Lesson Two: Cellular Structures

• Outcome
• Starter Activity (10 minutes)
• Independent and Group work (25minutes)
• Question

Outcome

• Distinguish between the structure of plant and animal cell
• List structures found both in planted animal cells.
• Explain the functions of the structures (organelles) of cells.
• Compare plant and animal cells.

Materials List: Unlabelled diagrams of typical plant and animal cells.

Suggested Teaching Methods: Project, Independent and Group work.

This lesson is designed to help students visualize plant and animal cells, understand the parts of a cell and their functions and distinguish plant cells from animal cells. The project work should be given to students a head of time. It might be a one week project work prior to the lesson.

Starter Activity (10 minutes)

The teacher is required to distribute unlabelled diagrams of plant and animal cells and inform the students to correctly identify and name the organelles.

Independent and Group work (25minutes)

Let the student first focuses on independent reading of his or her own text book for 5 minutes for the purpose of mind mapping.    Then after, the students should be organized into groups of 4-5 and work on the unlabelled diagrams of plant and animal cells. First, the students should try to identify the different structures of plant and animal cell. Secondly, the students should try to explain the functions of each cellular organelle/structure.

The teacher is required to supervise each group while the group work is on progress. The students are expected to perform the interactive tasks related to plant and animal cells for identifying cellular organelles and their functions of eukaryotic cells.

As a review, students should formulate an analogy by comparing a cell to a “factory”.  This will assist students in the recall of organelle function (e.g., the nucleus is analogous to the “central office (control)”, the mitochondria are analogous to the “power plant or generator”, the endoplasmic reticulum is analogous to the “hallways”, chloroplasts are analogous to the “cafeteria”).  Review the analogies that students have formulated.  Write a few on the board to assist students in learning the functions of the organelles.

Question

Pose questions that allow students to think critically about what they have just learned. For example

• What would happen if the mitochondria become non-functional?
• What would happen if chloroplasts are lacking from plant cells?
• Why is nucleus considered as control centre for eukaryotic cells?

Home work for the next session

• Identify the structures of plant and animal cells indicated below.

  

• Write the function/s of each structure or organelle
• Create a Venn diagram that compares plant and animal cells.