Course: Life Science
Grade: 7
Teacher: Asmaa Hussein
Unit 1: Cell Structure and Function
Duration: 3 weeks
BIG IDEA: What are cells made of?
STAGE ONE: DESIRED RESULTS
ESTABLISHED GOALS:
California Content Standards
1. All living organisms are composed of cells, from just one to many trillions, whose details
usually are visible only through a microscope. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know cells function similarly in all living organisms.
b. Students know the characteristics that distinguish plant cells from animal cells,
including chloroplasts and cell walls.
c. Students know the nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and
animal cells.
NETs
1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity
a. Promote, support, and model creative and innovative thinking and inventiveness
2. Design and Develop Digital Age Learning Experiences and Assessments
a. Design or adapt relevant learning experiences that incorporate digital tools and
resources to promote student learning and creativity
c. Customize and personalize learning activities to address students’ diverse learning
styles, working strategies, and abilities using digital tools and resources
d. Provide students with multiple and varied formative and summative assessments
aligned with content and technology standards and use resulting data to inform
learning and teaching
UNDERSTANDINGS:
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cells in all living things have similar
structures and functions
more complex organisms have
differentiated cells
cells work together in an organism
KNOWLEDGE:
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the parts of a microscope
the Cell Theory
the parts of a cell
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
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How are you similar to other living things?
How are you different?
SKILLS:
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use a microscope correctly
calculate the magnification of an image
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe Understanding by Design
1
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how scientists first observed cells and
developed the Cell Theory
the functions of cell structures and
organelles
how cells are organized in multicellular
organisms
ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY:
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cell
microscope
cell theory
cell wall
cell membrane
nucleus
organelle
ribosome
cytoplasm
mitochondria
endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi apparatus
vacuole
chloroplast
lysosome
multicellular
unicellular
tissue
organ
organ system
STAGE TWO: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
PERFORMANCE TASKS:
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Project: Cell Amusement Park Digital
Brochure or Commercial
Test
OTHER EVIDENCE:
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CW: The Parts of a Microscope
LAB: What Can You See p. 9 TLRB
HW: Text p.7 #1a and 1b
Quiz: Microscopes and the Cell Theory
(Edmodo)
Activity: How Large Are Cells TLRB p. 21
CW: Organelles Table
Quiz: Cell Parts (Edmodo)
LAB: Comparing Cells TLRB p. 10
LAB: Observing Cells TLRB p. 11
CW: Modeling Cell Structures TE p. 21F
CW: Review and Reinforce TE p. 21E
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe Understanding by Design
2
STAGE THREE: LEARNING PLAN
LESSON # 1: (2 periods) POD: What are microscopes used for?; Activity: Label parts of a
microscope; discuss function; Video: How to use a microscope correctly; LAB: What can you see?
P. 9; close: why did the image look different with the hand lens and microscope?; HW: Text p.7
#1a and 1b
LESSON # 2: (2 periods) Go over HW; POD: What are cells? Story of how cells were first
discovered; Discovery Video: Discovering Cells; close: why would Hooke’s discovery have been
impossible without a microscope?
LESSON # 3: (1 period) Quiz; My Planet Diary: Glowing Globs (Digital Resources); Activity: How
Large Are Cells?; BrainPop Movie: Cells
LESSON #4: (2 periods) CW: Table: cell structures; CW: Modeling Cell Structures WS; Video: Bill
Nye Cells; Close: Which organelles are found in both plant and animal cells? Which are found only
in plant cells?
LESSON # 4: (2 periods) Quiz: Cell Parts; LAB: Comparing Cells
LESSON # 5: (1 period) LAB: Observing Cells; Cell Amusement Park Projects due
LESSON # 6: (1 period) Discuss: Cell Specialization and Organ Systems; BrainPop Video: Cell
Specialization; CW: Review and Reinforce WS; Close: Analogy between organization in body and
organization of school
LESSON # 7: (2 periods ) Test
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe Understanding by Design
3
Cell Amusement Park
Your task:
You will produce an informational, digital brochure or short commercial that describes a cell as if it
were a large amusement park. Your brochure should attract visitors to spend money to visit a cell.
You may choose either a plant cell or an animal cell.
PROCEDURE:
The brochure must describe at least 8 "attractions" (organelles o cell parts) to their potential
customers. Use creative descriptions, such as "be sure to visit the Golgi Gift Shop, where you can
choose a souvenir and have it wrapped and sent to anybody." Be as funny and as creative as you
like!
Your brochure could be produced using any of the following:
 Facebook
 Glogster
 iMovie
 Animoto
DUE DATE:
EVALUATION:
Your digital brochures will be graded based on accuracy in relating the functions of organelles to
the attractions at your theme park, design, and creativity.
You will be graded using the Cell Amusement Park Rubric on Google Docs. Please make a copy
of the rubric on Google Docs and share it with me in the following format: “(your class) Cell
Amusement Park Rubric (your name)”. Ex: “7A Plant Cell Rubric Ms. Asmaa”.
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe Understanding by Design
4
Cell Amusement Park Rubric
CATEGORY
Achievement Level
Total
Attractiveness & The brochure
Organization has
exceptionally
attractive
formatting and
well-organized
information.
(6-7 points)
The brochure
has attractive
formatting and
well-organized
information.
The brochure
has wellorganized
information.
The brochure's
formatting and
organization of
material are
confusing to the
reader.
(4-5 points)
(2-3 points)
(0-1 points)
Creativity/Use of The brochure or
digital media
commercial
was presented
in a creative
manner using
many of the
features of the
approved app
or software.
(5-6 points)
The brochure or
commercial
showed a lack
of creativity or
effort, an
approved app
or software was
used.
No digital
media was
used.
(3-4 points)
The brochure or
commercial
showed a lack
of creativity
and/or effort;
the digital
media used
was not
approved.
(1-2 points)
Analogies for
Rides and
Attractions
At least 8 rides
and attractions
are accurately
described
1 or 2 rides and
attractions are
missing and/or
not accurately
described
3 or 4 rides and
attractions are
missing and/or
not accurately
described
(15-16)
(11-14)
(7-10)
more than 4
rides and
attractions are
missing and/or
not accurately
described
(0-6)
There are no
grammatical
errors or
spelling errors
There are 2 or
3 grammatical
errors or
spelling errors
There are up to
5 grammatical
errors or
spelling errors
(4 points)
(3 points)
(2 points)
Graphics go
well with the
text, but there
are so many
that they
distract from
the text.
(3 points)
Graphics go
well with the
text, but there
are too few and
the brochure
seems "textheavy".
(2 points)
Grammar and
Spelling
Graphics/Images Graphics go
well with the
text and there is
a good mix of
text and
graphics.
(4 points)
(0 points)
There are more
than 5
grammatical
errors or
spelling errors
(1 point)
Graphics do not
go with the
accompanying
text or appear
to be randomly
chosen.
(1 point)
Total:
/37
Adapted from Wiggins and McTighe Understanding by Design
5