How to Teach Cell Structure
Learning about the infinitesimally small cells that make up living things presents a challenge to many science students. If you are preparing to tackle this tricky subject with your pupils, consider some simple ways in which you can make the lessons easier for your students to understand. By spicing up your normal cell structure teaching plans, you can enable your pupils to develop a better understanding of this scientific subject.
Instructions
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Explore plant and animal cells separately. Although plant and animal cells have some similar structures, these two cell types are markedly different. Select one of these cell types to explore first, then move on to the other to ensure that students do not become confused.
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Present students with blank diagrams of cells, and fill in the labels together. Though it may seem logical to copy diagrams with the words already in place, it is much more effective to require students to fill in these words. By going over the diagram together and asking pupils to fill in the blanks, you ensure that they are actively involved in the learning process instead of just passively looking at a diagram.
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Explain what each cell part does. Provide students with a brief explanation, and ask them to write this short phrase or sentence next to the labels they placed on their label-less diagram.
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Personify the cell parts. Through the use of personification, you can make the potentially boring task of learning cell part functions more entertaining. Integrate personification into your cell part lesson in one of two ways. Either assign each student a cell part and ask him to write a letter from his assigned part to other parts in the cell, describing the cell parts' anger over his role within the cell, or compose a play featuring the cell parts in which students can take on the roles of the different bodies that make up a plant or animal cell.
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Engage students in cell model creation This task makes a wonderful cell part lesson final project. To engage students in this activity, ask them to craft a plant or animal cell out of the materials of their choice, including all of the major cell parts in their models.
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References
- Photo Credit Peter Griffith/Photodisc/Getty Images
