

Teacher Page

NGSS: MS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function

Author: Tricia D 

Timeframe: This activity should take (4-5) 50-min classes, with some collaborative work completed outside class.

PACKET to include

  • Diagram of Plant Cell & Animal Cell

  • Vocabulary Crossword Puzzle 

  • Peer Reviews* ... completed Peer Reviews will be put into a specified box on my desk (not in the team packet).

  • “Help Wanted” ads.  These are to be attached to construction paper & posted in the science hallway.