Unit 1: Cells
Essential Questions
 What makes something “alive”?
 What are cells and what do they do?
 How are organisms organized?
 How do substances move in and out of cells, and
how are they transported to the rest of our body?
 What are enzymes and how do they help our body
function?
 How are organic molecules used in our body?
Day 1
 Required Readings:
 Section 2.1: Cells and cell structures
 Learning Objectives:
 The basic unit of living organisms is the cell
 All cells have certain features in common, but there
are differences between plant and animal cells
 The study of cells requires the use of a microscope
Starter
 There are some microscopes set up with different cells at
the back.
 In your group, go to each station and observe the
different slides. I will tell you when time is up and to
switch to the next station.
 Write down what you observe on the different slides. Be
sure to label them.
 When back in your seats, discuss with your group the
similarities and differences between the slides.
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity One: What is a
Cell?
 Observe the dish that has been placed on your desk.
Is it a living being?
Why or why not?
What makes something a living thing?
Brainstorm with your group features/characteristics
that are common to all living things.
 What is a cell?
 What features/functions does a cell have?
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 Time: 15 minutes
Activity Two: What are the
different types of cells?
 Look at the pictures provided and point out any
similarities and differences between the three types
of cells.
 What structures can you see?
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity Three: Prokaryote
vs. Eukaryote
 The pictures you were just looking at were
examples of prokaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells.
 What do these words mean?
 Create a table to distinguish the difference between
prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity Four: Plant Cells
vs. Animal Cells
 Create two different slides:
 One of an onion cell
 One of a cheek cell
 Draw what you see in both of them
 Use the following pictures to help you with the following
questions
 Compare and contrast the two different types of cells
 What features do they have in common? What features are
different.
 Time: 30 minutes
Animal and Plant Cells
Homework:
 Complete the “Cell as a City”
 Label the plant and animal cell
Day 2: Organization of
Living Things
 Required reading:
 Section 2.2
 Learning Objectives:
 To understand that the body of a living organism is a
highly organized structure
 To understand that cells, tissues, organs and systems
represent increasing degrees of organization in living
organisms
 The structure of cells relate to its function; cells are
specialized
Starter
 Draw a pyramid and place these words in the
pyramid from smallest (bottom) to largest (top)
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Cell
Organism
Organ
Molecule
Tissue
Atom
Organ system
 Time: 10 minutes
Activity One: Review Cell
Organelles
 Get in a group with 2-3 other people who you do
not sit with
 Compare your answers from the “Cell as a City”
and labeling homework.
 Discuss any discrepancies between your answers
and try to come up with answers together for any
you left blank. Do not copy answers
 Time: 20 minutes
Activity Two: How are
organisms organized?
 You have put the levels of organization in order
from smallest to largest, but what does each one
mean?
 In your group, come up with an explanation for
each term using an example:
 Organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism
 You can represent your information in any way you
like
 Time: 20 minutes
Activity Three:
 Use your text book and microscope slides at the
back to help you determine why different cells are
shaped differently (cell specialization)
 Describe how the structure (how it looks) of the
following cells relates to its function (what it does)
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Red blood cell
Nerve cell
Muscle cell
Root hair cell
Xylem vessel
 Time: 30 minutes
Closing Activity
 Explain the following situations:
 Why do muscle cells have more mitochondria than
other types of cells?
 Why do leaves in plants contain a lot of chloroplasts?
 Where would you find a lot of ciliated cells? Why?
 Time: 10 minutes
Homework
 None for tonight!
Day 3: Movement in and
out of Cells
 Required Reading
 2.3 Movement in and Out of Cells
 Learning Objectives:
 To understand that the contents of a living cell must
be kept separate from its surroundings
 To know that the cell surface membrane can act as a
barrier to some substances which might pass between
a cell and its surroundings
 To understand the principles of diffusion, osmosis,
active transport and phagocytosis
Starter
 Give an example of diffusion or osmosis.
 Is this system in equilibrium? Why or why not? If it is
not in equilibrium, draw how it would look in
equilibrium.
 Time: 10 minutes
Activity One: Observing
Diffusion
 Observe the beaker that has been placed on your
desk
 Describe what you see
 Write down any questions that you have about what
is happening
 Discuss in your group what is happening and why
using the following terms:
 Diffusion
 Concentration gradient
 Movement of particles
 Time: 10 minutes
Activity Two: The
structure of the cell
membrane
 Cell membranes are often described as a “fluid
mosaic”
 What does this mean to you?
 Why do you think this would be used to describe the
cell membrane?
 Create a model of the cell membrane using the cutouts provided
 Time: 30 minutes
Activity Three: osmosis is the
diffusion of water particles
 Osmosis is a special type of diffusion involving
water particles
 We will model this by putting decalcified eggs (the
“cell”) into water, salt and sugar solutions to
observe the net movement of water particles
 Use the experimental design sheet to plan out your
experiment
 Show me when completed and set up your practical
 Time: 35 minutes
Homework
 Draw a picture of an animal cell and a plant cell
 Show what happens when the cells are placed in a
hypertonic, hypotonic and isotonic solution
Day 4: Movement in and Out of
Cells (Cont’d) (60 minutes)
 Required Reading
 2.3 Movement in and Out of Cells
 Learning Objectives:
 To understand that the contents of a living cell must
be kept separate from its surroundings
 To know that the cell surface membrane can act as a
barrier to some substances which might pass between
a cell and its surroundings
 To understand the principles of diffusion, osmosis,
active transport and phagocytosis
Starter
 What is the difference between active and passive
transport?
