Cell structure

Outcomes: Cell 1, Cell 2, Cell 3, Cell 4, Cell 5

  1. Water and macromolecules are needed to form cells. In small groups, students draw a typical cell from memory, including drawing and labeling all the organelles that they can. They will probably draw eukaryotic (animal) cells. If each student makes a copy, corrections and additions can be completed using textbook or other resources as an in class or homework assignment (Cell 1)
  2. Prepare several “decks” of laminated cards with an illustration of an organelle on each card for use by student teams. The image library from your text is a good source for these illustrations. Ensure that there is a card for organelles and structures from every kingdom in each deck. An example set is provided below. Ask students to come up with different systems of organizing the cards. In our experience, students will sort by clade, by structure, and by function. Students could also work in teams sorting the organelle card decks to evaluate and identify only the organelles directly involved in specific cellular functions (i.e. protein secretion, lipid production and storage). This activity could also be run “backwards” so that students are given a specific set of organelle cards representing the structure of an unknown cell with the task of determining the cell’s function. (Cell 1, Cell 2, Cell 3, Cell 4, Cell 5)

Download the cards here