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    BEST - BCL - 1 - 3 - Diagnostic - Seeing Cells

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    mtauhid
    This student worksheet and accompanying teacher notes are about seeing cells. The worksheet presents students with an image of onion root cells and asks which tool would be used to see these cells: a magnifying glass, microscope, telescope, or just the eyes. A microscope is needed because most cells are too small to see without magnification. The teacher notes provide context on students' understanding of scale and size, and recommend hands-on microscopy experiences for students to appreciate cellular size and shape.

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    BEST - BCL - 1 - 3 - Diagnostic - Seeing Cells

    Uploaded by

    mtauhid
    16 views3 pages
    This student worksheet and accompanying teacher notes are about seeing cells. The worksheet presents students with an image of onion root cells and asks which tool would be used to see these cells: a magnifying glass, microscope, telescope, or just the eyes. A microscope is needed because most cells are too small to see without magnification. The teacher notes provide context on students' understanding of scale and size, and recommend hands-on microscopy experiences for students to appreciate cellular size and shape.

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    BEST_BCL_1_3_Diagnostic_Seeing cells

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    This student worksheet and accompanying teacher notes are about seeing cells. The worksheet presents students with an image of onion root cells and asks which tool would be used to see these cells: a magnifying glass, microscope, telescope, or just the eyes. A microscope is needed because most cells are too small to see without magnification. The teacher notes provide context on students' understanding of scale and size, and recommend hands-on microscopy experiences for students to appreciate cellular size and shape.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    16 views3 pages

    BEST - BCL - 1 - 3 - Diagnostic - Seeing Cells

    Uploaded by

    mtauhid
    This student worksheet and accompanying teacher notes are about seeing cells. The worksheet presents students with an image of onion root cells and asks which tool would be used to see these cells: a magnifying glass, microscope, telescope, or just the eyes. A microscope is needed because most cells are too small to see without magnification. The teacher notes provide context on students' understanding of scale and size, and recommend hands-on microscopy experiences for students to appreciate cellular size and shape.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 3

    STUDENT WORKSHEET

    Seeing cells

    The picture shows cells from the root of an onion plant.

    What would you use to see cells like this in an onion root?

    A A magnifying glass

    B A microscope

    C A telescope

    D Just my eyes

    Developed by the University of York Science Education Group and the Salters’ Institute. 1
    This document may have been edited. Download the original from www.BestEvidenceScienceTeaching.org
    © University of York Science Education Group. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) license.
    TEACHER NOTES

    Biology > Big idea BCL: The cellular basis of life > Topic BCL1: Cells > Key concept BCL1.3: Cell shape and size

    Diagnostic question
    Seeing cells

    Overview

    Learning focus: Cells are usually too small to be seen without a microscope, but have a
    range of three-dimensional shapes and sizes.
    Observable learning Recall that most (but not all) cells are too small to be seen without a
    outcome: microscope.
    Question type: Simple multiple choice
    Key words: cell, microscope

    What does the research say?


    A number of researchers have reported that children aged 11-16 lack an appreciation of size and
    scale, and that this impacts their understanding of the relative sizes of cells and other biological
    structures (e.g. Arnold, 1983; Dreyfus and Jungwirth, 1988; Driver et al., 1994).

    Dreyfus and Jungwirth (1989) acknowledge that the cell is, when first introduced, an abstract
    concept. When introducing ideas about cells, several sources advocate starting with hands-on light
    microscopy of cells from a range of tissues and organisms, to enable students to build their own
    understanding of the size of cells and what they look like (AAAS Project 2061, 2009; Skinner, 2011).

    Some students at age 16 struggle to name appropriate apparatus that could be used to view
    structures at cellular level, with incorrect responses including magnifying glass, telescope and the
    eyes (OCR, 2018).

    Ways to use this question


    Students should complete the question individually. This could be a pencil and paper exercise, or you
    could use the PowerPoint presentation with an electronic voting system or mini white boards.

    Differentiation

    You may choose to read the question to the class, so that everyone can focus on the science. In
    some situations it may be more appropriate for a teaching assistant to read for one or two students.

    Expected answers
    B A microscope

    How to respond - what next?


    If there is a range of answers, you may choose to respond through structured class discussion. Ask
    one student to explain why they gave the answer they did; ask another student to explain why they
    agree with them; ask another to explain why they disagree, and so on. This sort of discussion gives
    students the opportunity to explore their thinking and for you to really understand their learning
    needs.

    Developed by the University of York Science Education Group and the Salters’ Institute. 2
    This document may have been edited. Download the original from www.BestEvidenceScienceTeaching.org
    © University of York Science Education Group. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) license.
    TEACHER NOTES

    If students have misunderstandings about what piece of apparatus would usually be required to
    observe cells, the following BEST ‘response activity’ provides a context for a small group discussion
    that could be used in follow-up to this diagnostic question:

     Response activity: Blood analysis

    The response activity ‘What is it made of?’ from key concept BCL1.2 Cells and cell structures could
    also be used in response to this diagnostic question, as it guides students through the process of
    using a light microscope to observe cells from a range of tissues and organisms.

    Acknowledgments
    Developed by Alistair Moore (UYSEG).

    Images: cellimagelibrary.org/Wellcome Images (B0007563)

    References
    AAAS Project 2061. (2009). Benchmarks for Science Literacy [Online]. Available at:
    http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/index.php.
    Arnold, B. (1983). Beware the molecell! Biology Newsletter, 42, 2-6.
    Dreyfus, A. and Jungwirth, E. (1988). The cell concept of 10th graders: curricular expectations and reality.
    International Journal of Science Education, 10(2), 221-229.
    Dreyfus, A. and Jungwirth, E. (1989). The pupil and the living cell: a taxonomy of dysfunctional ideas about an
    abstract idea. Journal of Biological Education, 23(1), 49-55.
    Driver, R., et al. (1994). Making Sense of Secondary Science: Research into Children's Ideas, London, UK:
    Routledge.
    OCR. (2018). GCSE (9-1) Examiners' report - Breadth in biology foundation tier [Online]. Available at:
    https://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse/twenty-first-century-science-suite-biology-b-j257-from-2016/
    assessment/.
    Skinner, N. (2011). Cells and life processes. In Reiss, M. (ed.) ASE Science Practice: Teaching Secondary Biology.
    London, UK: Hodder Education.

    Developed by the University of York Science Education Group and the Salters’ Institute. 3
    This document may have been edited. Download the original from www.BestEvidenceScienceTeaching.org
    © University of York Science Education Group. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC) license.

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