The Structure and Function of Cells
- an independent learning project
Introduction
The cell is the basic unit of structure and function; virtually all
organisms consist of cells and cell products. This
generalisation is known as cell theory.
Research and write a report entitled ‘The Structure and
Function of Cells‘. This should be a minimum of 6,000 and a
maximum of 8,000 words, depending upon whether you tackle
any of the extension tasks. The deadline for submission is
June 21st 2012. This challenge has been designed to enable
you to develop a deeper understanding of a key biological
principle. You will also have the opportunity to apply your
knowledge and understanding through some optional
extension tasks. By completing the activities successfully you
will also develop and reflect on your abilities in a range of
functional skills (communication and IT) and learning and
thinking skills.
Aims
This extended project offers opportunities for learners to:
• have a significant input into the design of and take
responsibility for an individual, defined task
• develop and improve your own learning and performance as
critical, reflective and independent learners
• extend your planning, research, critical thinking, analysis,
synthesis, evaluation and presentation skills
• develop, where appropriate, as e-confident learners and
apply new technologies in your studies
• develop and apply skills creatively, demonstrating initiative
and enterprise
• develop and apply decision making and, where appropriate,
problem solving skills.
What are the Learning Outcomes?
The learner will:
• identify, design, plan and complete an individual project
applying organisational skills and strategies to meet stated
objectives
• obtain and select information from a range of sources,
analyse data, apply relevantly and demonstrate
understanding of any appropriate linkages, connections and
complexities ofthe topic
• select and use a range of skills, including new technologies
where appropriate, to solve problems, to take decisions
critically, creatively and flexibly, and to achieve planned
outcomes
• evaluate outcomes including own learning and performance
and select and use a range of communication skills and
media to convey and present evidenced outcomes and
conclusions.
Resources
You will be given a number of useful resource sheets to help
start you off. A range of textbooks are available on request.
The internet has a wealth of material if you search selectively,
e.g. http://www.youtube.com/user/bozemanbiology.
Functional skills
Learning and thinking skills
You will be able to demonstrate the following:
Communication – reading and writing.
This challenging project will allow you to develop as an
independent inquirer, a creative thinker, a reflective learner
and a self-manager.
In particular you need to:
In particular, you should:
• check that material is consistently relevant, well-structured
and appropriately presented,
• clearly communicate your findings and conclusions which
should be based on sound evidence and judgement.
• complete the work applying organisational skills and
strategies to meet the stated objectives
• provide evidence of detailed research involving the selection
and evaluation of a wide range of relevant sources.
• demonstrate critical analysis and application of the research,
with clear links made to appropriate theories and concepts.
• complete a detailed and careful evaluation of the strengths
and weaknesses of the completed project in relation to the
planning, implementation and outcomes, and your own
learning during the project.
IT – use IT systems, find and select information, develop,
present and communicate information.
In particular you should:
• take appropriate decisions and check that appropriate data
is collected and thoroughly analysed,
• fully implementthe project plan so that the outcome is fully
realised to a high standard and consistent with the plan in
the table of success criteria,
• communicate your findings fluently in an appropriate format,
synthesising information from a variety of sources and
present them within a logical and coherent structure which
addresses closely the nature of the task.
Plagiarism and referencing
Plagiarism is defined as the "wrongful appropriation," "close
imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author’s
"language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the
representation of them as one's own original work. Please
reference your work by acknowledging any sources you use
throughout your report. This can be done by writing the
author’s name and the date of publication in the main text
(e.g. Champion, 2012) and then adding that source of
reference material to your bibliography. There is a guide as to
how to compile a bibliography further on in this booklet.
Success criteria
The following table outlines in detail the steps to take for successful completion of this report. Please note that three sections are
optional extension tasks. Whether you choose to do none, some or all depends upon your interest, organisation and timemanagement. Please ensure you follow this checklist for the final report carefully. It will help you manage your time, structure your
report, use resources effectively and review your progress and achievement. The word counts are a guide and the images are the
minimum required – more may be included but be judicious with their use (each image must serve a purpose).
Tasks
Details, learning outcomes, advice, etc.
Title
Author
IT format
Create an eye-catching title page.
Include your full name.
 A4 portrait in Word and check spelling, punctuation and grammar is UK.
 Sub-headings should be Arial font, size 14 and Bold.
 Main text should be Arial font, size 12, Normal.
 Text should be line spaced at 1.5 and aligned to the left.
 All pages should be numbered using a footer, except the title page.
 All images, diagrams, tables, graphs, etc. should be numbered (e.g. Figure 1,
Table 1, etc) and include a short text of explanation.
