Scenario
|
Lewis
Thomas, a famous scientist, wrote in his book, Lives of a Cell: Notes
of a Biology Watcher, "The other night driving through a hilly,
wooded part of southern New England, I wondered about this .... what is it
[the earth] most like? Then, satisfactorily for that moment, it came
to me: it is most like a single cell."
Instead of
tackling the whole earth, your fifth grade teacher has
challenged you to combine your knowledge of Social Studies and Science to show how a cell is just like a city.
There is a certificate for the student(s) able to identify the most
points of comparison between a cell and a city. At first, you
think this is an impossible task, but then you begin to wonder if:
- are all just
as important for a cell as they are for a city.
Essential
Question:
|
How
could a single cell be a metaphor for an entire city?
|
|
|
Task & Product
|
We will
confine our research to two types of eukaryotic cells:
|
Animal Cell
drawing by N. Chen, student
|
|
Plant Cell
drawing by
L. Tran, student
|
Your team will gather
background information about cell structures, including the organelles, and then you
will:
 | Prepare a slide for examination under a
microscope. Click here for
directions on preparing plant and animal wet slides. |
| Complete a scientific drawing of the cell you
researched to share with your group members (See student models above).
Click here
for directions. |
| Observe and record the
dynamic processes as they occur in living plant and animal cells. |
| Compare your information using this comparison chart to see if there
are any important differences between animal and plant cells. |
| Brainstorm how a cell is like a city. For example, the nucleus
of the cell is like the city government because both direct activity. |
After completing your
research, you will use your knowledge to build a
3-dimensional, edible
model of your cell. You will use your model to explain how a
cell is a metaphor for a city.
Or, your teacher may decide
to assign a Multimedia
presentation where
you share your research through a KidPix, PowerPoint, or video
documentary showing how the organelles in the cell act like different
groups of public servants, or parts of government. |
Assessments
 |
The
following scoring tools will be used to assess both the process of
gathering information and your finished product:
You will also be graded on
your work in your group using this Group
Work Scoring Tool. |
Question
|
Essential
Question:
|
How
could a single cell be a metaphor for an entire city?
|
|
Subsidiary questions:
| What is a cell? |
| How is a plant cell
similar to and different from an animal cell? |
| What are the
organelles inside a plant cell? How do they function? |
| What are the
organelles inside an animal cell? How do they function? |
| Does a cell have
boundaries like a city does? |
| How does a cell
produce energy? |
| How does a cell get
rid of waste? |
| What is the cell's
communication network? |
| What is the cell's
transportation network? |
| What directs the
activity of a cell? |
| How does a cell build
new structures? |
|
Gather and Sort
 |
Use this comparison chart to compare the
structures of animal and plant cells; then, record the functions for each
of the organelles.
Gather
information about from a variety of sources.
Be
sure to avoid plagiarism and keep track of your resources for a
bibliography. Need help
documenting your resources? Use the interactive tools at Noodle
Tools Quick Cite. |
Organize
|
Analyze your completed graphic organizer.
Synthesize your findings by choosing to answer
one of the
following questions using a BCR format:
| Briefly describe how a
cell is like a city. Be sure to include at least two specific
examples. |
| Compare the function
of chloroplasts and mitochondria in a cell. In your response, include
 | the name of the process
that occurs in each organelle |
| the importance of each
process to the cell |
|
| Describe a controlled
experiment a student could perform to test the effects of a temperature
increase on a plant and animal cell wall. Be sure to include:
| all materials and
equipment |
| the kind of data that
will be collected |
| the experimental
procedure |
|
Evaluate the effectiveness of your research for
the task.
|
Conclusion
|
Reflection and/or Extension
Activities:
| Why are cells called the
building blocks of life? |
| Use your calculator and
your math skills to solve the following problem:
| A cell divides every
hour. Assuming no cells die during a 12-hour period, how many cells
would exist after 12 hours? |
|
|
Last update: January
2005Created by Sharon Grimes and Kathy Wilson
BCPS Research Module,
Copyright 2005, Baltimore County Public Schools,
MD, all rights reserved. This Research Module may be used for educational,
non-profit school use only. All other uses, transmissions, and duplications are
prohibited unless permission is granted expressly.
- The Baltimore County Public schools does not
guarantee the accuracy or quality of information located on
telecommunications networks. We have made every
reasonable attempt to ensure that our school system's web pages are
educationally sound and do not contain links to any questionable materials
or anything that can be deemed in violation of the BCPS Telecommunications
Policy. The linked sites are not under the control of
the Baltimore County Public Schools; therefore, BCPS is not responsible for
the contents of any linked site, links within the site, or any revisions to
such sites. Links from Baltimore County Public Schools’ web sites are
provided as a convenience and do not imply an endorsement of the linked we
site.
- Copyright © 2003 Baltimore County Public Schools,
Towson, MD 21204
All rights reserved.
Documents and related graphics may be duplicated for educational, non-profit
school use only.
All other uses, transmissions and duplications are prohibited unless
permission is granted expressly.
Contact Margaret-Ann Howie, Esq. 410-887-2646
