Life Science

Plant & Animal Cells 7th Grade

Overview Physical Resources

This unit is designed to teach students the commonalities and All materials are listed for each lesson plan. The
differences between plant cells and animal cells. It also teaches common materials required for this unit plan are:
students the hierarchy of living things. This is an eight-day
unit. Internet Access

Student Computers
Objectives
Smart Board
The following objectives are covered in this unit:
White Board
 When given a word bank, students will be able
Note Cards
to define the relevant plant cell and animal cell
vocabulary words including the inner Markers
mechanisms of plant and animal cells with 80%
accuracy. Newspapers/Magazines
 When given a word bank and a diagram of a
Large Paper/Butcher Paper
plant cell and an animal cell (without labels),
students will be able to accurately identify and Glue and Scissors
label the type of cell and each of the structures
within each type of cell with 80 % accuracy.
 When given a word bank and a Venn diagram Instructional Materials
template, or a similar comparison tool, students Students will need access to the following websites:
will compare and contrast plant and animal
cells by placing all of the words from the word YouTube video, Cells Cells, found at:
bank into the appropriate place within the Venn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zafJKbMPA8
diagram, or indicating if each organelle is
present in one or both types of cells with 80% Interactive Website, Cells Alive, found at:
accuracy. https://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model_js.htm
 When given an unordered list of the hierarchy
of living things (i.e. organs, systems, cells,
tissues, etc.), students will put them in order Khan Academy Video Lesson, Plant Cells, found at:
from smallest unit to largest unit with 100% https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/crash-
accuracy.
course-bio-ecology/crash-course-biology-
science/v/crash-course-biology-106
Activities
There are many different activities in this unit.
Students will need copies of all assessments. The
assessments can be found in the Appendices.

Plant & Animal Cells 1

 Students will place labeled notecards in the correct place on a Appendices A,B,C,D, and E are all assessments and
large Venn diagram. answer keys.
Students will sketch and create plant cells and animal cells to
show the location of the organelles contained therein.

Students will manipulate interactive plant cells and animal

cells using a website.

Students will create note cards to master relevant vocabulary.

Plan of Instruction
Each lesson plan breaks down exactly how to teach that
particular lesson. Instructional strategies vary between lessons.

Instructional Strategies
The instructional strategies used within this unit plan
vary. There are lessons that contain lectures and
demonstrations. There are also lessons that are much
more project-based. In these lessons, the instructor
gives basic directions for the task while providing the
required information, but the follow-through of the
practice and assessment included in that lesson is based
on student choice that must fall within some
parameters. There are also parts of this unit that require
students to access an interactive website in order to
practice their ability to identify and define relevant
terminology related to the organelles within plant cells
and animal cells. This interactive practice provides an
opportunity for the teacher to formatively assess
students during instruction in order to guide ongoing
instruction.

Evaluation
All assessments are included in the appendices of this unit
plan. This unit culminates with a final, summative assessment
on the 8th day of the unit.

Schedule
Day 1

Lesson Plan #1 Title: What are cells? What are plant cells?

Plant & Animal Cells 2

 Day 2 and 3

Lesson Plan #2 Title: Plant Cells Continued: Review and

Labeling

Day 4

Lesson Plan #3 Title: Animal Cells Introduction and Labeling

Day 5 and 6

Lesson Plan #4 Title: Plant Cells and Animal Cells: Compare

and Contrast

Day 7

Lesson Plan #5 Title: Hierarchy of Living Things!

Day 8

Final Assessment

Instructional Sequence

Lesson Plan #1 Title: What are cells? What

are plant cells?
Performance Objective: When given a word bank, students will Lesson Notes:
be able to define the relevant plant cell and animal cell vocabulary
words including the inner mechanisms of plant and animal cells
with 80% accuracy. This is Performance Objective 1.

Resources or Materials Needed: Instructor computer, student

computers, projector, speakers, Internet access, plant cell and
animal cell models, white board and markers, note cards, pencils,
and colored pencils or markers. There is also a video accessible
from https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/crash-
course-bio-ecology/crash-course-biology-science/v/crash-course-
biology-106. Students will access www.britannica.com in order to
use it as an electronic reference tool.

Plant & Animal Cells 3

 Time: 60 Minutes

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities: Students will come into the

classroom and see our various models of plant cells and animal
cells set out on their tables. I will give them instructions to look at
them and think about what they might be. I will ask them to pay
attention to the different parts that they can see inside the cutout
sections of the cell models. The students will not have seen these
particular models until this moment. This will create a sense of
motivation and curiosity. Then, tell the students the objective of
this lesson.

I will ask students to brainstorm what they think these

models might be and I will record those on the white board. Then,
I will ask students to tell me what makes up living things. What
can they see? What can’t they see? This line of questioning will
lead them to cells.

Step 2: Content Presentation: I will instruct them to look to the

screen as I present the Khan Academy video about plant cells.
This video is found at
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/crash-course-bio-
ecology/crash-course-biology-science/v/crash-course-biology-
106.

