Name: Pete Nelson, activity by Lisa Shaffren    Subject: Biology I (Cell)    Period: 1st    Approximate time: 50 minutes.

Objectives:

The student will model the levels of organization within an organism by constructing their own organism (Biology 3.d).

The student will demonstrate knowledge on the organization of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems within an organism (Biology 3.d).

Materials: whiteboard, whiteboard markers, writing utensil, paper, play-doh, gems, noodles.

Warm-up:

 5 minutes to write down:

1) all of the functions that organisms have to carry out. (What can think you think of that organisms must do to survive)

2) some ways that they carry out these functions.

Have students share and go over the connection between the different organs in our body. (OK so we breath...what is involved in breathing?) Tell them that the functions we perform start with the cells in our body.

    Organisms are made of different kinds of cells- most organisms are not made of one kind of cell, but, rather, cells that are specialized. Cells in the lungs are specialized to work in the lungs, cells in the brain are specialized to function in the brain. An example that we have talked about is the smooth E.R. function in different cells: makes lipids in gland cells, regulation of calcium levels in muscle cells. 

Lead into set 

Set:

The question is, how do we get to the point of breathing. Or to the point of having lungs. If we have to carry out complex functions, like keeping our heart beating, digesting food, how do we do those things if we are only made of tiny cells? The key is just in how we are organized.

Up to this point we have only talked about individual cells and their interesting organelles and functions (ask for some examples from plants and animals). Today, we’ll be opening up our perspective to look at the bigger picture. Today we’ll be looking at how cells are organized within organisms.

Objectives--> Today we will actually get a chance to construct our own organisms demonstrating the levels of organization. We will also look at how structure and organization fits function in your organism. 

Procedure:

1. So, if the smallest level of organization is the cell, and the highest level is the organism, then what comes between those levels?

Three minutes to come up with an answer to this.

Have students share, then give correct answer.

Cells----tissues-----organs------organ systems-----organisms.

2. Define the five terms in relation to eachother:

Cells as we know are the bottom level, or the initial building blocks of organisms.

Tissues: groups of cells that carry out a specific function (ex. suface coverings on skin)

Organ: Formed by several different types of tissue that interact to perform a specific function (ex. in stomach, muscle tissue causes movement, connective holds it together and nervous tissue sends messages.

Organ System: a group of organs working together to perform a set of related tasks (mouth, throat, stomach, intestines and several other organs make up the digestive system).

3. Quick verbal review...

You will be thinking about these things as you construct your own organism.

4. In just a minute I will break you up into pairs...Give each pair their “organism” kit. (play-doh, other materials)

Hand out instructions sheet.

Please work with your partner to construct an organism. As you are building your organisms, write on a separate sheet of loose leaf paper what you have done to account for each system of organization. What are your different kinds of cells? What are your tissues? What are you organs? etc. How will these systems allow your organism to accomplish what it must to survive? This will count for today’s quiz grade.

On your sheet of paper must be:

    1) A list of each of the levels of organization, next to which must be a description, using the play-doh, of how you accounted for that level of organization in your organism.

    2) A list of 4 of the important functions of organisms, followed by how you accounted for each of those in your organism- how will your organism carry each of these out.

3) Time for organism building. (20 minutes) Monitor and be sure that students are writing and make sure they are fulfilling requirements. Remind them it’s quiz grade.

4). Show picture of chicken anatomy on overhead. What is a chicken (organism) point out organs and organ systems ask about tissues and cells.

Closure:

Today we..(repeat objectives).  Have class list the levels of organization of an organism one more time.  Ask individual questions. Tomorrow we will be looking at cell division in nody cells. (mitosis)

Assessment/Evaluation:

Objective: The student will model the levels of organization within an organism by constructing their own organism (Biology 3.d).

Formal: The student will complete and hand in for a grade (that will be recorded in the grade book) specific questions about the organism they are building that will demonstrate and solidify their knowledge of cellular organization.

Objective: The student will demonstrate knowledge on the organization of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems within an organism (Biology 3.d).

Informal: The teacher will observe student participation in the building activity and during discussion.

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