 Use a picture to explain how active transport is
achieved
 Give an example of active transport in the body
 Time: 10 minutes
Activity One: Results from
egg lab
 Obtain the masses from your eggs and record your
results
 CERR lab report due September 4
 Extension activity (include at the end of report):
 Bodies of water have different salinities (salt
concentrations)
 See wiki for full instructions
 Time: 20 minutes
Activity Two: Observing
Osmosis and Diffusion
 We will be completing the “Examining Cellular
Transport” lab activity
 Read over the instructions with your lab group
 Set up your materials and begin the practical
 Time: 25 minutes
Homework
 Complete the Examining Cellular Transport lab
packet
 Due September 6
Day 5: Enzymes Control
Biochemical Reactions
 Learning Objectives:
 To appreciate that biochemical reactions in living
organisms must be controlled
 To understand how enzymes can act as biological
catalysts
 To list and explain factors that affect enzyme activity
 To list some examples of human exploitation of
enzymes
Starter
Starter
 Chew on the crackers provided
 Don’t swallow them until instructed to do so
 What did you notice about how the taste changed
when you were chewing?
 What is happening here?
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity One: Enzymes are
biological catalysts
Activity One (cont’d)
 Discuss the following questions with your group:
 What is an enzyme?
 How do they work?
 What conditions do they work best in? (Hint: Think
about pH, temperature, etc.)
 Where do we find enzymes?
 What are some examples of enzymes?
 How can we identify if something is an enzyme (Hint:
Think of how they are named)
 Time: 20 minutes
Activity Two: Creating an
enzyme
 Using the plasticine create a step-by-step model of
how an enzyme works
 Include the following:
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Enzyme with active site
Substrate
Enzyme-substrate complex
Product
 Draw the steps on your cue cards
 Time: 25 minutes
Activity Three: How does
an enzyme work?
 In your group, use the large paper to create a graph
that represents the rate of a reaction in our body and
how enzymes work to make them faster
 On your graph, include how temperature and pH
can also affect the enzyme activity and how they
play a role in the reaction rate
 Time: 25 minutes
Homework
 Work on Egg Lab (CERR model) – due September 6
 Work on Cellular Transport Questions – due
September 6
Day 6
 Required Readings:
 2.5: Humans use enzymes from microorganisms
 Answer questions posted on Wiki
 Learning Objectives:
 To understand that enzymes have many roles which
benefit humans
 To know examples of range of uses of enzymes
 To understand the benefits of enzyme immobilization
Starter
 How do we use enzymes to benefit our daily lives?
 Discuss in your group any questions you have
about the Egg lab write-up
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity One: Using
Enzymes
 You are going to be researching some different ways that
people use enzymes from microorganisms to benefit our
every day lives
 You will choose how you would like to present your
data and then work with a group of others who would
like to present the data in the same way:
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Write a story, song or poem
Create a documentary
Make a powerpoint
Create a table and/or graph presenting the data you
collected
 Time: 45 minutes for research
Activity One (cont’d)
 The following items must be included in your
presentation:
 How are enzymes used in pharmaceutical
production?
 How are enzymes used for biological washing
powders?
 How are enzymes used in food production?
 How are enzymes used in textile production?
 Time: 30 minutes
Activity Two: Making your
presentation
 After you have collected the information you need,
work in your group to make up your presentation
 There are two computers in the back for your use
 Time: 30 minutes
Activity Three: Presenting
your findings
 Present to the class your findings
 Time: 15 minutes
Homework
 Egg lab – due Thursday
 Cellular transport questions – due Thursday
Day 7: Enzyme experiments
and the scientific method
 Required readings:
 2.6: Enzyme experiments and the scientific method
 Learning objectives:
 To understand how enzymes can work as biological
catalysts
 To understand and apply the scientific method
Starter
 In this lab, we will be using the enzyme catalase
(from potatoes) to break down hydrogen peroxide
(H2O2)
 Write a balanced chemical equation for the break
down of hydrogen peroxide
 What are the different variables we could test in this
lab? Your text mentions one way. Come up with at
least 2 more ideas.
 Time: 15 minutes
Activity One: Planning for
the experiment
 For this lab, you can choose the variable you wish to
test:
 pH
 Temperature
 [Catalase]
 We will time how long it takes for a disc soaked in
the catalase to float to the top of the hydrogen
peroxide solution
 Time: 5 minutes
Activity Two: Recording
your results
Create a table to record your results in
Time: 10 minutes
Data to be collected
(Temperature, pH,
[Catalase]
Time taken for discs
to float (do 3 for each
condition)
Rate (floats/second)
Activity Three: Performing
the experiment
 When your group is ready, go to the back and
complete the practical
 Clean up when you are finished
 Time: 45 minutes
Closing and Homework
 You will complete a CERR model lab report for this
lab – due Wednesday, September 12
 If you assigned sections for the last lab write up,
make sure you change around who is doing what