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Benchmark #: SC.912.L.14.2

Relate structure to function for the components of plant and animal cells. Explain the role of cell membranes as a highly selective barrier (passive and active transport).

Information

General Information

Subject Area: Science
Grade: 912
Body of Knowledge: Life Science
Idea: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts
Standard: Organization and Development of Living Organisms -

A. Cells have characteristic structures and functions that make them distinctive.

B. Processes in a cell can be classified broadly as growth, maintenance, reproduction, and homeostasis.

C. Life can be organized in a functional and structural hierarchy ranging from cells to the biosphere.

D. Most multicellular organisms are composed of organ systems whose structures reflect their particular function.
Date Adopted or Revised: 02/08
Content Complexity Rating: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 05/08
Status: State Board Approved
  • SC.912.L.14.Pa.1 Match parts of common living things to their functions.
  • SC.912.L.14.In.2 Identify the major parts of plant and animal cells, including the cell membrane, nucleus, and cytoplasm, and their basic functions.
  • SC.912.L.14.Su.2 Recognize that cells have different parts and each has a function.

Lesson Plans

  • Eukaryotic Cells: The Factories of Life Students will be able to identify the main parts of a cell and to describe the basic function of each part. The students will match parts of a cell to parts of a city that have functions that are analogous to each cell part. They will then develop their own analogy and present it to the class. Finally, they will practice their knowledge using a computer-based review game.
  • Just Be Passive In this lesson, students will design their own controlled experiment. The teacher introduces osmosis through a short Prezi, checking their understanding along the way by means of comprehension questions included in the presentation. Immediately after the introduction, the teacher will place students into three or four groups and facilitate a brainstorming process in which students work together to develop questions, list materials and outline procedures. These will then be peer reviewed by their classmates in which they will give them recommendations and or offer suggestions. The teacher will make the final approval and experiments will commence the following class. Students will then report their results as a written lab report or using the same lab report format to create a gallery walk.
  • Movement Across the Membrane: Red Rover Using the familiar children's game "Red Rover," students will simulate the selectively permeable cell membrane and model how various molecules can/can not cross with/without assistance.
  • Crossing the Barrier This lesson uses a lecture, a 3D model, and worksheets to help students master the concept of molecular transport across the cell membrane.
  • Diffusion of Starch and Potato Osmosis The students will discover how the movement of material occurs through the selectively permeable cell membrane, a highly selective barrier. They will observe the processes of diffusion and osmosis, first in two teacher-led demonstrations, and then through two lab activities: the diffusion of starch molecules through a plastic bag and potato cores immersed in isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic solutions. Finally, students will connect this knowledge to how water moves in and out of a cell in different solutions.
  • Cell Membrane Structure and Function This resource includes hands-on-activities to familiarize students with the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane and its function.
  • Cells: Taking out the Trash In this lesson, students will analyze an informational text that addresses cellular waste. The article students will read explains the different ways a cell gets rid of waste, including how proteasomes and lysosomes break down cell waste. The article covers another method of letting the waste "pile up." This informational text is designed to support reading in the content area. The lesson plan includes a note-taking guide, text-dependent questions, a writing prompt, answer keys, and a writing rubric.
  • Spirillum, Dandelions, and Koalas, OH MY! This lesson allows students to create a science center display showing their knowledge of the general structures of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the structures and functions for the components of plant and animal cells. At the end of this lesson, students will be assessed by participating in a gallery walk that displays their design for a local science center. This lesson is a STEM project-based learning opportunity.
  • Modeling Kidney Dialysis This activity will have you look at transport of molecules in and out of membranes in a different way by modeling kidney dialysis. Students should complete the Solution Problems Worksheet before beginning the Kidney Dialysis activity.
  • Here's Your Sign! An Interactive Analogous View of the Cell This two-part lesson will help students to be able to identify the major organelles of plant and animal cells, and enables them to understand correlations between the organelles' structure and how that aids in function. Students will be able to compare and contrast plant and animal cells. The first part of the lesson allows the class to interact together through a game of Jeopardy style questions regarding these two major types of cell types. The second portion of the lesson has students created an illustrated analogy of a cell to something that they are more familiar with, such as their school.
  • Water, Water, Where Did You Go? This lesson plan explains the principle of osmosis in plant tissues. It is designed for three class periods, each 50 minutes in length, and one take-home activity. Students will compare and contrast osmotic potential of different plant tissues given through an investigation. The teacher explains and presents the content and the procedures on the first day as a lesson walk through. The investigative lab attached help the students to explore and relate the concept of osmosis in real life.
  • Transport Across a Membrane In this activity students will investigate how and under what conditions molecules move across the cell membrane.
  • Small Cells verses Large Cells The students will have an opportunity to discover that the size of cells (surface area and volume) has a major impact on the movement of nutrients and waste products in and out through the cell by diffusion across the semipermeable membrane. The movement of these molecules is essential for the health of the cell and to maintain homeostasis.

Original Student Tutorial

Perspectives Video: Professional/Enthusiast

Perspectives Video: Teaching Ideas

Teaching Idea

Text Resources

  • How Cells Take Out the Trash This informational text resource is designed to support reading in the content area. The text focuses on cellular waste and describes different ways a cell gets rid of waste. The text also briefly addresses how further study of the ways cells dispose of waste could lead to new approaches for preventing or treating disease.
  • Blood Made Suitable For All This informational text resource is intended to support reading in the content area. The text explains how blood is classified into types based on the presence of antigens. It describes a process whereby antigens can be removed by an enzyme to make all blood types the same as the universal donor.
  • Animal Cells Can Communicate by Reaching Out and Touching, UCSF Team Discovers This resource is intended to support reading in the content area. Scientists discovered that animal cells can communicate by sending out thin tubes of cytoplasm called cytonemes that extend across many cells to reach a cell that will receive the signal, much like neuron communication.

Video/Audio/Animations

  • Transport Across the Cell Membrane Paul Andersen describes how cells move materials across the cell membrane. All movement can be classified as passive or active. Passive transport, like diffusion, requires no energy as particles move along their gradient. Active transport requires additional energy as particles move against their gradient.
  • MIT BLOSSOMS - Methods for Protein Purification This Protein Purification video lesson is intended to give students some insight into the process and tools that scientists and engineers use to explore proteins. It is designed to extend the knowledge of students who are already somewhat sophisticated and who have a good understanding of basic biology. The question that motivates this lesson is, "what makes two cell types different?" and this question is posed in several ways. Such scientific reasoning raises the experimental question: how could you study just a subset of specialized proteins that distinguish one cell type from another? Two techniques useful in this regard are considered in the lesson. This video lesson will easily fit into a 50-minute class period, and prerequisites include a good understanding of cellular components (DNA vs. Protein vs. lipid) and some understanding of the physical features of proteins (charge, size etc). The simple cell model used here can be assembled in any kind of container and with any components of different solubility, density, charge etc. In-class activities during the video breaks include discussions, careful observations, and the use of a "very simple cell" model to explore two techniques of protein purification. Students and teachers can spend additional time discussing and exploring the question of "how we know what we know" since this lesson lends itself to the teaching of the process of science as well.

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Original Student Tutorials Science - Grades 9-12

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