Cell City: A Microscopic Metropolis
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Cell City: A Microscopic Metropolis

Grade 6Science4 days
In the "Cell City" project, 6th-grade science students design a city that models the functions of a cell, drawing parallels between urban planning and cellular biology. Students explore how organelles function similarly to city buildings, managing resources, waste, and energy. The project enhances understanding of cellular processes and their contribution to the health of living organisms through hands-on activities and creative analogies.
CellOrganellesCell CityCellular ProcessesResource ManagementWaste DisposalEnergy Production
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Inquiry Framework

Question Framework

Driving Question

The overarching question that guides the entire project.How can we design a 'Cell City' that models the functions of a cell and promotes understanding of cellular processes, waste management, energy production, and overall health, drawing parallels between urban planning and cellular biology?

Essential Questions

Supporting questions that break down major concepts.
  • How do the different parts of a cell work together to keep it alive and healthy?
  • In what ways is a cell like a city, and what can we learn from this comparison?
  • How do cells get what they need to survive, like food and water?
  • What happens to waste inside a cell, and how does it get rid of it?
  • How do cells get energy to do all their important jobs?
  • What are the main differences between plant and animal cells, and why are these differences important?
  • How do different types of cells work together in our bodies to keep us healthy?
  • What can we do to keep our cells healthy and strong?

Standards & Learning Goals

Learning Goals

By the end of this project, students will be able to:
  • Students will be able to describe the basic structure and function of cells, including the roles of key organelles.
  • Students will be able to develop a model of a 'Cell City' that effectively demonstrates the functions of cellular components and their interactions.
  • Students will be able to explain how cells obtain nutrients, dispose of waste, and produce energy.
  • Students will be able to compare and contrast plant and animal cells.
  • Students will be able to construct an argument, supported by evidence, that relates cell functions to the overall health and well-being of a multicellular organism.
  • Students will be able to make connections between cellular processes and urban planning, recognizing parallels in resource management, waste disposal, and energy production.

Teacher-specified Standards

6.MS-LS 1.1
Primary
Provide evidence that all organisms (unicellular and multicellular) are made of cells.Reason: Directly addresses the fundamental concept of cells as the basic unit of life.
6.MS-LS 1.2
Primary
Develop and use a model to describe how parts of cells contribute to the cellular functions of obtaining food, water, and other nutrients from its environment, disposing of wastes, and providing energy for cellular processes.Reason: This standard is central to the 'Cell City' project, focusing on modeling cellular functions.
6.MS-LS 1.3
Secondary
Construct an argument supported by evidence that the body systems interact to carry out essential functions of life.Reason: While the project focuses on cells, it can connect to how cell functions relate to overall body system functions.

Entry Events

Events that will be used to introduce the project to students

Cellville Crisis: An Urban Planning Emergency

A local news report announces a crisis in Cellville: essential services are failing, and the city is on the brink of collapse. Students, as newly appointed urban planners, must investigate the malfunctioning organelles (buildings) and propose solutions to restore the city's health and functionality.

The Missing Blueprints: Engineering a Sustainable Cell City

Students receive a mysterious package containing blueprints for a new cell city but crucial parts are missing. They must reverse-engineer the existing designs, research organelle functions, and complete the blueprints to ensure the city's survival and sustainability.
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Portfolio Activities

Portfolio Activities

These activities progressively build towards your learning goals, with each submission contributing to the student's final portfolio.
Activity 1

Cell City Blueprints: Designing Our Microscopic Metropolis

Students design their own 'Cell City' blueprint, assigning each organelle a role as a building or service within the city. This activity requires them to demonstrate how organelles work together to maintain the cell's life processes.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Brainstorm analogies between organelles and city buildings/services (e.g., nucleus as City Hall, mitochondria as power plant, cell membrane as city limits).
2. Sketch a layout of the Cell City, placing each organelle (building) in a strategic location based on its function and interactions with other organelles.
3. Label each organelle (building) and write a brief description of its role in the Cell City, explaining how it contributes to the city's (cell's) survival.
4. Draw arrows or lines to show how different organelles (buildings) are connected and how resources (nutrients, energy, waste) flow through the city (cell).

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA detailed blueprint of the Cell City, showing the layout of organelles (buildings), their assigned functions, and connecting pathways that represent the flow of resources and waste.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsCovers 6.MS-LS 1.2 by tasking students with modeling how organelles contribute to cellular functions.
Activity 2

Cell City Operations: Resource Management & Sustainability

Students create a detailed infographic explaining how their Cell City obtains resources, disposes of waste, and generates energy, connecting each process to specific organelles and their functions.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Focus on the 'Cell City' model and identify how resources are brought into the city (cell), how waste is managed, and how energy is produced.
2. Create sections in the infographic for 'Resource Acquisition,' 'Waste Management,' and 'Energy Production.'
3. For each section, describe the process in detail, naming the organelles (buildings) involved and explaining their roles.
4. Use arrows, diagrams, and labels to illustrate the flow of resources, waste, and energy through the Cell City.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityAn infographic that visually explains the processes of resource acquisition, waste management, and energy production in the Cell City, with clear labels, diagrams, and concise descriptions.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses 6.MS-LS 1.2 by focusing on the processes of obtaining resources, waste disposal and energy production within the cell.
Activity 3

