Basic Productivity Tools (BPT)

Lesson Idea Name: Parts of a Cell Presentations

Content Area: Science
Grade Level(s): 7th Grade
Content Standard Addressed: S7L2. Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information to describe how
cell structures, cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems interact to maintain the basic needs of
organisms.
a. Develop a model and construct an explanation of how cell structures (specifically the nucleus,
cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, chloroplasts, lysosome, and mitochondria) contribute to
the function of the cell as a system in obtaining nutrients in order to grow, reproduce, make
needed materials, and process waste. (Clarification statement: The intent is for students to
demonstrate how the component structures of the cell interact and work together to allow the
cell as a whole to carry out various processes. Additional structures, beyond those listed, will be
addressed in high school Biology.)

Technology Standard Addressed: 6 – Creative Communicator

a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their
creation or communication.

Selected Technology Tool: Powerpoint

Bloom’s Taxonomy Level(s):
☒ Remembering ☒ Understanding ☒ Applying ☒ Analyzing ☒ Evaluating ☒ Creating

Levels of Technology Integration (LoTi Level):

☐ Level 1: Awareness ☐ Level 2: Exploration ☐ Level 3: Infusion ☒ Level 4: Integration
☐ Level 5: Expansion ☐ Level 6: Refinement

Universal Design for Learning (UDL):

Engagement: This lesson allows for active participation and exploration of the cell and its parts. It also uses
the prompts and rubric to restate their goals for the project. The PowerPoint provides opportunities for peer
and class collaboration and support.

Representation: I will pre-teach some vocabulary to promote connection to the learners’ prior knowledge. By
watching the presentations, the students will be provided with visual and music/sound to help connect this
new knowledge to something visual. Since each group of students are working on one part of a cell they are
“chunking” the information into smaller elements for them to understand.

Action and Expression: By using PowerPoint there are alternative ways for students to present their projects.
They can use text-to-speech components if they are not able to speak, pre-record what they are going to say
in a narrated presentation, or present it personally in front of their peers. By using this software, the students
are provided with spell and grammar checkers, speech-to-text software, and recording. They also will be
provided with outlining tools and project templates to help keep their thoughts and projects organized.

Lesson idea implementation:

Students will be assigned a part of a cell and they can choose to be in a group or work by themselves.
They will create a presentation using PowerPoint, a productivity tool. This project will take three days

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 Basic Productivity Tools (BPT)
to complete. The first day will be used to introduce the parts of a cell, group the students, and give
them time to work on their project. The second day will be used to complete the projects and to print
out a copy of the slides to be turned in to me. The third day will begin the presentations. During the
presentation the students will take notes as each group is presented. I will use the printed out copy
turned in by each group at the end of the second day to write my notes on and will fill out a rubric for
each group. Once finished with the presentation, the class will fill out a worksheet using their notes and
their textbooks to give them a chance to look at the material before coming together as a class to
review the worksheet before turning it in.

The final product will differentiate the learning done in the classroom because the students will be able
to stand up and present the PowerPoint in front of the class or be able to use the narration option to
add in text- to-speech device or can record themselves into the presentation depending on their
comfort level in presenting in front of a group of people. We can extend the student learning level by
having the construct a paragraph defending why their cell part is important to the cell as a whole and to
formulate what they believe would happen to the cell if their part didn’t exist. We would conclude this
lesson by filling out another worksheet comparing the cells parts to the components of a school that
would be also be turned in for an assessment.

Reflective Practice:
This lesson idea is an introduction to a larger unit of study of how the organization of cells into tissues,
tissues into organs, organs into systems, and systems into organisms and how they interact with one
another to carry out life’s processes. A way to further extend this lesson is to have the students create a
model of their cell part using everyday objects to contribute to a class cell model. Each class could have
their model out on display at an open house for their parents to see. Other technology that can be used
to further expand their knowledge is the use of online labs so they can see the different parts of the cell
interact with one another under a microscope.

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