ALEX Learning Activity

  

Project-Based Assessment: Cell Project

A Learning Activity is a strategy a teacher chooses to actively engage students in learning a concept or skill using a digital tool/resource.

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  This learning activity provided by:  
Author: Kimberly Simms
System:Lowndes County
School:Calhoun High School
  General Activity Information  
Activity ID: 2328
Title:
Project-Based Assessment: Cell Project
Digital Tool/Resource:
Padlet
Web Address – URL:
Overview:

Students will create a cell model and communicate/present their projects to the class. Students will upload their pictures on a free program called Padlet. Padlet is an application to create an online bulletin board that you can use to display information for any topic. Easily create an account and build a new board. You can add images, links, videos, and more. Students will evaluate their classmates' projects and presentations.

This activity was created as a result of the ALEX Resource Development Summit.
  Associated Standards and Objectives  
Content Standard(s):
Science
SC2015 (2015)
Grade: 9-12
Biology
2 ) Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to describe the function and diversity of organelles and structures in various types of cells (e.g., muscle cells having a large amount of mitochondria, plasmids in bacteria, chloroplasts in plant cells).

NAEP Framework
NAEP Statement::
L12.3: Cellular processes are regulated both internally and externally by environments in which cells exist, including local environments that lead to cell differentiation during the development of multicellular organisms. During the development of complex multicellular organisms, cell differentiation is regulated through the expression of different genes.

Unpacked Content
Scientific And Engineering Practices:
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
Crosscutting Concepts: Structure and Function
Disciplinary Core Idea: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Evidence Of Student Attainment:
Students:
  • Describe the cell theory and discuss the historical context of its development.
  • Distinguish between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
  • Compare and contrast various types of cells.
  • Using various sources (prepared or wet mount slides, images, digital animations), identify cellular organelles.
  • Gather, analyze, and communicate the diversity of organelles and structures that exist within different types of cells.
  • Based on their function, describe why certain organelles and structures are found in particular types of cells
.
Teacher Vocabulary:
  • Cell
  • Cell theory
  • Plasma membrane
  • Organelle
  • Cell structures (e.g., cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, etc.)
  • Cell organelles (e.g., nucleus, chloroplast, mitochondrion, etc.)
  • Prokaryote
  • Eukaryote
  • Bacterial cell
  • Plant cell
  • Animal cell
  • Muscle cell
  • Other types of cells such as unicellular organisms (e.g., amoeba), nerve cell, sex cell (sperm/egg), etc.
Knowledge:
Students know:
  • Historical contributions to the cell theory by scientists such as Hooke, Leeuwenhoek, Schleiden etc.
  • The cell theory is one of the fundamental ideas of modern biology and includes three principles:
    1. All living things are composed of cells.
    2. Cells are the basic unit of structure and organization of all living organisms.
    3. Cells arise only from previously existing cells.
  • There are many types of organelles.
  • Eukaryotic cells contain a nucleus and other membrane bound organelles.
  • Prokaryotic cells are cells without a nucleus or other membrane bound organelles.
  • How organelles function within a cell.
  • How the function of organelles relates to their presence in various types of cells.
  • The characteristics of different types of cells can be determined based on the presence of certain organelles.
Skills:
Students are able to:
  • Obtain information about the function and diversity of organelles and cell structures.
  • Evaluate the function of a cell based on the presence or absence of particular organelles and/or cell structures.
  • Communicate information to describe the function of organelles and cell structures in various types of cells.
  • Communicate information to describe the diversity of organelles and structures in various types of cells.
Understanding:
Students understand that:
  • Structures within different types of cells will have different functions.
  • Cellular function is related to the presence and number of particular organelles and cell structures.
  • Various types of cells can be identified by the presence of particular organelles and/or cell structures.
AMSTI Resources:
ASIM Module:
Comparing Cell Structures; Observing Protist Locomotion; Osmosis and Plasmolysis in Onion Cells; Why must Cells be Small?
Learning Objectives:

Students will:

  1. create a cell model of a eukaryotic cell.

  2. communicate information to describe the function of the organelles in various types of cells.

  3. evaluate the information of the functions and structures of various types of cells.
  Strategies, Preparations and Variations  
Phase:
After/Explain/Elaborate
Activity:

The teacher should:

  1. make a list of students that will be presenting (if it is a large class).

  2. make copies of the Student Information Sheet and Rubric to give to the students two weeks in advance.

The students will:

  1. select a specific Eukaryotic Cell: Animal or Plant Cell.

  2. include all of the appropriate/required organelles for the type of Eukaryotic Cell they select.

  3. communicate the function of the required organelles.

  4. remember to keep it colorful and fun.

  5. take a picture of the project and upload it on Padlet. Students should include their name, date, and block.

  6. present the cell model to the Director of Main Attractions for Six Flags Over Georgia and a group of children.

  7. present the Required Organelles for Animals Cells: (12)Nucleus, Nucleolus, Nuclear Pores, Cell Membrane, Cytoplasm, Ribosomes, Golgi Apparatus/Golgi Body, Rough ER, Smooth ER, Centrioles, Lysosomes, and Mitochondria

  8. present the required Organelles for Plant Cells:(13)Nucleus, Nucleolus, Nuclear Pores, Cell Membrane, Cell Wall, Central Vacuole, Chloroplast, Cytoplasm, Ribosomes, Golgi Apparatus/Golgi Body, Rough ER, Smooth ER, and Mitochondria

  9. Evaluate their peers on Padlet using the Peer Evaluation Form.
Assessment Strategies:

Students will be assessed on their communication and evaluations by this rubric and form.
Advanced Preparation:

The teacher should have:

  1. taught the different types of Eukaryotic Cells.

  2. taught the functions and structures of cell organelles.
Variation Tips (optional):
 
Notes or Recommendations (optional):

Instead of using Padlet, students could upload pictures on Google Classroom and have their peers evaluate their projects.  

Note: Google Classroom is a free web service developed by Google for schools that aim to simplify creating, distributing and grading assignments in a paperless way. The primary purpose of Google Classroom is to streamline the process of sharing files between teachers and students.
  Keywords and Search Tags  
Keywords and Search Tags: animals, cell projects, cells, eukaryotes, plants