Prior to viewing the video, students will be instructed to

quickly write down the function of each of the cell parts
mentioned in the video as it plays. After the video, random
students will be called upon to recite the definition they collected
from the video. The class will be allowed to agree or disagree
(with positive suggestions) for each definition.

After the definitions have been recited, students will be

asked to access www.britannica.com. They will be instructed to
take out their materials and create a set of flashcards using their
list of words and the definitions of the words that they will look
up using the Britannica website. After students are finished, they
will be instructed to use their flashcard set to practice the relevant
vocabulary with a partner. During their practice they will receive
instant positive and negative reinforcement in regard to their
mastery of the vocabulary and definitions.

Step 3: Learner Participation: Throughout this lesson, students

will: write down a list of vocabulary words, watch a video, take
notes from the video about relevant vocabulary, recite and correct
their definitions, read relevant text from the Britannica website,
define vocabulary from the Britannica website, create a set of
flashcards, practice their set of flashcards with a partner,

Plant & Animal Cells 4

 Step 4: Assessment: Students will be formatively assessed during
their recitation of the definitions they gathered from the video.
They will also be formatively assessed during their notecard
practice with a partner. The instructor will observe students during
this time. The instructor will take note of any particular word or
words that are being frequently missed by the learners and address
those specifically in the following lesson.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities: Students will record how

many note cards they knew during the practice session with a
partner and they will chart their mastery of the content over time
in their science journal in order to show their progress. Students
will be allowed to share their progress with the class if they wish
order to create a sense of competition among the learners. The
recording of progress will also act as an immediate positive or
negative reinforcement.

Lesson Plan Summary: The instructional strategies used in this

lesson plan are instructional cues to elicit correct responses (cues
from the video tied to correct responses as verified by classmates),
repetition (vocabulary written from the video, the video itself, and
the Britannica website) and reinforcement of correct responses
(flashcards, peer feedback during the recital of definitions, and
recording of the number of notecards correctly recited).

Lesson Plan #2 Title: Plant Cells

Continued: Review and Labeling

Lesson Notes:
Performance Objective: When given a word bank and a diagram
of a plant cell (without labels), students will be able to accurately
identify and label the type of cell and each of the structures within
each type of cell with 80 % accuracy.

Resources or Materials Needed: Online 3D cell models for

plants, sketch paper for students, interactive whiteboard, notecards
with a single vocabulary word on each one, tape, student
notebooks, pencils, and colored pencils. The instructor will also
need access to two websites. First, the interactive plant cell
website is found at
https://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model_js.htm. Next, the
blank plant cell diagram to be projected o the smart board is found
at https://www.timvandevall.com/wp-content/uploads/blank-

Plant & Animal Cells 5

 plant-cell-diagram.jpg.

Time: 120 Minutes (two 60-minute lessons) A good breaking

point is indicated in the Content Presentation section.

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities: When students come into

the room there will be a projection of a plant cell on the smart
board. They will be tasked with labeling each of the parts in the
cells by taping the appropriate word to each part. They will be
allowed to use their list of vocabulary words and definitions from
the previous lesson to assist them, but they will not be able to use
any other materials. This will create a sense of motivation to learn
because the definitions will only help with a small amount of the
labeling activity (perhaps cell wall, nucleus, etc.). After students
have made their best attempts as a group, they will be seated and
the objective will be shared with them.

Step 2: Content Presentation: Students will share out their

experience from the pre-instructional activity. Was it easy?
Challenging? Frustrating? They will be asked why it was
frustrating and challenging (it will likely be frustrating and
challenging). I will ask them to tell their table partners if they
were prepared or not for the activity. Then, we will discuss what
we can do as a class to better prepare for meeting the performance
objective. I will lead them to the conclusion that they need to find
a way to organize their thinking. Definitions helped with the first
lesson and a little with the current objective, but they need to find
a way to visualize what each part of the cell looks like and where
it is located.

Students will be instructed to take out their sketch paper

and pencils. Then they will sketch (to the best of their ability) a
representation of a plant cell. They will be allowed to use the 3D
models within the classroom in order to make sure they use
enough detail and place each organelle accurately within the cells.
They will not have access to the correct labels for each cell at this
time. They will simply create a sketch without labels for the
different cell parts and cell types.

Once the sketches are complete, the students will be

verbally told one of the vocabulary words that relates to plant
cells. Then, they will be able to look at their note cards from the
previous lesson to determine the accurate definition for each
word. Then, as a class, determine if the definition gives enough
information to determine where the organelle belongs in a plant
cell. If the definition is enough to determine it’s accurate
placement within the cell, the whole class will label their
individual sketches. The instructor will also label the projection

Plant & Animal Cells 6

 on the board accurately at this time. Before the projection is
labeled, the instructor will walk around the room to formatively
assess student understanding through observation.

However, in the event that the definition does not

provide enough information to determine the placement within the
cell, the vocabulary word will be listed off to the side.

This is a good breaking point for this two-day lesson.

