6th GRADE – Cell Structure, Function and Process
The Unifying Concept: Structure and Function
The Essential Question: What is the relationship between structure and function?
Summative Assessment: Cell presentations, exam, and microscope demonstration/quiz
Macro Concept
Inquiry and Design (11)
Fundamentals, Principals, and
Interconnections (12)
Unit Questions
What is the proper way to operate a microscope?
How are microscope slides prepared?
What are the basic building blocks of living
things?
How does the structure of specialized cells relate
to their function?
What are the similarities in structure and
function of plant and animal cells?
How have technological advances and scientific
investigation informed our understanding of cell
structure and function? How have these
discoveries benefitted society?
Enduring Understandings
Proper microscope use and slide preparation.
Cells are the basic building blocks of life and
their structures have specific functions.
Society has benefited from technological
advances which have allowed scientific
investigations to further understand cells.
Create an audio visual presentation (such as slide
show, movie or skit) that demonstrates the
function of organelles in a novel way.
Decide how cell specialization contributes to
specific functions.
Assess how pathogens affect the specialized cells
of the immune system.
Create a timeline of technological advances and
discoveries related to microscopes and cells.
Compare structure and function in plant and
animal cells.
Differentiate between living and non-living things.
Compare and contrast the capabilities and
applications for various types of microscopes.
Interpret similarities and differences of plant
and animal cells.
Develop models and diagrams of cells.
Order the levels of organization in multicellular
organisms
Demonstrate the safe and proper way to use lab
equipment with emphasis on microscopes.
Connect specialized cells to specific functions.
Describe the function of cells’ organelles.
Identify them in cell diagrams.
Describe the timeline of discovery of
microscopes, cells and organelles and how these
discoveries have benefitted society.
Identify cells as building blocks of living things.
Name all the major organelles of plant and animal
cells.
Name the inventor of the microscope and the
originator of the term “cell”.
Performance Indicators/Outcomes
Synthesis
Compose, hypothesize, design,
formulate, create, construct, invent
Evaluation
Judge, predict, verify, assess,
justify, rate, determine, select,
decide
Analysis
Compare, contrast, classify, critique,
solve, deduce, differentiate, appraise,
distinguish
Application
Demonstrate, model, diagram,
revise, reformat, illustrate,
interpret, order, dramatize,
organize, display, adapt, research,
conduct
Comprehension
Use microscopes to analyze various types of cells
and classify them as plant, animal or mineral.
Use microscopes to classify items as living or nonliving.
Demonstrate the safe and proper way to use lab
equipment with emphasis on microscopes.
Using microscopes – accurately illustrate cells and
their organelles.
Locate, explain, summarize,
identify, describe, report, discuss,
review, restate, retell, show,
rewrite, recognize, express
Describe how to safely use a microscope.
Describe each part of the microscope and its
function.
Knowledge
List the parts of the microscope.
Define, record, list, recall, repeat, tell,
name, report, label, narrate, recite
Science, Technology & Society (13)