At-Home Activities

Prepare a poster that groups pictures into three categories: things that are living; things that were once living; things that are not and never have been living. (For example, a steak is not currently living, but it does contain muscle cells that were living before the cow was slaughtered; plastics come from ethylene molecules that were never living.)

Write a mystery story involving a crime that can be solved using a microscope. Set the scene for the mystery, profile the suspects, and provide clearly labelled evidence. (Use things such as fingerprints, carpet or clothing samples, hair samples and soil samples as the evidence.) With your teacher's permission, describe your mystery and turn over the evidence to a classmate to solve using a microscope.

Compare the parts of the cell to the members of a sports team. Like the organelles, each member of a team has a particular role to play. Create an annotated illustration that demonstrates your comparison. (For example, the nucleus might represent the coach, the chromosomes might represent the rules of the game, the cell membrane might represent the perimeters of the playing field, etc.)

Cells vary a great deal in size and shape. An ostrich egg is the largest single cell, about 75 mm in diameter. A human nerve cell can be as long as 1000 mm, but only 0.01 mm in diameter. Research other examples of very large, very long or unusually shaped cells.

1. Using magazines, leaflets or the Internet, collect pictures of various objects photographed using different microscopes.
2. An arthroscope is a surgical instrument that combines fibre optics with microelectronics. Research more about how the arthroscope works and design a model that illustrates its operation.

1. Make a scale diagram of a plant and/or animal cell. Remember to include a scale.
2. Make a model of the cell using Plasticine.

1. As a follow-up to the Try This activity in this lesson, try pouring different substances through the three membranes (glass, mesh and cloth). For example, you might try ground coffee crystals, solutions of salt or coffee, muddy water, etc. What do you observe about the permeability of the three materials now?
2. Create new membranes from coffee filters, paper towels, napkins, newspaper, etc. and repeat the Try This activity.

Study the role of the cell membrane in diffusion by comparing the amount of red pigment that diffuses out of samples from beets that are raw, cooked or frozen. (In cooked or frozen beets, the cell membrane will not be intact. Heat can denature the proteins in the cell membrane; ice crystals formed during freezing can cut through cell membranes.)

Repeat this investigation at home using different materials available to you. Sausage casings and different types of sandwich bags may be used. You will probably have to limit your observations to the change in mass of the tubing used.

1. As a follow-up to this investigation, test the effects of different salt solutions on other plants such as carrots, beets, etc.
2. Design and perform an experiment to test how different amounts of salt mixed in soil affect the germination of sunflower seeds.

Compare two pieces of technology that are basically the same but are made differently (in terms of design and materials) to address specific needs (e.g., cutlery, windows, etc.). Discuss the differences, and the reasons for these differences, with family members.

Select one of the organ systems described in this lesson and investigate how the different cell tissues contribute to its overall function. Your report might include:

• labelled diagrams of the particular cell and its tissue
• an explanation of how the cells are arranged in the tissue
• an explanation of the function of the cell tissue
• an explanation of how the tissue contributes to sustaining the organs of the selected system in the body

1. Make samples of your own protists:
   1. Put some plant material such as dry grass into a wide-mouthed jar.
   2. Fill it three-quarters full with tap water that has been standing for a few days.
   3. Place it in a well-lit spot, but away from direct sunlight.
   4. After a few days, examine drops from the jar to locate protists. (You will likely have to take the samples to school to examine them under a microscope.)
      
      
2. Locate a simple bread recipe. With an adult family member, try baking one loaf using yeast and another without using yeast. Identify the differences in the two loaves.

Develop an analogy between cell specialization and specialization of roles within your community. Describe your analogy to family members.

Consult with adult family members to find out the answers to the following questions:

• What viral diseases have you been vaccinated against?
• When were you last vaccinated? How long does the immunity last?
• What viral diseases present the greatest danger to you at the moment? Why? What can you do to avoid contracting the disease?

As a follow-up to this investigation, investigate the movement of coloured water along the stems of various other plants. Record your findings and compare them with those of other class members.

Enclose a large, potted plant in a transparent plastic bag. Leave the plant undisturbed in a warm, sunny location for 24 hours. Describe your observations. Where did the water come from?

Collect a sample of leaves from different plants around your home or neighbourhood. Describe how each leaf is adapted to the environment in which it lives.

Based on what you have read in this lesson, find examples of plant adaptations around your school or neighbourhood.

Identify health-related situations in which hormonal control or nerve control may be necessary.

Investigate the availability of dialysis in your area. How often do patients need to use dialysis techniques? How far do they have to travel?

Use household materials such as used stockings to make a three-dimensional model of the animal digestive system.

Repeat this investigation with family members at home to test other factors that affect reaction time (e.g., age, time of day, existence of distractions).

With family members, discuss the debate statement contained in this lesson. Share with them the various points and counterpoints and take note of their views in preparation for, or as a follow-up to, your class debate.

Note to parents: Since the Design Challenge may be used by teachers as a performance assessment opportunity, parents should consult with the teacher to determine the appropriate degree of parental involvement in their child's completion of the Design Challenge.

The Unit Summary in your textbook lists all the learning expectations you have covered in the unit and identifies the specific lessons in which the knowledge and skills have been developed.

You can use the Unit Summary to help you create a personal study guide in preparation for an end-of-unit test:

1. Copy down the list of learning expectations from your textbook. These are grouped under three headings: Understanding Concepts, Applying Skills, Making Connections.
2. For each learning expectation, locate the appropriate lesson(s) in the unit where the expectation was covered. These are found at the end of each expectation (e.g., 2.1).
3. Flip to the appropriate lesson(s) for each expectation and make study notes of the key ideas or skills you learned.