After all of the words have been verbally listed and placed,
students will use the interactive website located at:
https://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model_js.htm. This
technology tool will allow the students to check their work against
the accurate answers provided on the website. Students will be
asked to accurately label their sketches and color them neatly.
After all of the students (or most) are finished with the labeling
and coloring, they will come back together for a classroom
discussion. Students who are finished early will also be
encouraged to explore the animal cell that is available on this
website as well. This will prepare them for the lesson that follows.
Some sample discussion questions about the sketches and labels
are provided below.

 Were we correct when we labeled our cell model on

the board yesterday?

 Why do you think that the _____________ (insert

name of organelle here) is shaped in that way?

 Were there any new organelles used in the

interactive model that we didn’t list before?

 Why do you think the nucleus is placed near the

center of the cell?

After a classroom discussion, students will hand in their

labeled sketches. This will serve as a proof of participation. It is
not fitting to use as a summative assessment because students had
access to the interactive website in order to complete this
assignment.

Step 3: Learner Participation: Throughout this lesson students

will: perform the pre-instructional activity to the best of their
ability (as a group), discuss (with heavy guidance) where each
term should be placed on the models, sketch a likeness of a plant
cell and an animal cell, reference their previous learning to check
for clues about the placement of terms on the model, use the

Plant & Animal Cells 7

 interactive website to check their work, and demonstrate their
knowledge of plant cell structures and functions through
discussions and sketches.

Step 4: Assessment: Students will be assessed on their mastery of

Learning Objective 2 by completing the labeling activity and by
completing the sketch with accurate labels. Students will also be
formatively assessed through observation during the classroom
discussion where students are asked to accurately label the parts
of a cell. The instructor can also observe students as they are
using the interactive website to determine if they are
understanding the objective. Finally, the summative assessment
for this activity is “Plant Cells and Organelles! Assessment A.”
This assessment will determine if students are able to show 80%
mastery of the objective. Please see Appendix A for the
assessment.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities: Students will be asked to

complete informative posters for our school hallways that
accurately label the different parts of the cells. They will be able
to use colored pencils and make them visually appealing. In this
way, students will take ownership of their knowledge because it
will be displayed for the school to see. Students can then vote to
determine which poster is the most informative and accurate.

Lesson Plan Summary: The instructional strategies used in this

lesson are: explanations and demonstrations (accurately placing
the terms on the board after class discussion, illustrative examples
(student-created sketches based off 3D models), links to prior
knowledge (using the definitions from the science journal and
previous lesson), interactivity (placing terms on the board and
discussing the placements as a class), and synthesis (determining
if the definition is enough information to justify the placement of
the terms). Students will also have the opportunity to work in an
interactive cell model.

Plant & Animal Cells 8

 Lesson Plan #3 Title: Animal Cells
Introduction and Labeling
Lesson Notes:

Performance Objective: When given a word bank and a diagram

of an animal cell (without labels), students will be able to
accurately identify and label the type of cell and each of the
structures within each type of cell with 80 % accuracy.

Resources or Materials Needed: Online 3D cell models for

plants, sketch paper for students, interactive whiteboard, notecards
with a single vocabulary word on each one, tape, student
notebooks, pencils, and colored pencils. The instructor will also
need access to two websites. First, the interactive animal cell
website is found at
https://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model_js.htm. Next, the
blank animal cell diagram to be projected o the smart board is
found at https://www.timvandevall.com/wp-
content/uploads/blank-animal-cell-diagram.jpg.

Time: 60 Minutes

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities: This lesson is very similar

to the previous lesson about plant cells. However, this lesson is
only a single 60-minute lesson because many of the terms and
functions of the organelles are the same between the two types of
cells, so students will already have relevant background
knowledge and the students should be able to reach 80% mastery
much quicker. When students come into the room there will be a
projection of an animal cell on the smart board. They will be
tasked with labeling each of the parts in the cells by taping the
appropriate word to each part. They will be allowed to use their
list of vocabulary words and definitions from the previous lesson
to assist them, but they will not be able to use any other materials.
They will notice some differences between this cell and the plant
cell they worked on previously. Some things will be familiar and
others will not. This will create a sense of motivation to learn
because the definitions will only help with a small amount of the
labeling activity (perhaps cell wall, nucleus, etc.). After students
have made their best attempts as a group, they will be seated and
the objective will be shared with them.

Plant & Animal Cells 9

 Step 2: Content Presentation: Students will share out their
experience from the pre-instructional activity. Was it easy?
Challenging? Frustrating? They will be asked why it was
frustrating and challenging (it will likely be frustrating and
challenging). They will most likely think that this activity is much
easier than the first time they tried it. The instructor will ask them
to tell their table partners if they were prepared or not for the
activity. Then, discuss what they can do as a class to better
prepare for meeting the performance objective. The instructor will
lead them to the conclusion that they need to find a way to
organize their thinking. Definitions helped with the first lesson
and a little with the current objective, but they need to find a way
to visualize what each part of the cell looks like and where it is
located.

Students will be instructed to take out their sketch paper

and pencils. Then they will sketch (to the best of their ability) a
representation of an animal cell. They will be allowed to use the
3D models within the classroom in order to make sure they use
enough detail and place each organelle accurately within the cells.
They will not have access to the correct labels for each cell at this
time. They will simply create a sketch without labels for the
different cell parts and cell types.

