Edible Cells and Observable Cells

This article describes some classic cell observations such as an onion skin and cheek cells. It also discusses creating edible cells. The one outstanding part of this article is the associ... See More

This article describes some classic cell observations such as an onion skin and cheek cells. It also discusses creating edible cells. The one outstanding part of this article is the association of a cell part to a familiar thing in the students' environment such as....Nucleus Contains DNA- tells cell what to do and become-it is like a Remote control or parent.

Are Edible Cell Models Accessible For All?

This article provides a sequence of activities for a middle school unit on cells. First, students examine the various parts and function of cells. Wiedmeyer goes into detail about students c... See More

This article provides a sequence of activities for a middle school unit on cells. First, students examine the various parts and function of cells. Wiedmeyer goes into detail about students creating mnemonic devices and association charts, but I wonder if the author has suggestions on whether this is done by having students work with the textbook or if she presents the content in a presentation. After this introduction, students examine onion and cheek cells under a microscope to see if they can identify some organelles. This is a great way for students to apply their learning and practice with the microscopes. The summative assessment for this cell unit is the creation of an edible cell model. This prompt requires students to be creative in how they will represent each organelle. I’m curious if students also have to include details about the organelle’s function for this project. I can see students getting excited to create their own cells, having a gallery walk and voting. However, I do not think this is an appropriate assignment for populations of lower socio-economic status. I feel uncomfortable asking parents and families to spend money on food that will be disposed of while they may be struggling to feed their family. It also creates a lot of food waste. I wonder if students could create a model out of modeling clay during class. Students could also be told to draw a diagram of their edible food cell, rather than having to actually make it.