Cells & Heredity: 6.C.1 Introduction to Cell Organelles · Introduction to Cell Organelles ... and...

Partnerships Implementing Engineering Education Worcester Polytechnic Institute – Worcester Public Schools

Supported by: National Science Foundation

Cells & Heredity: 6.C.1__ _____________________________________________________ Introduction to Cell Organelles

Grade Level 6

Sessions 1 – 50 minutes Seasonality N/A Instructional Mode(s) Small groups (2-5 students per group) Team Size 2 to 5 students per group WPS Benchmarks 06.SC.LS.05

06.SC.LS.07 06.SC.TE.08

MA Frameworks 6-8.LS.3-4 6-8.LS.16 6-8.TE.2.2

Key Words plant cell, animal cell, organelle

Summary

This lesson will reinforce the functions of organelles in both plant cells and animal cells.

During the lesson, the classroom will be divided in two. Each half of the classroom will

be transformed into either an animal cell or a plant cell. The students will then be

assigned to a group to go on a journey to different cell organelles. Throughout the

students’ journey, they will be collecting information about each destination. At the end

of the activity, the students will be given a worksheet for homework with thought

provoking questions about the cell they visited.

Learning Objectives

2002 Worcester Public Schools (WPS) Benchmarks for Grade 6

06.SC.LS.05 Compare and contrast plant and animal cells, including major organelles

(cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, vacuoles).

06.SC.LS.07 Recognize that within cells, many of the basic functions of organisms

(e.g., extracting energy from food and getting rid of waste) are carried out. The way in

which cells function is similar in all living organisms.

06.SC.TE.08 Demonstrate methods of representing solution to a design problem, e.g.,

sketches, orthographic projections, multiview drawings.

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Supported by: National Science Foundation Additional Learning Objectives

1. 6-8.LS.16 Recognize that producers (plants that contain chlorophyll) use the

energy from sunlight to make sugars from carbon dioxide and water through a

process called photosynthesis. This food can be used immediately, stored for

later use, or used by other organisms.

2. Understand the function of each plant cell organelle.

3. Understand the function of each animal cell organelle.

4. Be able to “design” a new cell based on the functions of known organelles.

5. Understand the difference between plant and animal cells.

Required Background Knowledge

1. Students should be exposed to the functions of the different organelles at least

once (either in a reading assignment or in an introductory lecture).

Essential Questions

1. What is an organelle?

2. What is the function of each plant organelle?

3. What is the function of each animal cell organelle?

Introduction / Motivation

Ask the students what a cell is. Explain that cells are the basic building block of all living

things. Stress the word living and explain that each cell is alive. In order for cells to live,

they need to carry basic functions like gets food/energy, processing the food/energy,

storing energy, getting rid of waste. Ask the students if they know how this happens.

Give the definition of an organelle (Structure within a cell that performs a specific

function.). It is up to the teacher’s discretion whether or not to go over the function of

each organelle in plant and animal cells.

* Prior to the start of this lesson, the instructor should make labels for each plant

and animal cell organelle to put on desks in different areas of the classroom. For

the activity, the classroom should be easily divided into two areas (one for each

type of cells). The students will be divided into groups and travel from organelle

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Supported by: National Science Foundation to organelle during this activity. The space should be setup so that the students

can easily maneuver.

Procedure

Part I – 50 minutes The instructor will:

1. Explain the activity to the students.

• The students will be divided into groups of 2-5.

• Each group will take a journey through either a plant cell or an animal cell.

The students will make stops at different organelles.

• Each organelle will assigned a number and each group will be given a six-

sided die. As you go from organelle to organelle you will roll the die to see

where your next stop will be.

• As you go from organelle to organelle you must fill out a travel sheet.

2. Divide the students into groups and distribute the Cell Travel Sheet. Remind the

students that it is important to fill out their travel sheet as they doing the activity.

The students may also want to take notes during the activity to reference during

the homework assignment that will ask them questions about the activity.

3. After each group has finished visiting 5 or 6 organelles of the cell type they were

assigned have them switch cell types if time permits (if the groups switch cell

types, they will all need an addition cell travel sheet).

4. After the students have completed the activity. Ask the students if there was

anything interesting about their cell journey.

5. Distribute the homework assignment at the end of the lesson.

Materials List

Materials per group Amount Location Six-sided die 1 per group Toy store or Department Store like Wal-mart

Vocabulary with Definitions

1. Organelle – Structure within a cell that performs a specific function.

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2. Chloroplast – Organelle in plant cells where photosynthesis occurs.

3. Photosynthesis – A process in green plants where sunlight, water, and nutrients

are turned in to sugars that can be stored and then used as energy.