Once the sketches are complete, the students will be

verbally told one of the vocabulary words that relates to animal
cells. Then, they will be able to look at their note cards from the
previous lesson to determine the accurate definition for each
word. Then, as a class, determine if the definition gives enough
information to determine where the organelle belongs in an
animal cell. If the definition is enough to determine it’s accurate
placement within the cell, the whole class will label their
individual sketches. The instructor will also label the projection
on the board accurately at this time. Before the projection is
labeled, the instructor will walk around the room to formatively
assess student understanding through observation.

However, in the event that the definition does not

provide enough information to determine the placement within the
cell, the vocabulary word will be listed off to the side. This should
not be the case because all of the terms for animal cells will have
been used in the previous lesson about plant cells.

After all of the words have been verbally listed and placed,
students will use the interactive website located at:
https://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model_js.htm. This
technology tool will allow the students to check their work against
the accurate answers provided on the website. Students will be
asked to accurately label their sketches and color them neatly.
After all of the students (or most) are finished with the labeling
and coloring, they will come back together for a classroom
discussion. Students who are finished early will also be
encouraged to explore the plant cell (again) that is available on

Plant & Animal Cells 10

 this website as well. This will prepare them for the lesson that
follows about comparing and contrasting the two types of cells.
Some sample discussion questions about the sketches and labels
are provided below.

 Were we correct when we labeled our cell model on

the board today?

 Why do you think that the _____________ (insert

name of organelle here) is shaped in that way?

 Were there any new organelles used in the

interactive model that we didn’t list before?

 Why do you think the nucleus is placed near the

center of the cell?

After a classroom discussion, students will hand in their

labeled sketches. This will serve as a proof of participation. It is
not fitting to use as a summative assessment because students had
access to the interactive website in order to complete this
assignment.

Step 3: Learner Participation: Throughout this lesson students

will: perform the pre-instructional activity to the best of their
ability (as a group), discuss (with heavy guidance) where each
term should be placed on the models, sketch a likeness of an
animal cell, reference their previous learning to check for clues
about the placement of terms on the model, use the interactive
website to check their work, and demonstrate their knowledge of
animal cell structures and functions through discussions and
sketches.

Step 4: Assessment: Students will be assessed on their mastery of

Learning Objective 2 by completing the labeling activity and by
completing the sketch with accurate labels. Students will also be
formatively assessed through observation during the classroom
discussion where students are asked to accurately label the parts
of a cell. The instructor can also observe students as they are
using the interactive website to determine if they are
understanding the objective. Finally, the summative assessment
for this activity is “Animal Cells and Organelles! Assessment B.”
This assessment will determine if students are able to show 80%
mastery of the objective. Please see Appendix B for this
assessment.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities: Students will be asked to

Plant & Animal Cells 11

 complete informative posters for our school hallways that
accurately label the different parts of the cells. They will be able
to use colored pencils and make them visually appealing. In this
way, students will take ownership of their knowledge because it
will be displayed for the school to see. They can choose to work
with the same groups as they did with the plant cells or they can
work with a new group, or individually. Students can then vote to
determine which poster is the most informative and accurate.

Lesson Plan Summary: The instructional strategies used in this

lesson are: explanations and demonstrations (accurately placing
the terms on the board after class discussion, illustrative examples
(student-created sketches based off 3D models), links to prior
knowledge (using the definitions from the science journal and
previous lesson), interactivity (placing terms on the board and
discussing the placements as a class), and synthesis (determining
if the definition is enough information to justify the placement of
the terms). Students will also have the opportunity to work in an
Each of these instructional
interactive cell model.
strategies is tied to the Behaviorist Learning Theory
(Etmer, 1993). Students will need to know each
definition and will immediately given feedback as to
the validity of their response.

Lesson Plan #4 Title: Plant Cells and

Animal Cells: Compare and Contrast Lesson Notes:
Performance Objective: When given a word bank and a Venn
diagram template, students will compare and contrast plant and
animal cells by placing all of the words from the word bank into
the appropriate place within the Venn diagram with 80%
accuracy.

Resources or Materials Needed: magazines, newspapers,

scissors, glue, construction paper, student notebooks, pencils,
student-created sketches of cells with labels, smart board

Time: 120 Minutes (two 60-minute lessons). A good place for a

break between lessons is indicated in the Content Presentation
portion of this lesson plan.

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities: When students come into

the classroom, have a blank Venn diagram projected onto the
smart board. One side of the diagram will say “Summer” and the

Plant & Animal Cells 12

 other side will say “Winter.” Have students use the markers to
come up and put words that describe each category into the
correct place on the board. Do not explain what to do with the
intersection where the circles cross over. After students have each
written something on the diagram, have them take a seat and
explain that this is called a Venn diagram. It is useful for
comparing and contrasting different subjects. Then, ask if anyone
knows what the intersection is for. Lead them to understand that it
is used to show characteristics that are shared by both subjects.
This will lead the students to be motivated for instruction because
they will have a strong feeling about what they are supposed to do
for this lesson. Then, tell the students the objective for this lesson.