 All figures should be referred to in your main text.
 References are cited in the main text to acknowledge the source of a piece of
information.
List the sub-sections in your report and page number.
Summary of the key findings in your report.
 Life and times of Antonie van Leeuwenhoek
 Leeuwenhoek’s contribution to biology
 Influences of Leeuwenhoek (including the microscope)
 What are the four key features of cell theory?
 Define prokaryote and eukaryote and compare the range of normal cell sizes
Contents page
Abstract
Cell theory
Maximum number of
words and whether
images are required
250
250 and image
300
150 and image
100
100 and images
Structure of
eukaryotic cells
Ultra-structure of
eukaryotic cells
Lipids
Cell-surface
membranes
with examples (e.g. parenchyma, leucocytes and rod and spiral bacteria.
 General features of cells as seen under the light microscope, e.g. Elodea and
human cheek cells – present as a table that compares and contrasts the
features, using diagrams, photomicrographs and labels.
 Cell diversity of animal and plant cells compare free-living uni-cellular cells
(Amoeba and Chlamydomonas), ciliated epithelium cells, involuntary muscle
cells, phloem sieve tubes with companion cells and protoxylem vessels.
 Labelled diagrams of generalised ultra-structure of an animal and plant cell to
compare and contrast them
Use the example of an epithelial cell to describe the structure and function of
the following organelles:
 Nucleus (including Robert Brown)
 Mitochondria
 Chloroplast
 Endoplasmic reticulum
 Ribosome’s
 Golgi apparatus
 Lysosomes
 Microvilli
 Cell wall
 What are the characteristics and roles of lipids?
 How are triglycerides formed?
 What is the structure of a phospholipid?
 What is the structure of a cell-surface membrane?
 What are the functions of the various components of the cell-surface
membrane (including phospholipid and protein)?
 What is the fluid mosaic model?
350 and images
150 and images
Images
as appropriate
200
250
250
150
100
200
150
50
150
200
150 and image
100 and image
100 and image
300 and image
100
Absorption in the
small intestine
EXTENSION TASK
Cholera
EXTENSION TASK
Endosymbiont theory
EXTENSION TASK
Bibliography
Self-assessment
review
 How are villi and microvilli different and what part do play in absorption?
 How are the products of carbohydrate digestion absorbed in the small intestine?
 What are the roles of diffusion and active transport in the process?
 What are prokaryotic cells, what are the roles of the structures found in a bacterial cell and
how do they compare with eukaryotic cells? This could be presented as a comparison
table.
 How does the cholera bacterium cause disease and how does it produce the symptoms?
 What is the endosymbiont theory and how could it explain the evolution of the eukaryotic
cell?
200
100 image
600 and
images
500 and
images
500
500
 Make sure you follow the rules on referencing set out below.
 See proforma on next page
How to write a bibliography.
The bibliography is a list set out in alphabetical order by the
last name of the authors of the works referred to in your
report. It may look something like this:
There are different ways to reference according to the type of
source:
Books - each entry in the list should include the author(s) or
editor(s), title, place of publication, publisher, date of
publication, set out in the following way;
Clarke, C.G. and T. Payne, eds, Politics, Security and
Development in Small States. (London: Allen &Unwin, 1987).
Articles in journals - each entry should include the author,
title, journal title, volume number, year, part/issue number if
needed, and page numbers, set out as follows:
Arrom, S., ‘Popular politics in Mexico City: the Parián riot,
1828', Hispanic American Historical Review 68 (1988), 33-56.
Websites and on-line publications:
Bacon, H.P., ‘The pig pen: frequently asked questions about
Pig Latin’ <URL http://www.hamnet.org/pigfaqs.html>
[accessed 4 November 2005].
How did your own learning and performance improve as you were solving the problem?
This is an opportunity to outline and reflect upon the successes, failures, additions and/or changes you made throughout this
challenge. One of the aims was for you to develop as an independent inquirer, a creative thinker, a reflective learner and a selfmanager. Complete a detailed and careful evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the finished report in relation to the
planning, implementation and outcomes, and of your own learning during the project by filling in the following form:
Summarise your main learning from completing this project, in
terms of new knowledge or expertise that you enjoyed or
found valuable.
Summarise your main learning from completing this project, in
terms of changes you would make if you undertook the
work again.
Summarise your main learning from completing this project, in
terms of a reflective consideration of your planning and
organisation skills.
Summarise your main learning from completing this project, in
terms of advice you would give to others undertaking
such a project.