4. Cell wall – Organelle in plant cells that are the outermost layer. This organelle is

thick and rigid. It gives plant cells an inflexible structure. It also keeps materials in

the cell inside and keeps out unwanted things.

5. Cell membrane – Organelle in animal cells that is the barrier between the cell

and the environment. It is a semipermeable membrane; it allows nutrients to

enter and waste products to leave the cell.

6. Semipermeable - Partially permeable. Allowing passage of certain, especially

small, molecules or ions but acting as a barrier to other things.

7. Mitochondria – Organelle in plant and animal cells that process sugar and

oxygen to produce energy. The mitochondria is also referred to as the “power

plant” of the cell.

8. Vacuole – Organelle in both plant and animal cells. Vacuoles are small

compartments in cells that store food, water, and waste. Animal cells typically

have many small vacuoles while plant cells generally have one large vacuole.

9. Nucleus – Organelle in both plant and animals cells that controls all activities in

the cells. It stores chromosomes, which hold DNA. It also creates ribosomes,

structures that grow off the nucleus and help generate proteins to be used in the

rest of the cell.

10. Ribosomes – Small structures within both plant cells and animal cells that

contains proteins and RNA. These structures act like a platform or template on

which the cell’s proteins are made.

11. Endoplastic Reticulum (ER) – Organelle found in both plant and animal cells. It

modifies proteins, creates macromolecules, and transports proteins. Proteins

modified here are sent to the cell membrane in plant cells or sent to the central

vacuole in the plant cells to be excreted.

12. Golgi Bodies – A complex organelle in both plant cells and animal cells that is

considered to be the “post office” of the cell and also helps in the production of

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protein. It handles all incoming fat, protein, and other molecules and controls

which molecules leave the cell. It works with the ribosomes and endoplasic

reticulum to make proteins for the cell.

13. Centriole – Organelle found in animal cells that is important to cell division.

14. Cytoplasm – A fluid within plant and animal cells, which surrounds all organelles.

Assessment / Evaluation of Students

The instructor may assess the students in any/all of the following manners:

1. Check the Cell Travel Sheet

2. Observe the groups during the activity

3. Check the Cell Travel Homework

Lesson Extensions

The instructor might use the Cell Travel Brochure as a follow-up lesson.

Attachments

1. “Plant Cell” Organelle Descriptions (pages 6-13)

2. “Animal Cell” Organelle Descriptions (pages 14-21)

3. “Cell Travel Sheet”

4. “Cell Travel Homework”

Troubleshooting Tips

None

Safety Issues

None

Additional Resources

None

Key Words

Plant cell, animal cell, organelle

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Outside the Cell

This is the area outside the plant cell. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are obtained

here, as is sunlight and water.

1-2: Follow some sunlight to the Chloroplasts, where the sunlight takes part in

photosynthesis.

3-4: Before you can go into the cell, you have to go by the Cell Wall.

5: Oxygen from outside is needed in the Mitochondria to process sugars into

energy.

6: Follow some water as it enters the Vacuoles to be stored there.

Chloroplasts

This is where photosynthesis occurs. Photosynthesis is a complicated process by

which sunlight, water, and nutrients are turned in to sugars that can be stored and then

used as energy.

1-3: These chemicals are needed in the Mitochondria where they can be turned

into energy that the cell can use.

4-6: These chemicals can be stored for later use in the Vacuoles.

Vacuoles

Vacuoles are large spaces which can store chemicals that the cell needs, and

which also assists in the removal of wastes from the cell.

1-4: Wastes in the Vacuoles are expelled to Outside the Cell.

5-6: Chemicals and water in the Vacuoles can be sent to the Mitochondria to

produce energy.

Mitochondria

Mitochondria process sugars and oxygen and produce energy for cell processes.

1-6: These cell processes are carried out under instructions from DNA contained

in the Nucleus.

Cell Wall

The Cell Wall, a structure unique to plant cells, is a thicker barrier which also is

rigid and helps give plants a more inflexible structure. The Cell Wall is the outer border

of the cell. It keeps materials in the cell inside and keeps out unwanted things.

1: You leave the Cell Membrane to travel Outside the Cell.

2-4: Inside the cell membrane is Cytoplasm, a substance filling the empty

spaces of the cell which holds all the organelles.

5-6: By going to the middle of the cell, you will probably come to the largest

organelle, the Nucleus.

Nucleus

The Nucleus controls all activity in the cell. It stores chromosomes, which hold

DNA. It also creates ribosomes, structures that grow off the nucleus and help generate

proteins to be used in the rest of the cell.

1-3: Proteins made by the ribosomes are ‘packaged’ and sent to other parts of

the cells by the Golgi Bodies.

4-6: To get from the giant Nucleus to any of the smaller organelles, you must first

travel through the cell’s Cytoplasm.