Step 2: Content Presentation: Have students get out their

sketches and note cards that contain all of their definitions from
the previous lessons. Then, ask them if they would have enough
information to accurately complete a Venn diagram that compares
and contrasts plant cells and animal cells. Remind them that they
would only be allowed to use the definitions if they felt they had
enough information. Lead them to understand that they would
actually need to use both the definitions and the labeled sketches
form the previous lessons in order to accurately categorize the
information within the Venn diagram and accurately compare and
contrast plant cells and animal cells.

Next, show students the materials for their activity. They

will be instructed to create a large Venn diagram using the
construction paper, newspapers, magazines, glue, and scissors by
cutting out letters (to make words) for each of the terms in their
notebook and accurately placing them on the Venn diagram they
have created on the paper. In this way, they will be modeling and
illustrating their understanding of the similarities and differences
between plant and animal cells. Students will be allowed to work
alone or in groups. They will be encouraged to add pictures for
each term in order to help them organize their information in a
meaningful way in order to recall it later after it has been
assimilated into their knowledge base. A good place to break for
the day, and continue the lesson on the next day, is when most of
the students have completed about half of the Venn diagram. The
craft portion of this lesson can take some time and students will be
motivated to continue on the next day of class.

Once they are finished, let the students walk around and
observe all of the Venn diagrams. Then, students will be given a
final opportunity to study their own Venn diagram (made from
magazines and newspapers) before being given an assessment that
includes a blank Venn diagram and a bank of relevant vocabulary.
They will then be assessed on their ability to accurately place each
term in the correct category: plant cell only, animal cell only, or
both plant and animal cells. After their practice in the Pre-
Instructional Activity, the discussions, their previous lessons on
similar topics, and their student-made Venn diagram, they should

Plant & Animal Cells 13

 be able to show mastery of the objective.

Step 3: Learner Participation: Throughout this lesson students

will: participate in a discussion about the usefulness of a Venn
diagram for comparison of subjects, recall prior knowledge to
accurately place terms in an organizer in order to compare and
contrast plant cells and animal cells, create a Venn diagram using
magazines, newspapers, paper, and glue in order to compare and
contrast plant cells and animal cells, and finally, show their
mastery of the objective by completing the assessment.

Step 4: Assessment: Students will be assessed on their ability to

accurately compare and contrast plant cells and animal cells by
accurately placing terms on a blank Venn diagram. The placement
of each term will show if the attribute is shared by both types of
cells, or belongs solely to a plant cell or animal cell. Students will
need to complete this task with 80% accuracy in order to have
shown mastery of this learning objective. They will be given a
word bank with all relevant terms and they will need to accurately
place each term in the correct category. Please see Appendix C for
this assessment.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities: Students will be asked to

create a large Venn diagram poster for our hallway in order to
show off their newfound knowledge about plant cells and animals
cells. In this way, the students will take ownership of their
knowledge and create a product they can be proud of.

Lesson Plan Summary: The instructional strategies used in this

lesson plan are: modeling and analogies (summer and winter
Venn diagram model discussion during Pre-Instructional
Activity), explanations (summer and winter Venn diagram), links
to prior knowledge (the use of notebooks and sketches to place
terms), chunking information (organizing terms into plant cell, or
animal cell), and interactivity (creating a Venn diagram as a group
using crafting materials). These instructional strategies support the
Cognitivist Learning Theory because they are useful for the
organization of knowledge and create learning opportunities for
new information to be easily assimilated. This lesson encourages
(requires) learners to use appropriate learning strategies
throughout the lesson in order for the learners to better understand
the concepts and perform the Performance Objective to mastery.

Plant & Animal Cells 14

 Lesson Plan #5 Title: Hierarchy of Living
Things!

Lesson Notes:
Performance Objective: When given an unordered list of the
hierarchy of living things (i.e. organs, systems, cells, tissues, etc.),
students will put them in order from smallest unit to largest unit
with 100% accuracy.

Resources and Materials Needed: For this lesson, students will

need a notebook, pencil, and access to a large screen, speakers,
masking tape, note cards, and the video found at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5tR3csCWYo. This video is
called Tissues: Part 1

Time: 60 minutes

Step 1: Pre-Instructional Activities: When students come into

the room there will be note cards at each table for students to
share. The note cards will be labeled with organelles, cells,
tissues, organs, systems, and living things. The cards will be
placed in random order. Students will be asked to put them in
order from smallest to largest. There are not many cards to put in
order, and many of them will be familiar to the students. They
should feel confident about the order they have chosen. Then,
have a student come up with his or her cards. Provide the student
with masking tape and have them ask the class which card should
be placed first in the hierarchy of living things. Which is the
smallest?

Step 2: Content Presentation: The content presentation begins

when the student is up at the board with his or her notecards and
the class is helping them to choose the correct order. Ask leading
questions about the more obvious terms, such as organelles and
cells. Students are familiar with those terms from previous lessons
and should know that organelles make up cells. Help students
recall that information with leading questions. Then, for the other
terms, let the class work together to determine which order they
should be placed in.

