For today’s Osmosis Gizmo activity, complete the following steps:

1. Go to the Explore Learning website.
2. Click the Login/Enroll button (upper right).
3. Select Biology from your list of classes.
4. Launch the Osmosis Gizmo.
5. Complete the “Observing osmosis” worksheet with a partner.
6. If time permits, work through the “Effect of cell volume” worksheet.

For students who have not yet created an account:

1. Enter the class code (written on the white board).
2. Click the Enroll in Class button.
3. Choose “I need to create…” option.
4. Enter your First and Last name (not email!)
5. Use your student numer (s-#######) as your username.
6. Enter birthdate as password (MMDDYYYY)
7. Click “Submit”
8. Launch the Osmosis Gizmo.
9. Complete the “Observing osmosis” worksheet with a partner.
10. If time permits, work through the “Effect of cell volume” worksheet.

Our study of cell organelles intersected with our previous unit’s work with drawing systems when students were tasked with constructing a network diagram with cell organelles as nodes.  For edges, students had to explain how two organelles interacted with each other.  For full credit, pairs of students had to include all of the nodes in the network, with each organelle (node) connected to another organelle via at least one edge.  The list of organelles came from the organelle flash cards students made on September 27.  Students were able to use their flash cards, the Inside the Cell book (available via the computer), the Cell Structures Gizmo (from September 28), or they could research online as long as the resources they were using to construct their network were scientifically credible.

The picture below represents how the activity was set up, with three edges provided to all students at the launch of the activity.

Class began with a brief entry task asking students to recall the parts of the microscope.  Students learned (or re-learned from 8th grade) the parts of the microscope in the Gizmo from yesterday.

Next, for our first lab of Unit 1, students observed and made observations about various sections of plant and animal tissues under the microscope.  Participation credit was received for students who sketched a sample, added color to the section drawn, and who labeled the visible organelles contained in a representative cell within the section.  Students also needed to write down the name of the sample they observed and the magnification at which the observation was made.

Students were provided with the template below to organize the work of the members in their group.  Each team member was responsible for filling in at least one quadrant of the paper.  The work was due at the end of class and credit was received by students who completed the assignment as described above.