Lesson Plan
Lesson Topic: Cells
Grade Level: 7th
Length:4 class periods
Overall Goal: Students will gain increased understanding of individual organelle functions and how they work
together towards overall cell function by comparing them to analogous components in other visible systems.
Learner Background:
Vocabulary: Cell, Organelles, Cell Wall, Nucleus, Mitochondria, Chloroplast, Cell Membrane, Vacuole,
Vacuole, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Golgi Body, Ribosome, Lysosome, Centriole, Microtubules, Cytoplasm,
Model, System, Micro, Macro, Component
Concepts
· Cell Theory- Cells are the basic unit and structure of all living things, all living things are made of cells, and
all cells arise from preexisting cells.
· Each organelle is necessary for the cell’s function
· Within cells, special structures are responsible for particular functions, and the cell membrane forms the
boundary that controls what enters and leaves the cell.
· Plant cells have cell walls, chloroplasts, and a large central vacuole while animal cells do not.
Curricular Standards:
C15. Describe the basic structures of an animal cell, including nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondria and cell
membrane, and how they function to support life.
CCSS in Literacy:
SL.8.5 - Integrate multimedia and visual displays into presentations to clarify information, strengthen claims
and evidence, and add interest.
W.7.2.D - Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic.
W.7.7 - Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and generating
additional related, focused questions for further research and investigation.
L.7.4 - Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade
7 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
ISTE Standards: http://www.iste.org/standards/standards-for-students
Creativity, Communication and Collaboration, Research and Information Fluency, Critical Thinking, Problem
Solving, and Decision Making
Student Learning Objective(s):
Students will create analogy of a specialized cell.
Students will correctly identify cell organelles.
Students will correctly represent organelle functions in the chosen analogy.
Students will provide an accurate and complete explanation of how the parts of the system contribute to the
function of the whole.
Assessment:
Webquest
Analogy Poster and presentation (See attached rubric)
Class animoto
Materials/Resources:
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Poster Board or paper
Colored pencils or markers
Cell diagram (plant and or animal)
Cell Organelle Reference Sheet (optional)
Cards with pictures of parts of the city
Youtube video “Cells Cells- Parts of the Cells Rap” http://youtu.be/-zafJKbMPA8 (optional)
Beads, balloons, plastic bags, corn syrup, cotton balls, and other objects that students could use to physically
model a cell (optional)
● CELLS Alive website: www.cellsalive.com has interactive animations of plant and animal cells and their
organelles
● Cell song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rABKB5aS2Zg Song about all the organelles by Mr.
Walkenfeld.
● Make a mitosis movie: https://www.centreofthecell.org/games/
● http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_main.html
● http://www.brainpop.com/science/cellularlifeandgenetics/cells/
● http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/basics/cell
● https://askabiologist.asu.edu/content/cell-parts
● Words, Webquest, Cell Synergy and Cell Analogy worksheets and Computers
The Lesson
1. Play the Cell song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rABKB5aS2Zg Song about all the organelles by
Mr. Walkenfeld.
2. Briefly discuss with students how Mr. Walkenfeld compared the parts of the cell to parts of a city.
3. Divide students into small groups. Give each group a diagram of a cell. Have cards with pictures of
different parts of the city and ask students to match the city structure to the organelle.
4. Ask groups to post their diagrams on the board and give a quick explanation of why they chose to pair up
the organelle with a part of the city. Explain how they have just created an analogy.
5. Hand out and explain the cell webquest to students. Webquest will serve to reinforce and increase student
knowledge about cells and cell analogies. Teacher should walk around the classroom helping students.
6. Introduce the task to the students. (The National Research Council has decided that, within the Next
Generation Science Standards, the complex study of cells will now be taught in seventh grade. You have been
hired by National Academies Press to illustrate the seventh grade science textbook, and they have asked you to
create a picture that compares cell organelles to parts of an everyday object or a place to help them understand
how all parts work together. The cell and its organelles can be compared to almost anything, if you can think
creatively enough!)
7. Give students the directions to the project.
8. Directions: Your diagram should be professional, clear, and correct in its science. You must appropriately
identify your illustration as either a plant or animal cell, based on the organelles included. You must include the
starred 3 organelles and at least 5 other organelles from the list below. You should create your own metaphor
and not use any previous examples you have seen or that have been discussed.
Organelles (select 8): Nucleus*, Nuclear membrane, Cell membrane*, Cytoplasm, Cell Wall,
Mitochondria*, Lysosome, Golgi Body, Endoplasmic Reticulum, Ribosome, Chloroplast,
Vacuole (*Must be included in your illustration).
You will be responsible for presenting your textbook analogy to a peer review panel of your classmates. You
will need to clearly explain how your analogy accurately depicts the function of each organelle and how the cell
organelles work together as a system. It is your job to convince the review panel to adopt your illustration as
the one they should choose for their 7th grade textbook. Your presentation must explain how the textbook user
will be able to look at your illustration and be able to infer how each system component functions as one of the
cell’s organelles.
1. In their groups, allow students to use computers to research cells using the links provided.
2. In their groups, students should brainstorm a list of possible analogies and work through them.
3. In their groups, students should create poster of their analogy and present it to the rest of the class.
4. As a class, students should create an Animoto of their analogies. Each group should be responsible for
3-5 slides.
5. Individually students should complete last part of Words worksheet.
Individuals Needing Differentiated Instruction:
1. For students who need the project simplified, the teacher may have the students just do the most
essential organelles, such as the membrane, nucleus, and mitochondria, or give them a list of possible
analogies/topics to choose from rather than creating one on their own. Also, teacher may allow
students to cut and paste pictures instead of drawing their own.
2. The task is meant to relate to basic plant and animal cells. But for students who are talented and
gifted, the teacher may have the students do a fungus or protist cell. That type of specialized cell would
work for this assignment, but bacteria would not because they have no distinct organelles.
3. For students who may require more than simple modification, the teacher may give all the parts and
ask the student to put them together like a puzzle. That would include the analogy as well. The
analogy should be the same as the one used to introduce the project.
4. For ELL students who speak Spanish as a first language, teacher should provide websites with similar
information in Spanish to allow them to process information in their native language. Cards with
information about the function of the organelles in Spanish will also be helpful.