Aaron Haeberle
SCI 295
5E Lesson Plan #2
4/10/13
What makes up a living thing?
Objectives:
By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:
 Explain the structure of the cell as well as organelle functions (cognitive)
 Work and discuss ideas with peers (affective)
 Build a cell model representing their analogy (psychomotor)
 Demonstrate their understanding of cell structure through abstract means (psychomotor)
Indiana Standards1:
Process Standards
Design Process Standards
Identify a need or problem to be solved. Brainstorm potential solutions. Throughout the
entire design process, document the design with drawings (including labels) in a portfolio
or notebook so that the process can be replicated. Select a solution to the need or
problem. Select the most appropriate materials to develop a solution that will meet the
need. Create the solution through a prototype. Test and evaluate how well the solution
meets the goal. Evaluate and test the design. Present evidence using mathematical
representations like graphs and data tables. Communicate the solution (including
evidence) using mathematical representations (e.g., graphs, data tables), drawings or
prototypes. Redesign to improve the solution based on how well the solution meets the
need.
Core Standards: Life Science
7.3.1
Explain that all living organisms are composed of one cell or multiple cells and that the
many functions needed to sustain life are carried out within cells.
7.3.4
Compare and contrast similarities and differences among specialized sub cellular
components within plant and animal cells (including organelles and cell walls that
perform essential functions and give cells shape and structure).
Misconceptions2:
 All cells are the same size and shape
 There are no single celled organisms
 Some living parts of organisms are not made of cells
 Plants are not made of cells
 Cells do not eliminate waste
 Animal cells do not carry out essential life functions for themselves
1
2
7th grade state standards found from https://learningconnection.doe.in.gov/Standards/PrintLibrary.aspx
Misconceptions found from http://assessment.aaas.org/topics/CE#/
Safety Precautions:
 Standard classroom safety issues
 Falling or injuries during outside exploration
 Loosing a student outside
 Cuts from prepared slides
 Broken glass
 Injuries during making of project at home
Materials:
1. Seeds, rocks, wind up toys, potted plant, and possible live animal.
2. Journals (one per student)
3. Microscopes (at least 1 per 2 students)
4. Prepared tissue and onion root tip slides (1 per microscope)
5. Textbooks (1 per student)
6. Copy paper (can never have too much)
7. Large 36”x18” construction paper (one per student)
8. What ever needs to be borrowed by students
Lesson summary3:
Time line:
Week one
Monday – Students discuss properties of living things
Tuesday – Students explore outside world to observe properties of living things
Wednesday – Microscope day + Homework
Thursday – Homework due + revisit microscope
Friday – Record organelle function and start foldable study tool
Week two
Monday – Finish study tool and review any questions
Tuesday – Begin thinking of analogies
Wednesday – Finish analogy discussion/Work on cell city
Thursday – Work on cell city
Friday – Work on cell city
Week three
Monday – Lecture
Tuesday – Lecture
Wednesday – Review day/finish projects
Thursday – Presentations
Friday – Presentations
Engagement:
Students will examine several objects in the front of the room and will try to differentiate
between living and non-living things using the whiteboard to categorize. This will include
materials listed in number one. This facilitated discussion will include questions such as:
3
Lesson found through NSTA. Article url: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/files/ss1105_64.pdf
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Since we know that we (people) are living things, which objects are most similar to us?
Where does one see living things? – “Nature”
Does one see a windup toy in the woods? –“No”
What similarities does this pet have with the plant? – “Grows, responds to stimuli,
reproduces”
Exploration:
Then, students will venture outside and try to observe and record the living things they see in
their journals. These could include anything and more from the following: grass, bugs, squirrels,
flowers, and trees. This will venture into the next day if there is not enough time. However, once
students are finished they will need to construct a concept map of the characteristics of living
things. Hopefully the students will connect living organisms with the following traits: organized,
respond to stimuli, use energy, reproduce, grow and develop.
During day three of the lesson, students will split to lab tables and look at the prepared slides of
animal tissues and onion root tips through a microscope. The students will see that the same
living things that they saw the other day are made up of cells. This is mostly just exploration of
the cells recording their observations and noting the differences between the tissues and roots in
their journals. Then the students will be assigned to do further research in what they just looked
at through research. This can be either by reading their textbook or using online sources. The
next day Students will review slides and find the organelles they just researched.
Explanation:
On day five of the lesson, students will create a table in their journals that state the organelles of
the cell and their function. An example is seen below:
Organelle
Description
Cell Membrane
Membrane of lipids and proteins surrounding the cell; controls what goes in
and out of the cell
Cell Wall
Cellulose covering outside the cell membrane of a plant cell; is rough and rigid
Cytoplasm
Gelatin-like material in which organelles are suspended; includes all
organelles except the nucleus
E.R.
Network of membranes involved with making, storing and transporting
material; rough ER has ribosomes
Ribosomes
Site of protein production; some float freely and some are attached to the
rough endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi apparatus Stacks of membrane sacs; sorts and packages proteins, and delivers them for
secretion or use within the cell
Chloroplast
Found in plant cells; contains chlorophyll; site of the process of photosynthesis
which converts the sun’s energy into glucose
Lysosome
Small membrane sac that contains digestive chemicals
Mitochondrion
Small double-membrane organelle; called the power plant of the cell because it
converts energy from food to energy the cell can use through the process of
cellular respiration
Nucleus
Directs all the cell’s activities; contains genetic material called DNA
Vacuole
Sac for storage, digestion, and waste removal; is large in plants
Assessment:
The table will need to be turned in after class to make sure each student understands the function
of each organelle. Students will receive one point per correct structure and function and will
receive four points for completion for a total of 15 points.
During the same day, students will also create a foldable study tool from standard copy paper. It
will be sectioned into four squares with two squares designated for pictures of an animal cell and
a plant cell, and the other two describing the function of the organelles of the adjacent cell. This
will be used as a study guide for the students later on and will not be collected, simply reviewed
and looked over during the process of creating it.
Elaboration:
Starting the second week of the lesson, students will begin to create analogies for the cell and its
organelles. The teacher will explain that the students will create a map of a city, house, and farm,
what have you, to explain the function of organelles. Students will then record their ideas in their
journals as the class discusses various possibilities of comparisons. Discussion may resemble the
following:
 “What is the function of the lysosome?”
 “To digest incoming materials”
 “Ok, So what else can you think of that is similar to a lysosome?”
 “Stomach” “Trash Can” “Garbage men”
 “Why those things?”
 “The stomach digests things.” “A trash can is where we put uneaten food.” “Garbage men
take the trash out of the city.”
Once the general idea of the project is established allow students to work by themselves and then
call each student back to discuss their idea and its effectiveness as an analogy.
During the next few days, students will need to create a blue print and a list of materials with
estimated cost for their cell city. The teacher should also contact parents to let them know of the
project and to prepare for it financially. For those students where money may be an issue, make
them still write down list of materials and help them get the supplies they need to succeed. The
students will have a week to prepare and build their project.
Evaluation:
The evaluation occurs during the presentations of each individual. A one on one with the student
who presented will follow each presentation. Depending on the class size this process could take
1-3 days. The rubric for presentations will be as follows:
Grading criteria
Organelles
Represented
Construction of
environment
Organelles labeled
and defined
Environment
structures identified
Accuracy of
organelle structure
Environment named
0 points
None
3 points
Few
5 points
Some
8 points
Most
10 points
All
None
Falling apart
None
Few
One-month
warranty
Some
Five year
warranty
Most
Lifetime
Guarantee
All
None
Few
Some
Most
All
None
Few
Some
Most
All
None
General
None
Presentation
None
Something’s
missing
Most
structures
identified
Better than
most
Unique
Environment
blueprint
Not a lot of
thought
Few structures
identified
Needs a little
work
Some
structures
identified
Average
Exact blueprint
Tell me more
PowerPoint Material (lecture notes)4
What makes a living thing?
Def: an organism is any contiguous living system (such as animal, fungus, micro-organism,
or plant). In at least some form, all types of organisms are capable
of response to stimuli, reproduction, growth and development, and maintenance
of homeostasis as a stable whole.
 Cells
 Growth and Development
 Reproduce
 Respond to stimuli
 Use energy
 Maintenance of homeostasis
Cells
 The basic unit of life
 Made up of organelles
 Living things
 Plant and animal
Cell Membrane
 Made of phospholipids and proteins
 Controls what enters and exits the cell

