Cells and their Organelles

Cells and Life

 ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

• How did scientists’ understanding of cells develop?
• What basic substances make up a cell?

Links
Cells-Lesson 1    Cells Alive Interactive Games   cell theory rap  Cell Theory Animation

The wacky history of cell theory  Cell Theory Timeline   BrainPop Cells  Short Video Hooke
Games for Extra Credit
Sing the Cell Rap Song at home!

Plant and Animals cells both have these organelles (tiny organs)....

Organelles both Plant and Animals have...

Nucleus - Brain of the cell, DNA lives here.

Mitochondria - the “powerhouses” of the cell, sugars (glucose) are converted to energy in the mitochondria. converts energy.

Endoplasmic Reticulum - rough ER has ribosomes, which produce proteins.
Golgi Body - packages materials and distributes them to other parts of the cell.
(Trucking System)Cell Membrane - allows nutrients into the cell and waste out of the cell.

Functions of the Cell Membrane

Both eukaryotic cells and prokaryotic cells, e.g. bacteria, are enclosed by a cell membrane.
A cell membrane (see the simple diagram on the right) is a thin structure that is also known as the plasma membrane.
The main functions of the cell membrane are:

• enclose the contents of the cell
• to control the movement of molecules, into and out of the cell.

Particles move across the membrane in several different ways, including diffusion, the process of the "transport of materials"into and out of the cell.

 

Plant Cell Structure

Ecology

Links: Virtual Lab    Ecosystems   Cell Game Bacteria, Animal, Plant   Cell Structure
Video    Levels of Organization    Interactive Food Web        Great Video    Internet Drivers Licence      
Ecosystem: All of the living or biotic and non-living or abiotic things that interact and make up a particular area. An organism obtains food, water, shelter, and other things it needs to live, grow, and reproduce from its surroundings.  
Ecology: The study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment. 

Biotic Factors: The LIVING parts of an ecosystem.
Abiotic Factors: All of the NON-LIVING factors that make up an ecosystem. Water! Sunlight, Oxygen, Temperature, Soil

Plants produce food using abiotic factors through photosynthesis! Photosynthesis: When plants use water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide to produce food (by product of photosynthesis is oxygen).

Levels of organization in an ecosystem.
Habitat: The place where an organism lives and that provides the things the organism needs.
Species: A group of similar organisms, and can reproduce and make offspring.
Population: All the members of one species in a particular area. 
Community:  All of the populations that live together in an area.

In order of smallest to largest:
organism, population, community, ecosystem.  
Biotic and Abiotic Factors in an Ecosystem 

Watch the Video Here

Observing Seasonal Changes Walk

Do forest organisms shut down, stick it out, take off, or snooze to deal with cold winters? Use some cool tools to observe and record seasonal changes and the process of growth in the forest.