Teaching Strategies, Ideas, and Resources

Building Macromolecules

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/stem-activities/candy-DNA-model

Educators can consolidate or teach students about macromolecules using hands-on activities such as building their own macromolecules. A common example is building a DNA molecule out of candy. However, this activity can be adjusted for the other macromolecules. This activity can be used along with the direct instruction or after the direct instruction to consolidate students' learning. You can make the activity harder, by providing prerequisites to the DNA molecule (e.g., providing students with different DNA sequences where they have to make the complimentary strand). 

Exploring Cell Size, Surface Area, and Osmosis

https://javalab.org/en/category/biology_en/

JavaLab is a website that provides science simulations. There is a section for biology. The simulations relevant to cell biology is the one that looks at cell size, cell surface area, and osmosis. The former two can be used as a hook or an exploration piece for students learning about the eukaryotic cells and its properties, while the later can be used when exploring cell membrane transport. 

Intermolecular Attractions and Solubility

https://authoring.concord.org/activities/7/46dca3be-6796-43d6-baa5-7a5fee66213f?show_index=true

This simulation from Molecular Workbench allows students to investigate intermolecular attraction and solubility. The activities look at oil and water, and polar and non-polar molecules. Educators can use this to introduce macromolecules and the properties and characteristics of polar and non-polar molecules. This simulation would supplement students understanding of lipids, the phospholipid bilayer, and it's amphipathic properties.  

Factors that Affect the Rate of Diffusion

https://authoring.concord.org/activities/12/10041ebc-ba8a-493b-9949-e200915a6167?show_index=true

This simulation from Molecular Workbench allows students to explore the different factors that affect the rate of diffusion. These factor include temperature, molecular mass, pore size, and the body of the barrier.  This is a great tool for students to explore factors that affect the rate of diffusion in place of a wet lab or as a supplement to their learning and understanding. It provides a visual that allows them to play around with each variable and note its effect. 

Cell Biology Songs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkC9AiJf7gI&ab_channel=JamCampus 

Videos can be used as hooks to engage students and introduce a topic as well as generate discussion. This is an example of a song about cells. It is catchy, short, and it lists the different organelles. Since there is not much content to this song, it can be used as a hook and formative assessment to see what students obtained from this video and whether they can elaborate on some the points from the song. It can be used as a tool to segue into the topic of eukaryotic cells. The song is to catch the students' attention!

Use Cell Biology Memes

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LlQulRC5XhgKdZKEqif-3C0ct8-XVh3al56aQ0bnSf4/edit

Memes are engaging. In the link above, I have compiled a few cell biology memes as an activity that serves as a formative assessment. Memes are like 'inside jokes', where an individual is not able to understand the humour unless they have the appropriate context. As such, memes can be used as a formative assessment to determine whether students understand the material and content. Although memes are engaging, it may not work as a hook because of prior knowledge that is needed to understand the joke. 

Library of Cell Images and Videos

http://www.cellimagelibrary.org/home

This website is an online library of cell images and videos. There are images of structures of the cell and organelles and videos of cellular movement and other. For example, you can find a video on phagocytosis or other. Educators can use this resource as a hook or to supplement their explanation of a concept. The images can be used as reference, for assessment and labelling, and/or to show movement and the occurrence of cellular processes. 

Odd One Out Worksheets

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1firRF87ppTXVf4T9_UJV3JrAuZi6sxEMz8ZIwdzwngM/edit?usp=sharing

This is an example of an "odd one out" worksheet. These types of worksheets can be used as hooks or as a formative assessment. As a hook, it allows students to look for patterns and make inferences. For instance, the specific pattern in this worksheet is that the odd one out are molecules with covalent bonds, whereas the rest are molecules with ionic bonds. However, since this is a hook students will not know about the terms covalent and ionic bonds. Instead, they will be provided with a coloured periodic table. The goal is to recognize that covalent bonds form between two non-metals and ionic bonds form between a metal and non-metal. Therefore, prior knowledge is not required and the periodic table is provided. 

Case Studies for Application-Based Thinking

https://sciencecases.lib.buffalo.edu/collection/detail.html/?case_id=203&id=203

This website is a database of case studies. You can search for different case studies in the field of biology. One specific case study that may be used for cell biology is called "A Can of Bull". It looks at the ingredients in energy drinks. It can serve as a formative assessment, an exploration activity for students to learn more about macromolecules or apply their knowledge about macromolecules to real life situations, or as a summative assessment. Educators can use this case study or use it as a framework to make their own case study.