Have the student leave the cards on the board in the order
the class has chosen. Tell students that all living things are built in
a specific way. Certain parts of living things make up other parts
and they build upon each other to create living organisms. Do not
go into too much detail about the remaining order of living things.

Then, have the class watch the video found at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5tR3csCWYo. Instruct
students to take notes about the hierarchy of living things to see if
they can fill in the missing terms and to check if the guess that the

Plant & Animal Cells 15

 class made (still on the board) was correct or not.

As students watch the video and take notes, walk around

and observe if they are changing the order of their own cards at
their desk. This is a formative assessment to determine if students
are mastering the objective.

When the video is done, have student talk with their

tablemates to determine the proper order of their terms. Have
them look around the room at the order that others have chosen to
determine if they need to make adjustments to their own terms.
Then, have them all sit down and ask questions to other groups
about the order they have chosen for their terms. If there is
disagreement about what order the terms belong in, have them
reference their notes rom the video. If that doesn’t solve the
disagreement, replay the relevant portions of the video to
determine the proper order of the terms.

Once the proper order has been determined, and

all students are in agreement, have them take one last look at their
cards and put everything away except for a pencil.

At this time, students will be given an assessment. Please

see Appendix D for the assessment.

Step 3: Learner Participation: The learners will participate in

class discussions. They will work to put their note cards in the
correct order when working with their tablemates. The learners
will also help a classmate put their cards in the correct order. They
will voice opinions backed up with facts from the video in order
to persuade their classmates that they are correct in their ordering
of the hierarchy of living things. Finally, students will take a
pencil and paper assessment to determine if they have shown
mastery of the objective.

Step 4: Assessment: Students will be asked to order the terms

placed on their tables at the beginning of the lesson. The instructor
can observe them working with their tablemates and determine if
they recall the information that they have been previously taught
(organelles, cells). The instructor will also be able to formatively
assess students while they are watching the video, taking notes,
and moving their terms around on the table to get the correct order
of living things. The discussion/debate that follows the video will
also give the instructor the opportunity to assess the learners for
mastery of the objective. Finally, a pencil and paper assessment
(see Appendix D) will provide final evidence of student mastery
of the objective. At the end of this lesson, students will be
prepared to take the final, summative assessment (see Appendix
E). Students should be given the opportunity to study their notes
and review before the assessment (see appendix E) is given to
them on a different day than this lesson.

Step 5: Follow-Through Activities: Students will be able to

make a poster for the hallway that outlines the hierarchy of living
things. They can use magazines, newspapers, or printed/drawn
pictures to decorate their poster. This will give them an

Plant & Animal Cells 16

 opportunity to show their knowledge to the rest of the school.

Lesson Plan Summary: The instructional strategies used in this

lesson are modeling, peer-to-peer discussion and debate,
rationalizing of decisions using evidence, note taking, creation of
a product, links to prior knowledge (cells and organelles),
interactivity, and a video presentation to help better organize the
information for recall at a later time.

References

Ertmer, P. T. & Newby, T. (1993). Behaviorism,

cognitivism, constructivism: Comparing critical

features from an instructional design perspective.

Performance improvement quarterly, 6(4), 50–72.

Plant & Animal Cells 17

 Appendix A

Name: Date: Period:

Plant Cells and Organelles!

Assessment A

Using the words in the bank below, fill in the blanks to complete the definitions of each organelle from inside a
plant cell. You will only use each word one time.

Cell wall Cell membrane Cytoplasm Nucleus

Cytoskeleton Endoplasmic Reticulum Mitochondria

Chloroplast Vacuole Lysosomes

1.) The ________________ is on the outside of a plant cell and gives the cell structure and protects the cell.
Ribosomes Golgi bodies Nuclear envelope
2.) The ___________________ contains the nucleus and acts as a barrier between the nucleus and the rest of the
cell.

3.) The control center of the cell that contains genetic material is called the __________.

Plant & Animal Cells 18

4.) The organelles responsible for making protein within a cell are the _______________.

5.) The organelle in a plant cell responsible for photosynthesis is the _________________.

6.) The ________________ is the central storage organelle that holds water and other materials.

7.) The gel-like substance inside of a cell where all of the organelles are contained is called
_______________________.

8.) The organelle responsible for producing energy is the ______________________________.

9.) The _____________________ surrounds the inner parts of a cell and controls entry.

10.) The ______________________________ is responsible for transporting protein throughout the cell.

11.) The ___________________________ packages and transports proteins through the endoplasmic reticulum.

12.) Fibers that provide support and strength to the cell are called the _______________.

13.) An organelle that contains substances that melt down materials is called a __________________________.

Using the word bank above label each of the parts represented in the plant cell below. Some of the structures may
not be familiar to you. Be sure to label each organelle listed in the word bank above.

Plant & Animal Cells 19

https://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CellPlantLarge.gif

Plant & Animal Cells 20

Answer Key

1.) cell wall

2.) nuclear envelope

3.) nucleus

4.) ribosomes

5.) cholorplast

6.) vacuole
7.) cytoplasm

8.) mitochondria

9.) cell membrane

10.) endoplasmic reticulum

11.) Golgi body

12.) Cytoskeleton

13.) Lysosome

Plant & Animal Cells 21

Plant & Animal Cells 22
 Appendix B

Name: Date: Period:

Animal Cells and Organelles!

