Biology
Topic 1 Cells and tissues
Tackling differentiation
Reaching and engaging different abilities
The topic of cells is often taught at the start of Year 7 Science because it is fairly easy to grasp
and offers numerous opportunities for basic practical work. The majority of students are able to
understand that cells are living but too small for us to see with the naked eye. Similarly, most
students are able to identify the structures in basic plant and animal cells, although lower attaining
students will struggle to identify these structures in more specialised cells, such as nerve cells.
 Teaching ideas for lower attaining students

Lower attaining students will struggle to set up and use a microscope. If possible, it is best to
use prepared slides for them to view using bioviewers.

These students will find it difficult to remember the structure and function of animal cells and
plant cells. It is best to stick to generalised versions of these cells. Asking students to model
these cells using craft materials is a good way to help them remember the components.

When moving on to specialised cells, help students to identify cellular structures in a variety of
cells, ranging from the more simple (e.g. egg or sperm cell) to the more complicated (e.g.
nerve or root hair cell).
 Teaching ideas for higher attaining students

Higher attaining students will quickly grasp cell structure and function, so it may be a good
idea to quickly introduce specialised cells and their adaptations to prevent them becoming
bored. You may also find that it is appropriate to introduce more complex components (e.g.
mitochondria) and their functions to maintain interest.

These students could be introduced to the concept of scale when looking at cells through the
microscope and encouraged to calculate magnifications/scales of their drawings.
Activity 1: Cells and tissues – for very low attaining students
Hand out the  Activity 1: Cells and tissues worksheet from Topic 1 Tackling Differentiation.
This straightforward resource is useful as an elicitation task to assess students’ knowledge from
Key Stage 2, or as a plenary/homework task after the first two or three lessons.
The first question is ‘true/false’ activity, also available as an interactive resource. It can be used as
a class activity or individually, to assess misconceptions and prior knowledge about cells.
The second question asks students to label a diagram of a basic animal cell – the first letter from
each label is provided so students can work more independently. Lastly, students are asked to
label the nucleus and cytoplasm on a diagram of a plant cell, and to decide by circling which
components are different in plant and animal cells.
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Biology • Topic 1 • Cells and tissues
 Answers and guidance
Answers
1 A: True
B: False
Teacher guidance and class discussion points
This question helps to identify misconceptions such as ‘cells are
not living’ and ‘you can see them without a microscope’.
C: True
D: True
2 d) Animal cell
Students who struggle with this could be shown a diagram to help
them. See the The big picture presentation in Topic 1
Preparing to Teach.
3 c) Plant cell
d) Chloroplast, vacuole
and cell wall circled
Students may confuse cell membrane with cell wall – remind them
that although a plant cell and animal cell both have a membrane, it
is only the plant cell that has a cell wall.
Activity 2: Cells and tissues – progressive for mixed groups
Hand out the  Activity 2: Cells and tissues worksheet from Topic 1 Tackling Differentiation.
This is designed to become progressively more challenging and enables the level of
understanding of the student to be gauged. Before asking students to answer question 1, it is
necessary to have first covered a lesson on microscopes and looking at cells under a microscope.
In question 1 students are first asked to label the nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane on a
diagram of a ‘cheek’ (animal) cell. They are then asked to make suggestions as to how the student
could see the cells more clearly – by adding a stain. They are then given a simple calculation to
do, to work out the magnification of the image based upon the magnification of the eyepiece and
objective lenses. Most students should have no difficulty with this question.
Again, most should be able to answer question 2, which covers cell structure and the function of
the chloroplast, nucleus and vacuole. Some students may struggle with the term ‘function’,
however, and students often state that the nucleus is the ‘brain’ of the cell.
In the third, more difficult, question, students are asked to apply their knowledge to suggest, and
give reasons for, adaptations a plant may have to survive in three challenging environments.
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Biology • Topic 1 • Cells and tissues
 Answers and guidance
Answers
Teacher guidance and class
discussion points
1 a) Cell nucleus, cytoplasm and cell membrane
correctly labelled.
b) Use a coloured stain to see the cells more clearly.
c) 4 × 10 = 40
2 a) A chloroplast – where photosynthesis occurs.
b) The nucleus – controls the cell.
In part b) students may name a specific stain,
e.g. iodine.
Students may need reminding of the term
‘function’ – i.e. its job or role.
c) The vacuole – contains sap to maintain the cell’s
Part c) could link to explain why plants wilt/die if
shape.
you overwater them.
3 a) A cactus in a desert – suitable suggestions may
Students unfamiliar with these habitats could be
include long roots to absorb water; swollen stems to
shown images or video clips (for example at
hold as much water as possible; small leaves/spines to
www.bbc.co.uk/nature/habitats)
reduce water loss and for protection against animals.
In part a), higher attaining students may
b) A gorse bush clinging to a very windy rock face –
suggest a large vacuole to maintain cell shape
suitable suggestions may include long, strong roots to
during periods of water loss.
anchor the plant, low-lying plant shape to reduce the
effects of the wind.
c) A fern on a very shady woodland floor – suitable
suggestions may include large leaves or lots of
chloroplasts, to maximise photosynthesis in a location
that doesn’t receive much sunlight.
Activity 3: Cells and tissues – for higher attaining students
and extension work
Hand out the  Activity 3: Cells and tissues worksheet from Topic 1 Tackling Differentiation.
This builds upon sub-topics: cell structure; specialised cells and tissues. It is a useful resource for
a plenary at the end of the topic; question 3 involves research and could be set as a homework
task.
The first question is based upon a student carrying out a practical by looking at plant cells down a
microscope. The question asks students to first identify a root hair cell from an image, then draw
and label it and state the function of its components.
The second and third questions are more challenging and require the student to apply their
knowledge of cells and tissues to an unfamiliar situation. Question 2 is about adaptation of
specialised cells in the context of infertility. In question 3, students are first given information about
early skin grafts and then asked to carry out research into the use of skin cells to grow skin tissue
in the laboratory. This provides students with an opportunity to use their knowledge of the structure
of tissues.
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Biology • Topic 1 • Cells and tissues
 Answers and guidance
Answers
Teacher guidance and class
discussion points
1 a) i) They do not contain chloroplasts, unlike other plant
Students may identify the cell as a root
cells.
hair cell.
ii) They have come from the plant’s roots.
b) Nucleus, vacuole, cell wall and cytoplasm correctly
labelled.
c) Nucleus – controls the cell; vacuole – contains sap to
maintain cell shape; cell wall – for protection and to hold cell
shape; cytoplasm – site of cell’s chemical reactions.
2 a) Sperm cells have a strong powerful tail to swim – without
Some students may also state that the
this they are unable to swim up the oviduct to find and fertilise
sperm have a ‘collar’ that contains a high
an egg cell; sperm cells are small and produced in a high
number of energy-producing
number – if fewer were produced there would be a decreased
mitochondria.
chance of the egg being found and fertilised.
b) Egg cells have a huge energy store – if they did not have
this a dividing fertilised egg cell would not be able to grow;
egg cells have a selective membrane – if there are problems
with this a sperm may be unable to get through and fertilise
the egg.
3 Students need to produce a short report on the use of a
The short video at
patient’s cells for producing skin tissue which can be grafted
http://science.kqed.org/quest/video/growi
to a patient. They may state advantages such as: less chance
ng-skin/ is useful in explaining the
of rejection; more sterile; will look more natural; no need to
process, and there is also suitable
take skin and scar another area on the body. They may state
information at
disadvantages such as: takes a long time for the cells to
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovati
divide and grow to form enough tissue; expensive.
on/everyday-innovations/lab-grownskin.htm
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