Category: Cell Biology
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Investigation: The Effect of Salt on a Potato
Students observe how the mass of a potato slice changes when soaked overnight in salt water. The activity is intended to be done as part of a lesson on osmosis and hypertonic and hypotonic solutions. Students will need about 15 minutes to set up their cups, weigh their slices and make predictions about what they…
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Mitochondria, DNA, and the Aging Process
This short article was designed for anatomy and physiology students studying the cell. The class focuses on how disease states can often be traced back to problems with cells. Senescence, or aging, has been linked to a build-up of mutations in mtDNA.
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Microscope Introduction – Basic “e” Lab
This lab is similar to the “e” lab used with freshman biology, but designed for students in the vocational track. It has less reading and more detailed steps for using the microscope as well as a larger font and bigger spacing.
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Investigation: Exploring Cells
While biologists might find the history of the cell theory fascinating, I notice that many of my students seem to tune-out when you bring up the history of scientific discoveries. In order to save time and improve engagement, I created this lab to include a short history of the cell theory as students explore prepared…
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Investigation: How Do Enzymes Work?
This lab is fairly basic, but when given with guided instruction how enzymes catalyze reactions, students can have a hands-on experience into how proteins are related to function.
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Investigation: How Can Diffusion Be Observed?
This investigation provides a hands-on way to observe what happens when a chemical moves across a semipermeable membrane. In this case, a cheap plastic bag serves as a model for the cell membrane and shows that iodine will move into the bag and turn the contents purple.
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Create a Concept Map of Biomolecules
This activity asks students to work in groups to create a concept map (graphic organizer) on the biological macromolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, fats, and nucleic acids. Students are given brief instructions and a sample map to get them started, but they are responsible for determining what details are important in each section.
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Cell Labeling: Simple and Complex
Students practice labeling organelles on a simple model (2D) and a more complex model. The idea is for students to gain an appreciation for how cell diagrams are created. They don’t all look alike, and are often artistically created. Cell organelles tend to follow basic design rules, like the mitochondria will generally look like a…
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Using Anchoring Phenomenon with Lessons
Start lessons on osmosis with an activity and anchoring phenomenon. View cells exposed to salt and observe how they change!
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Cell Structures: A Graphic Organizer
This graphic organizer (concept map) organizes the cell structures around three main parts of the eukaryotic cell: the nucleus, cytoplasm, and cell membrane.
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Photosynthesis Coloring
Students read short text passages and then color images to help them relate the textual information with the graphic.
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Cell Cycle Labeling
Students label the image of a cell undergoing mitosis and answer questions about the cell cycle.
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Comparing the Ameba to the Paramecium
With the adoption of NGSS, I’ve had to make cuts to some of the lessons that biology classes of the past enjoyed. I was sad to see it go, but we no longer do a unit on the Kingdom Protista, but I still manage to fit a microscope lab into other sections.
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Case Study: How to Survive a Cholera Epidemic
In this case, students explore how cholera is spread and how it affects the body. The case is divided into four sections, with the first part focusing on the role of clean water supplies and the spread of bacteria. In the second part, the affects of the bacteria are examined, with attention on how the…
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Investigation: Mitosis and Cancer Cells
The first part of this investigation, students examine slides of mitosis in an onion root tip and count the number of cells in each phase of the cell cycle. An equation is then used to estimate the percentage of time the cell spends in each phase and students create a bar graph to display results. …