Assessment B

Using the words in the bank below, fill in the blanks to complete the definitions of each organelle from inside an
animal cell. You will only use each word one time.

For the last question, please answer using complete sentences.

Cell membrane Cytoplasm Nucleus

Cytoskeleton Endoplasmic Reticulum Mitochondria

Vacuoles Lysosomes

1.) Fibers that provide support and strength to the cell are called the _______________.
Ribosomes Golgi bodies Nuclear envelope
2.) The ___________________ contains the nucleus and acts as a barrier between the nucleus and the rest of the
cell.

3.) The control center of the cell that contains genetic material is called the __________.

4.) The organelles responsible for making protein within a cell are the _______________.

Plant & Animal Cells 23

5.) An organelle that contains substances that melt down materials is called a __________________________.

6.) The ________________ are the storage organelles that hold water and other materials.

7.) The ___________________________ packages and transports proteins through the endoplasmic reticulum.

8.) The organelle responsible for producing energy is the ______________________________.

9.) The _____________________ surrounds the inner parts of a cell and controls entry.

10.) The ______________________________ is responsible for transporting protein throughout the cell.

11.) The gel-like substance inside of a cell where all of the organelles are contained is called
_______________________.

12.) What is something different about animal cells when you compare them to what you know about plant cells?
What do you notice? Provide your answer in the space below. Be sure to write in complete sentences.

Plant & Animal Cells 24

Using the word bank above label each of the parts represented in the animal cell below. Some of the structures
may not be familiar to you. Be sure to label each organelle listed in the word bank above.

https://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AnimalCellNotebook.pdf

Plant & Animal Cells 25

Answer Key

1.)cytoskeleton

2.) nuclear envelope

3.) nucleus

4.) ribosomes

5.) lysosomes

6.) vacuoles (plural)

7.) Golgi body

8.) mitochondria

9.) cell membrane

10.) endoplasmic reticulum

11.) cytoplasm

12.) Example: Animal cells do not have as many organelles as plant cells. The animal cells do not have
chloroplasts or cell walls. I also noticed that animal cells have more than one vacuole and they are not all located
near the center as the single vacuole is in a plant cell.

Plant & Animal Cells 26

Plant & Animal Cells 27
 Appendix C

Name: Date: Class Period:

Plant Cell and Animal Cell

Compare and Contrast

Assessment C

For the following questions, be sure to answer in complete sentences. Be sure to use proper vocabulary words
where it is applicable. Please use a separate piece of paper if you feel it is necessary.

1.) What is the difference in the outside structures of plant cells and animal cells? Are they the same? Are they
different? Explain

2.) In what ways (at least 2) are plant cells and animal cells similar?

Plant & Animal Cells 28

3.) In what way(s) does a plant cell get energy? Is that the same as an animal cell gets energy? Explain.

4.) Based on what you know about plant cells, and based on the answer you stated above in question 3, how do you
think plant cells get energy at night if there is no sunlight for photosynthesis?

For the next section, place each vocabulary word in the correct placement within the Venn diagram provided
below. You may use each vocabulary word only once. Be sure to label each section of the Venn diagram as
“plant cell” or “animal cell.”

Cell wall Cell membrane Cytoplasm Nucleus

Cytoskeleton Endoplasmic Reticulum Mitochondria

Chloroplast Vacuole Lysosomes

Ribosomes Golgi bodies Nuclear envelope

Plant & Animal Cells 29

Plant & Animal Cells 30
Answer Key (examples of adequate answers)

1.) The outsides of these cells are different. Plant cells have a cell wall so they are more rigid and they hold their
structure more than an animal cell. An animal cell is more nebulous and less rigid than plant cells because they are
only surrounded by a cell membrane.

2.) Plant cells are similar because they both have similar structures. They each have a nucleus, ribosomes,
mitochondria, lysosomes, cell membranes, nuclear envelopes, ERs, Golgi bodies, vacuoles (although plant cells
have one central vacuole and animal cells have many), cytoplasm, and cytoskeletons. They both complete life
functions of gathering and expending energy.

3.) A plant cell gets energy it two ways. It gets energy from light, through photosynthesis that is carried out in the
chloroplasts. It also gets energy from the plant in the form of sugar (glucose) that is processed in the mitochondria.
This is not the same way that animal cells get energy because animal cells cannot complete photosynthesis because
they do not contain chloroplasts.

4.) Plants would get energy form the glucose stored in the plant during the dark hours of the day or night.
Photosynthesis needs sunlight to be completed so an alternative source of energy is the glucose from the plant that
is processed in the mitochondria inside the plant cell.

Venn Diagram

Plant Cell Only Both Cells Animal Cells Only

Chloroplasts Cell membrane *None
Cell Wall *Vacuole(s)
Lysosomes
Golgi Bodies
Nucleus
Nuclear Envelope
Cytoskeleton
Mitochondria
Endoplasmic Reticulum
Ribosomes
Cytoplasm

Plant & Animal Cells 31

*Students may say that plant cells have a central vacuole and that animal cells have numerous vacuoles.
That is also acceptable.

