Cell Activities in High School
Students' ability to learn is improved when they are actively engaged. Learning about cell biology can be enhanced by the use of hands-on models. There are a number of activities that revolve around cell biology that are appropriate for high school students.
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Onion Root Tip Drawing
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Divide students into pairs and assign each pair to a microscope. Instruct students to view prepared slides of onion root tips and draw what they see. When viewing the slide on high power, students will have to move the slide around in order to see the different phases of cell division. Assign students to draw and label the process of mitosis, cytokinesis and interphase as observed through the microscope.
Viruses Vs. Cells
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Introduced to the different types of cells that make up living organisms and compare them to viruses. Teach the differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes as well as the six kingdoms in addition to the essential functions of the organelles of eukaryotic cells. After studying the material, divided your high school students into two groups and assign each group to write a series of 50 questions and answers. Conduct a quiz game in the classroom with the questions devised by the students.
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Osmosis Demonstration
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Osmosis is an important concept to understand in relation to cell membranes. To help students learn about osmosis, provide each student with a raw chicken egg that is placed in a jar filled with vinegar. Over a period of 24 hours the shell of the egg dissolves. Carefully remove the egg from the jar of vinegar and wash off any remaining egg shell. The inner membranes of the egg are left intact and students can experiment with liquids that have varying osmotic potentials. Syrup, soda and water can be used. Students place the egg into these solutions and note any changes in the volume or weight of the egg.
Plasmolysis Observation
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Plasmolysis occurs when a cell loses water and the membrane pulls away from the cell wall as a result. Assign groups of students to a microscope to observe Elodea cells which have been placed into a solution of salt water. Explain how the concentrated salt solution is hypertonic. Students can then observe how water diffuses out of the cells and into the solution that surrounds them and the resultant plasmolysis.
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References
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