Cells are too small to see with the naked eye, so the use of ICT is important here in showing images that might otherwise not be seen. Secondary sources such as images, animations and interactive activities from the internet are essential for looking at cells in more detail, including those types of cells (e.g. nerves) that will not be seen during practical work. Suitable examples include: www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model.htm
www.darvill.clara.net/multichoice/ks3cells2.htm
There is also the potential for students to carry out research into the functions of different cell types, as well as opportunities for students to present investigative or practical work in the form of class blogs or PowerPoint presentations.
Activities 1 and 2 are ready-to-use ICT tasks for students to complete, either in class (if you have access to the computer lab), or as a homework task after an overview or demonstration of the task in class.
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Students could carry out research into different types of microscopes and their uses, using for example http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/microscopes . They could use this information to complete a table of pros and cons, for example ease of use, cost, availability. Or they could decide which types of microscopes are suitable for different situations; for example, electron microscopes are expensive and large but can be used to look at viruses in detail.
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Images of cells/tissues from practical work or prepared slides could be viewed by the class using digital microscope, for example an INTEL school microscope, and projected with a data projector.
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Animations showing cell growth, for example from http://www.cellsalive.com
, could be shown to students to reinforce the concept of tissue and organ formation.
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Students could take photos (with cameras or mobile phones) of examples of wind-pollinated and insect-pollinated plants and present their findings to the rest of the class. They could be given in advance three characteristics of each type of plant to help them to understand what they are looking for. Or they could be shown a table of differences between wind- and insectpollinated plants; the BBC Bitesize website has an excellent table at www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/standard/biology/world_of_plants/growing_plants/revision/4/ .
The
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Activity 1: Lifespan of different body cells presentation in Topic 1 Engaging ICT gives basic instructions for students and a link to access the accompanying spreadsheet. There is also an optional guidance document that you can hand out,
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Activity 1: Lifespan of different body cells worksheet, with suggested websites ( www.wikipedia.org
, http://science.howstuffworks.com
and http://kidshealth.org/kid ) and search terms (‘function of a [name your cell type]’) for students’ research.
Teach Better KS3 Biology Dynamic Learning © Hodder and Stoughton 2013

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The spreadsheet contains data on five different types of cell found in the human body. First students need to do an internet search to complete the ‘cell function’ column for each cell type.
They then need to convert a human lifespan from years into days and work out how many times the different cells are replaced in a person’s lifetime. (Instructions are provided on the spreadsheet.) Lastly, they need to produce a bar chart of their results (again, instructions are given) and answer two questions based on their results. You may wish them to use the internet again to answer question 2.
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The completed spreadsheet should be as follows. The answers that students write for the cell function column should cover the relevant points included here.
Pancreatic
Red blood
White blood
Brain
Skin
Produces chemicals to help break food down; produces a chemical called insulin to control blood sugar levels
360
Carries oxygen around the body 120
Engulfs bacteria; produces antibodies to fight disease
1
Controls the body by telling other parts what to do
2
Forms the body’s protective layer against injury and disease
30
81
243
29 200
14 600
973
1 Most often – white blood cell; least often – pancreatic.
2 Students may suggest that the cells are broken down by the body (specifically by the liver) where they are removed in a person’s faeces; they may also suggest that dead skin cells are continually brushed off as we rub against them.
Teach Better KS3 Biology Dynamic Learning © Hodder and Stoughton 2013

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Students access some websites, from specific home pages, and use the information they find to fill in a worksheet on different types of specialised cell. This keeps the research focused and ensures websites used are appropriate for the age and level of your students. By carrying out this kind of research they should gain knowledge on specialised cells that is different from what is taught to them other ways, for example from textbooks.
The
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Activity 2: Specialised cells webquest presentation in Topic 1 Engaging ICT gives instructions for students. There is also an accompanying worksheet.
The last part of the worksheet asks students to design their own type of specialised cell. This gives them the opportunity to be creative as well as tying together what they have learned about adaptation in specialised cells.
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Suggested websites are: www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize www.s-kool.co.uk
http://lgfl.skoool.co.uk/keystage3.aspx?id=63
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Check diagrams are sketched and labelled appropriately.
1 Water and minerals (minerals may be named)
2 A few millimetres
3 A few days
1 Flagellum
2 To swim through liquid (to find egg cell)
3 In the head
1 Neuron(e)
2 To carry electrical signals
3 Effectors and receptors
Answers depend on the cell chosen but students should be able to justify their adaptations and suggest a suitable function for the cell that they have drawn.
Teach Better KS3 Biology Dynamic Learning © Hodder and Stoughton 2013