Flipped Day

Andrew Uy
Science Teacher, Loyola High School
Los Angeles, CA

Title of Lesson: How big is a living cell (and what does it look like)?

Lesson Objectives

• Students will learn how small things compare to one another when it comes to size
• Students will know how to properly use a compound light microscope
• Students will be able to prepare a wet mount slide of cell samples
• Students will observe plant and animal cells and be able to discern between the two types of cells
• Students will learn the different organelles found within a typical plant and animal cell

Appropriate Grade Level(s): High School (Grades 9–12)

Subject: Biology

Welcome Video:

• What is a Cell? (twigcarolina.com)
• The History of the Microscope (twigcarolina.com)

Student Video: 
There will be a 7-minute screencast (comprised of the 2 videos below) on how to use a compound microscope, and how to prepare a wet mount slide of a plant cell and animal cell.

• How to use a compound light microscope: http://youtu.be/IH6lNucwp5s
• How to prepare a wet mount slide: http://youtu.be/ED9m7wxGNeo

Activities

PRE FLIPPED DAY (9.5.13) afternoon-evening:

• Anticipatory set
  Students will view the welcome videos and answer questions in their journal individually. (Total time: 10 minutes)
  Download suggested student questions
• Individual writing
  Students will watch the student instructional video, answer individual questions in their journal, and prepare their lab journal for the upcoming group activity. (Total time: 15 minutes)
  

FLIPPED DAY (9.6.13) in class:

• Group activity
  Students will work in pairs and use the compound microscope to observe small objects (such as book pages), then prepare wet mount slides of an Elodea plant and their own cheek cells (animal cell).  Each pair group will answer questions and illustrate their observations in their lab journals. (Total time: 35 minutes)
  
• Large group discussion
  Students will share their findings and share what they have learned in an interactive, whole class discussion during class immediately after the microscopy activity. (Total time: 15 minutes)

FLIPPED DAY (9.6.13) afternoon-evening, after class:

• Interactive lesson (homework assignment)
  Students will go to http://bit.ly/19Ly36O and complete the "Structure of plants and animal cells" student activity.  This is an interactive lesson found on www.carolinascienceonline.com.  Have students screen print or record the performance percentages found of the lesson report page at the end of the student activity and hand in the next day.  (Total time: 25 minutes)
  
  
  • OPTION: Teachers may elect to set up a free account on www.carolinascienceonline.com and set up a student assignment to gain online access to the assessment.  For instructions visit www.carolinascienceonline.com/howto

POST FLIP DAY ( 9.7.13) in class:

• Group activity
  Prepared slides: Students will work in grouped pairs again to identify parts of a plant and animal cell from prepared slides (prepared slides from Carolina Biological, item #292106). All groups will journal their findings and illustrate what they have observed.  (total time: 35 minutes)
• Large group discussion
  Groups will share their findings via whole class discussion. Emphasis will be on comparing the prepared slides and the slides that the students prepared from the day before, asking if there are any differences or similarities between the two sets. (total time: 15 minutes)

POST FLIP DAY ( 9.7.13) afternoon-evening, after class:

• Individual reflection (homework assignment)
  Students will reflect upon the whole activity and write a paragraph on what they have learned individually in the activity and the instructional videos. (Total time: 10 minutes)

Students will be assessed via:  1) their individual lab report (containing individual responses to prompts and the shared date-the group observations in both lab activities), and  2) online responses to the interactive lesson at carolinascienceonline.com.