Golgi Bodies

The Golgi bodies work with the ribosomes and endoplasmic reticulum to make

proteins for the cells. These protein molecules are sent by the Golgi Bodies to all other

parts of the cell, where they can be used to build up the cell or serve other purposes.

1: Some material from the Golgi bodies is sent back to the Nucleus.

2-3: Other proteins are used to help build rigid structures in the Cell Wall.

4-6: The rest of the proteins are sent via the Cytoplasm to all other parts of the

cell.

Cytoplasm

Also called cytosol, cytoplasm is a sort of fluid inside the cell, which all organelles

‘float’ in. It fills all the space in the cell not occupied by the organelles.

From the Cytoplasm you can easily see and visit any of the other major

organelles, such as:

1: the Nucleus

2: the Mitochondria

3-4: the Chloroplasts

5-6: the Vacuoles

Outside the Cell

This is the area outside the plant cell. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are obtained

here, as is sunlight and water.

1-2: Follow some sunlight to the Chloroplasts, where the sunlight takes part in

photosynthesis.

3-4: Before you can go into the cell, you have to go by the Cell Wall.

5: Oxygen from outside is needed in the Mitochondria to process sugars into

energy.

6: Follow some water as it enters the Vacuoles to be stored there.

Centriole This structure is a barrel shaped structure found in animal cells. During cell

division the centriole separates the chromosomes. The set of genetic instructions is

used to create protein in the ribosomes.

1-2: Genetic material is used to create proteins in the Ribosomes.

3-4: Once the proteins are created, they are transported throughout the cell by

the Endoplastic Reticulum.

5-6: In order for the ribosomes to create the proteins, they need the proper

building blocks. The Golgi Bodies is the “post office” of the cell. It transports incoming

fat, protein, and other molecules to where they are needed in the cell.

Vacuoles

Vacuoles are large spaces which can store chemicals that the cell needs, and

which also assists in the removal of wastes from the cell.

1-4: Wastes in the Vacuoles are expelled to Outside the Cell.

5-6: Chemicals and water in the Vacuoles can be sent to the Mitochondria to

produce energy.

Mitochondria

Mitochondria process sugars and oxygen and produce energy for cell processes.

1-6: These cell processes are carried out under instructions from DNA contained

in the Nucleus.

Cell Membrane

The Cell Membrane, present in all cells, is the outer border of the cell. It keeps

materials in the cell inside and keeps out unwanted things.

1: You leave the Cell Membrane to travel Outside the Cell.

2-4: Inside the cell membrane is Cytoplasm, a substance filling the empty

spaces of the cell which holds all the organelles.

5-6: By going to the middle of the cell, you will probably come to the largest

organelle, the Nucleus.

Nucleus

The Nucleus controls all activity in the cell. It stores chromosomes, which hold

DNA. It also creates ribosomes, structures that grow off the nucleus and help generate

proteins to be used in the rest of the cell.

1-3: Proteins made by the ribosomes are ‘packaged’ and sent to other parts of

the cells by the Golgi Bodies.

4-6: To get from the giant Nucleus to any of the smaller organelles, you must first

travel through the cell’s Cytoplasm.

Golgi Bodies

The Golgi bodies work with the ribosomes and endoplasmic reticulum to make

proteins for the cells. These protein molecules are sent by the Golgi bodies to all other

parts of the cell, where they can be used to build up the cell or serve other purposes.

1: Some material from the Golgi bodies are sent back to the Nucleus.

2-3: Other proteins are used to help build rigid structures in the Cell Wall.

4-6: The rest of the proteins are sent via the Cytoplasm to all other parts of the

cell.

Cytoplasm

Also called cytosol, cytoplasm is a sort of fluid inside the cell, which all organelles

‘float’ in. It fills all the space in the cell not occupied by the organelles.

From the Cytoplasm you can easily see and visit any of the other major

organelles, such as:

1: the Nucleus

2: the Mitochondria

3-4: the Centriole

5-6: the Vacuoles

Name: ______ Date: ________

Cell Travel Sheet

1: Starting location:

2: Next Destination:









Name: ______ Date: ________

Cell Travel Homework 1. What type of cell did you group visit? (Plant or Animal)

2. Did the journey your group took through the cell seem like a likely path for food to

take? Why or why not?

3. Did your group visit all of the organelles for the cell?

If not, could the cell survive with only the organelles that you visited? Why or why

not?

4. If you wanted to design a cell that had twice as much energy as a regular cell,

what changes would you make to the organelles (Hint: change the number of

organelles, size or organelles)? Please include a picture of your design. (Answer

on the back of this page.)

Cells & Heredity: 6.C.1 Introduction to Cell Organelles · Introduction to Cell Organelles ... and...

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