Phagocytosis/pinocytosis

Endocytosis/Exocytosis
Cytoplasm
 Fluid in between area
 Suspends organelles
 Includes everything but nucleus
Endoplasmic Reticulum
 Making, storing, transporting,
 Smooth and Rough
 Rough – has ribosomes attached to them

Making, storing, transporting ribosomes
 Smooth – no ribosomes

Making, storing, and transporting lipids, phospholipids and steroids

Detoxifies poisons
Ribosomes
 Makes protein
 Some free and some are bound to E.R.
Golgi Apparatus
 Stacks of membrane sacs
 Sorts and packages matter
4
Reece, Urry, Cain, Wasserman, Minorsky, and Jackson – Campbell Biology 9th edition

Ships matter to exit the membrane or enter rest of cell
Lysosome
 Digestive part of the cell
 Very acidic
 Only animal Cells
Mitochondrion
 Double membrane organelle
 Creates own free ribosomes
 Converts energy from food to energy for the cell
 Cellular respiration
Nucleus
 Contains DNA
 Controls the process of the cell
 Made up of Nucleolus, chromatin, and nuclear envelope
Vacuole
 Fluid sac
 Storage
 Waste removal
 Digestion
 (large in plants)
Plant Cell ONLY
Cell Wall
 Made up of cellulose
 Rigid
 Encases membrane
 Helps in support
Chloroplast
 Photosynthesis

Turning energy from the sun to sugar/food energy (glucose)

Byproduct is oxygen
 Double membrane
 Contains chlorophyll
 Thylakoids