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Micro-Adventures,
Grades 4 – 5
Project Description:
As the Hubble space telescope stretches the visible boundaries of outer space, microscopes can provide views of the inner spaces and structures of objects and life forms. Students are introduced to a basic unit of life, the cell. They create a simple blueprint of a cell, then construct an edible model. An introduction to microscopes allows them to explore real cells and other specimens. Finally, electron micrographs of microbes illustrate how the search for life may depend on our ability to recognize such microscopic life forms.
Vocabulary:
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blueprint |
ER |
microscope |
powerhouse |
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cell membrane |
eyepiece |
microscopic |
protein factories |
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cell wall |
lens |
mitochondria |
protoplasm |
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cytoplasm |
microbes |
nucleus |
ribosomes |
Possible Class Activities:
- Introduction: Living things and what we all have in common — cells. As we search for life on Mars and beyond, what clues are we looking for? Discuss Mars rocks. Microscopic images of objects familiar and not. We are looking at very tiny clues, like microbes. Next, some real cells. Demonstrate prepping a slide.
- Students prepare slides of onion cells. Quick demo: how to use a microscope. In pairs, observe their slides. Drawing optional.
- Students create a blueprint of a cell. Six parts are introduced: cell membrane, nucleus, mitochondria, ER (endoplasmic
reticulum), ribosomes, cytoplasm/protoplasm.
- Students build an edible cell model using their blueprints. Collect and refrigerate.
- Students use microscopes to view specimens including marine life specimens, insect parts, etc.
- Review and discuss observations with whole group. Emphasize how important it is to notice microscopic life, since much of our evidence for life elsewhere will be microscopic.
- Closure: What did we find out? This is the time to review highlights of today’s investigations and acknowledge any questions that may have arisen as a result.
Pre-Visit Activities (in your classroom):
- Explain reasons for field trip (discuss theme).
- Stress following directions exactly and listening carefully.
- Introduce vocabulary if appropriate.
- If available, use or demonstrate how a microscope works.
- Discuss any prior experiences with microscopes, share any knowledge related to cells.
Post-Visit Activities:
- Make other edible cell models – e.g. pizza with pepperoni (nucleus), grated cheese (ER), olives (mitochondria), or peanut butter sandwich with banana slices (nuclei), raisins (mitochondria), jelly (ER), etc.
- Examine live insects, snails, and crickets with magnifiers.
- Make water-drop microscopes (ask instructor for copy of instructions).
- Visit one of the Web sites for further explorations.
Web Site Reference(s):
Cells: The cell is one of the most basic units of life. There are millions of types of cells. Some are organisms unto themselves, such as microscopic amoeba. Good source for images and a diagram of cells.
http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/13-cells.htm
State of California Science Standards :
Fourth Grade
Life Sciences
3. Living things depend on one another and their environment for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept, students know:
a. ecosystems can be characterized in terms of their living and nonliving components.
b. for a particular environment, some kinds of plants and animals survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
Investigation and Experimentation
6. Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept, and to address the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations.
Students will:
a. differentiate observation from inference (interpretation), and know that scientists’ explanations about what happens in the world come partly from what they observe and partly from what they think about their observations.
c. formulate predictions and justify predictions based on cause and effect relationships.
Fifth Grade
Life Sciences
2. g. plant and animal cells break down sugar to obtain energy, forming carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (respiration).
Investigation and Experimentation
6. g. record data using appropriate graphic representation (including charts, graphs, and labeled diagrams).
Seventh Grade
Life Sciences
1. All living organisms are composed of cells, from just one to many trillions, whose details usually are visible only through a microscope. As a basis for understanding this concept, students know:
a. cells function similarly in all living organisms
b. the characteristics that distinguish plant cells from animal cells including chloroplasts and cell walls.
c. the nucleus is the repository for genetic information in plant and animal cells.
d. mitochondria liberate energy for the work that cells do, and chloroplasts capture sunlight energy for photosynthesis.
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