Energy and Matter: Flows, Cycles, and Conservation |
| Tracking how energy and matter flow into, out of, and within systems helps one understand their system’s behavior. |
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Inner Life of a Cell
In this modeling exercise, students contrast their expectations on the complexity of cells in order to explore the cross-cutting concept “Energy and Matter”.
This modeling exercise is highly adaptable and leverages the authentic complexity of cells as a phenomenon to explore how different forms of matter (amino acids, fatty acids, simple sugars, etc.) interact with cells and how cells are dependent on them. This exercise can be used at a number of points in a biology curriculum but may be most effective before students are exposed to cellular complexity. First ask students to draw a cell. Many students tend to think of a cell as something very basic (just a circle with maybe a smaller circle as the nucleus). Once they have drawn their model of what’s in a cell, you can follow up by either showing pictures of different cells and/or a video showing the complexity of cells (e.g. Inner Life of a Cell). Then ask students to revise their model before asking them why cells might need to be more complex to support life. As an extension to highlight movement of matter you can ask students to include the types of things that go into and out of cells (and why) to highlight flow of matter as part of the CCC.
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Suggested Modeling Elements: Cells: General and all, Biomolecules: all Suggested Sensemaking Components: Movement/motion, Flow of Matter, Zoom/in |