Plant & Animal Cells 32

 Appendix D

Name: Date: Class Period:

Hierarchy of Living Things

Assessment D

Answer the following questions using complete sentences. Be sure that you use the correct and accurate
terminology when you answer each question. The word bank below may help you use the correct term.

Living Organisms Cells 1.) What is the

smallest structure that
fits within the
hierarchy of living
things?

Organs Organ Systems

2.) What is the
largest structure that
fits within the
hierarchy of living things?
Organelles Tissues

3.) List the structures within the hierarchy of living things in order from the smallest to the largest. Use the
terms in the text box above to assist you.

Smallest ----------- ------------ ----------- ----------- Largest

Plant & Animal Cells 33

Answer Key

1.) The smallest structure is the organelle.

2.) The largest structure is the living organism.
3.) Organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, living organisms

Plant & Animal Cells 34

 Appendix E

Name: Date: Class Period:

Animal Cells, Plant Cells, and the Hierarchy of Living Things

Summative Assessment

Assessment E

A. Using the word bank provided below, determine if each organelle is present in a plant cell, animal cell, or both.
Indicate where each organelle is present by writing P (plant cell), A (animal cell) or B (both types of cells) next to
each term.

Cell wall Cell membrane Cytoplasm Nucleus

Cytoskeleton Endoplasmic Reticulum Mitochondria

Chloroplast Vacuole Lysosomes

1.) _____ Cell wall

Ribosomes
2.) _____ Cell membrane Golgi bodies Nuclear envelope
3.) _____ Cytoplasm

4.) _____ Nucleus

5.) _____Cytoskeleton

6.) _____Endoplasmic Reticulum

7.) _____Mitochondria

8.) _____Chloroplast

Plant & Animal Cells 35

 9.) _____Vacuole

10.)_____Lysosomes

11.) _____Ribosomes

12.) _____Golgi Bodies

13.) _____Nuclear Envelope

B. Using the word bank above, label each of the terms on the diagram of each type of cell. You may use each word
more than once. Be sure your label clearly indicates which organelle within the diagram that you are referring to.
Also be certain to label which cell is a plant cell and which cell is an animal cell in the lines provided above each
diagram.

_______________________________ ________________________________

https://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/CellPlantLarge.gif

https://homeschoolclipart.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/AnimalCellNotebook.pdf

Plant & Animal Cells 36

C. Using the word bank provided below, indicate which term belongs to which definition by putting the
corresponding letter in the blank. You may use a term only once.

A. Cell Wall
B. Cell Membrane
C. Cytoplasm
D. Cytoskeleton
E. Endoplasmic Reticulum
F. Chloroplast
G. Vacuole
H. Lysosome
I. Ribosomes
J. Golgi Bodies
K. Nucleus
L. Nuclear Envelope
M. Mitochondria

1.) _____The outside of a plant cell that gives the cell structure and protects the cell.

2.) _____ This protective barrier protects the nucleus and acts a barrier between the nucleus and the rest of the cell.

3.) _____This is the control center of the cell that contains the genetic material.

4.) _____These organelles are responsible for making proteins within a cell.

5.) _____This is the organelle that is responsible for photosynthesis inside a certain kind of cell.

6.) _____This organelle is the storage area of a cell that contains water and other materials.

7.) _____This is the gel-like substance inside of a cell where are of the organelles are contained.

8.) _____This is the organelle that is responsible for producing energy.

9.) _____This is the protective coating around a cell that controls what is allowed to enter the cell.

10.) _____This is the organelle that is responsible for transporting proteins throughout the cell.

11.) ____These organelles package and transport proteins through the endoplasmic reticulum.

Plant & Animal Cells 37

12.) _____These organelles are fibers that provide strength and support to the cell.

13.) _____These organelles melt down substances and materials within the cell.

D. Using the word bank below, order the terms from the hierarchy of living things from smallest to largest.

Word Bank (in no particular order):

Living Organism Cells Organs

Tissues Organ Systems Organelles

1.) __________________ (smallest)

2.) __________________

3.) __________________

4.) __________________

5.) __________________

6.) __________________ (largest)

Plant & Animal Cells 38

Answer Key

A.

1.) P

2.) B

3.) B

4.) B

5.) B

6.) B

7.) B

8.) P

9.) B

10.) B

11.) B

12.) B

13.) B

B.

Plant & Animal Cells 39

Animal Cell

Plant Cell

Plant & Animal Cells 40

C.

1.) Cell Wall

2.) Nuclear Envelope

3.) Nucleus

4.) Ribosomes

5.) Chloroplast

6.) Vacuole

7.) Cytoplasm

8.) Mitochondria

9.) Cell Membrane

10.) Endoplasmic reticulum

11.) Golgi body (ies)

12.) Cytoskeleton

Plant & Animal Cells 41

13.) Lysosomes

D.

1.) Organelles 2.) Cells 3.) Tissues 4.) Organs, 5.) Organ Systems 6.) Living Organisms

Plant & Animal Cells 42