Description

This unit is on Cells for Middle School Science. Students will learn about cell structure and function and will make a model of a cell. Students will love these cell activities for middle school. Students will plan and carry out investigations to provide evidence that living things are made of cells. They will learn that each organelle of the cell contributes to the function of the cell. Students will learn about animal cells and plant cells and they will recognize that there are differences and similarities between them. See more on Cells: Structure and Function

This resource starts with a phenomenon and a slideshow to give basic information on cells. An informational text passage on cells is included with response pages. Interactive notebook flaps and folds are included and also an opportunity to label the parts of the cell. Students will participate in QR code research and gather more evidence through this activity. There are two structured labs in this unit. One lab is on human cheek cells, one lab is on onion cells and a third lab has students planning and carrying out their own investigation on cells. Recording sheets are included for each lab. This unit ends in a multiple-choice quiz. Answer keys are included for all pages.

This resource is aligned with NGSS for Middle School.

NGSS MS-LS1-1. Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one cell or many different numbers and types of cells. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on developing evidence that living things are made of cells, distinguishing between living and non-living things, and understanding that living things may be made of one cell or many and varied cells.]

MS-LS1-2. Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways the parts of cells contribute to the function. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the cell functioning as a whole system and the primary role of identified parts of the cell, specifically the nucleus, chloroplasts, mitochondria, cell membrane, and cell wall.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment of organelle structure/function relationships is limited to the cell wall and cell membrane. Assessment of the function of the other organelles is limited to their relationship to the whole cell. Assessment does not include the biochemical function of cells or cell parts.]

This resource is aligned with Utah SEEd

Living things are made of smaller structures, which function to meet the needs of survival. The basic structural unit of all living things is the cell. Parts of a cell work together to function as a system. Cells work together and form tissues, organs, and organ systems. Organ systems interact to meet the needs of the organism. Standard 7.3.1 Plan and carry out an investigation that provides evidence that the basic structures of living things are cells. Emphasize that cells can form single-celled or multicellular organisms, and multicellular organisms are made of different types of cells. (LS1.A) Standard 7.3.2 Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell in living systems and the way parts of cells contribute to cell function. Emphasize