Cell City's Impact: A Healthy Metropolis, A Healthy Organism

Students write a persuasive essay arguing how the efficient functioning of their Cell City (and its organelles) is essential for the health and sustainability of a larger organism.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Reflect on the Cell City project and consider how the functions of the organelles (buildings) contribute to the overall health and stability of the city (cell).
2. Research how cell health impacts the health of a larger organism (e.g., human, plant).
3. Write an introduction that states the argument: 'The efficient functioning of cells is essential for the health and sustainability of a larger organism.'
4. Provide evidence and examples from the Cell City project and research to support the argument, explaining how specific organelles contribute to essential life processes.
5. Write a conclusion that summarizes the main points and reinforces the importance of cell health for overall well-being.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA well-written essay that persuasively argues the importance of efficient cellular function for the overall health and sustainability of a multicellular organism, using the Cell City analogy to illustrate key points.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsConnects to 6.MS-LS 1.3 by prompting students to consider how cellular functions contribute to the overall health and well-being of a multicellular organism, and touches upon sustainability and health.
Activity 4

Organelle ID: Meet the Cell City Residents

Students create a 'Cell Organelle ID Card' for each major organelle, detailing its structure and function. This activity introduces organelles as the building blocks of the cell city.

Steps

Here is some basic scaffolding to help students complete the activity.
1. Research and select the major organelles to be included in the Cell City (e.g., nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, vacuoles, cell membrane, cytoplasm).
2. For each organelle, gather information on its structure (appearance) and function (job within the cell).
3. Design an ID card template that includes fields for: Organelle Name, Image/Illustration, Function, and Analogy to a city service (e.g., 'Mitochondria: The Power Plant').
4. Fill out the ID card for each organelle, drawing or finding an appropriate image and writing clear, concise descriptions.

Final Product

What students will submit as the final product of the activityA set of illustrated ID cards, each profiling a different cell organelle with labeled diagrams and function descriptions.

Alignment

How this activity aligns with the learning objectives & standardsAddresses 6.MS-LS 1.1 by establishing the foundational understanding that all living things are made of cells.
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Rubric & Reflection

Portfolio Rubric

Grading criteria for assessing the overall project portfolio

Cell City Project Assessment Rubric

Category 1

Conceptual Understanding

Assess students' understanding of cellular structure and function as demonstrated through the cell city analogy.
Criterion 1

Organelle Function Allocations

Accuracy in assigning functions to organelles and analogies to city structures.

Exemplary
4 Points

All organelle functions accurately and creatively assigned and analogized; comprehensive understanding evident.

Proficient
3 Points

Most organelle functions accurately assigned with logical analogies; clear understanding demonstrated.

Developing
2 Points

Some organelle functions are correctly assigned; analogies may be simplistic or partially inaccurate.

Beginning
1 Points

Multiple organelle functions incorrectly assigned or poorly analogized; limited understanding evident.

Criterion 2

Cellular Processes

Understanding of how cellular processes are modeled and linked to cell components.

Exemplary
4 Points

All cellular processes clearly mapped to appropriate organelles; high degree of clarity and insight.

Proficient
3 Points

Most cellular processes accurately connected to their organelles with clear descriptions.

Developing
2 Points

Some processes are correctly linked; explanations may lack detail or accuracy.

Beginning
1 Points

Few processes correctly linked; explanations are incomplete or inaccurate.

Category 2

Critical Thinking and Application

Evaluate critical thinking demonstrated in constructing and analyzing the 'Cell City' model.
Criterion 1

Model Design and Innovation

Creativity and logic in the design and layout of the Cell City.

Exemplary
4 Points

Highly original and logical city layout with innovative design choices linked to organelle functions.

Proficient
3 Points

Logical city layout with creative elements and clear links to organelle functions.

Developing
2 Points

Basic logic in layout; creativity is minimal or inconsistent with some function links unclear.

Beginning
1 Points

Disorganized layout with limited creativity and ineffective links between structure and function.

Category 3

Communication and Presentation

Assess how effectively students communicate their understanding and argumentation in various formats.
Criterion 1

Clarity of Explanation

Effectiveness in explaining cellular functions and processes through verbal, written, and visual means.

Exemplary
4 Points

Explanations are exceptionally clear and precise across all formats, with strong logical flow and detail.

Proficient
3 Points

Explanations are clear and detailed, with logical coherence in multiple formats.

Developing
2 Points

Explanations are somewhat clear, with occasional errors or gaps in coherence.

Beginning
1 Points

Explanations lack clarity and coherence, with minimal detail.

Category 4

Research and Argumentation

Assess ability to research and construct a persuasive argument relating to cellular health.
Criterion 1

Argument Development

Strength of argument linking cellular function to organismal health, supported by evidence.

Exemplary
4 Points

Persuasive argument with comprehensive evidence and strong links between cellular functions and health.

Proficient
3 Points

Convincing argument with relevant evidence linking cellular functions to health.

Developing
2 Points

Argument is basic with some supporting evidence; links may be unclear or underdeveloped.

Beginning
1 Points

Argument is poorly constructed with minimal evidence or unclear links.

Reflection Prompts

End-of-project reflection questions to get students to think about their learning
Question 1

What was the most challenging aspect of designing your 'Cell City', and how did you overcome it?

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Question 2

To what extent do you think your 'Cell City' model accurately represents the functions of a real cell?

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Question 3

If you could add one more feature to your 'Cell City' to improve its function or sustainability, what would it be and why?

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Question 4

How has this project changed your understanding of how cells function and contribute to the health of living organisms?

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Question 5

Which analogy between a cell organelle and a city service did you find most insightful, and why?

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