The Animal Cell
Introduction   Task   Sources  Process  Guidance  Conclusion Teacher's Page  Credits	A WebQuest for Biology Students:  Grades 9-12 by: Robbie Littlejohn
	http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/animals/animalmodel.html

Introduction: All living things are made up of cells. Each cell contains certain parts called organelles that have specific functions within the cell. Cells aid in reproduction, healing of wounds, and the growth of living organisms, to mention a few. At times, cells multiply uncontrollably and cancer results. This exercise will focus on the organelles found in animal cells. 

State of Tennessee Science Curriculum Standard 1.0, Cells: Learning Expectation 1.2, explore and compare the organelles of different cell types. This enables students to identify and explain the function of organelles within animal cells.

Task: In this activity, you will acquire the knowledge that will enable you to identify, label and explain the function of cellular organelles, if presented with an artist's rendition of an animal cell.  You will also be able to determine which organelles are active if given a scenario of a cell carrying out specific functions. This will be accomplished by visiting web-based information.

Sources: The following websites can be utilized during your WebQuest activity to learn the structure and function of the organelles of an animal cell.

http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/animcell.htm

http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/animalcell.html

http://sun.menloschool.org/~cweaver/cells/

http://ntri.tamuk.edu/cell/ribosomes.html

Process:

    1. You may work in groups of two or you may work individually to master the function of animal

        cell organelles. Utilize this WebQuest to locate information on the animal cell and the function 

        of the organelles.

    2. You may find it helpful to obtain a copy of the worksheet as a

        guide for studying the organelles within an animal cell.

Guidance:

   Cytoplasm or Cytosol

   Ribosome

   Centrioles

   Nucleus

   Nucleolus

   Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

   Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

   Mitochondrion

   Golgi Apparatus (also known as Golgi Complex)

    Lysosome

Conclusion: During your web visits, you were able to view different artists' renditions of an animal cell. During this exercise you noticed the organelles represented in a normal animal cell and the functions each organelle has within the cell. For more information, you may want to visit the following web sites: 

http://www.unl.edu/wglider/tutorial/animcell.html

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/miramesa/Organelles/animal.html

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/animals/cell/label/glossary.shtml

Teacher's Page: This fulfills the Tennessee Science Curriculum Standard for Biology 1. Standard Number 1.0 Cells, Learning Expectation 1.2 for Animal Cells. These standards can be found at the following website: http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/cistandards2001/sci/ciscibiology1.htm

Purpose: To allow the student access to web-based learning and the utilization of technology during the study of animal cells.

Preceding Event: Prior to this study, the student will learn the plant cell organelles and plant cell structure.

Ensuing Event: After the mastery of animal cells, the student will compare/contrast the animal cell to the plant cell. The students will be given the task of assembling a representative of plant and animal cells utilizing materials commonly found in the household.

This product should improve learning by allowing the student to study the organelles of cells based on their own inquisitive structure. The order of learning the organelles is left up to the student, which will give the student a feeling of being "in control" of their own learning.

This activity could be improved by allowing students to search for reliable sites to use in the assembly of the animal cell WebQuest. How students will assemble cell models from household materials to represent the particular organelles of cells could be included.

Answers for Animal Cell Chart:

Worksheet:

Complete the chart for the animal cell.

Credits:

Davidson, M. (2003). Molecular expressions. Retrieved March 19, 2003, from http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/cells/animalcell.html

Enchanted Learning. (2003). Animal cell glossary. Retrieved March 24, 2003, from http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/animals/cell/label/glossary.shtml

Jordan, L. (2001). Science curriculum standards. Retrieved March 19, 2003, from http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/cistandards2001/sci/ciscibiology1.htm

Menlo School. (2003). Welcome to the cell home page. Retrieved March 24, 2003, from http://sun.menloschool.org/~cweaver/cells/

National Toxins Research Center. (2001). Ribosome structure and function. Retrieved March 19, 2003, from http://ntri.tamuk.edu/cell/ribosomes.html

Sullivan, J. (2002). Cells alive website. Retrieved March 19, 2003, from http://www.cellsalive.com

University of Nebraska-Lincoln. (2003). Eukaryotic animal cell. Retrieved March 19, 2003, from http://www.unl.edu/wglider/tutorial/animcell.html

Winstead, C. (1999). A typical animal cell. Retrieved March 24, 2003, from http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/miramesa/Organelles/animal.html