Cells

Diversity of Life
Teaching Slides, 3.1

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells

Slide 1

Introduce elodea observation

Slide 2

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 1

Multiple Choice

All living things are made of _______.

• Atoms

• Skin

• Cells

• water

• What microscopic structures make up

organisms such as elodea?

Focus question

Slide 3

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 2

Notebook sheet 11, Looking at
Elodea

Wet-mount preparation

Slide 4

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Steps 3-4

Top

Bottom

Lab Techniques: Making a Wet Mount
video

Wet-mount preparation

Slide 5

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Steps 3-4

“Virtual Microscope”

Elodea observations

Slide 8

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 5

Elodea observations

Slide 9

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 6

What are the boxes or bricks in the
elodea leaf?

The boxes are
cells.

Estimate size of cells and draw them

Slide 10

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 7

In part 2 of the notebook sheet, your
drawing is very important. Draw what
you see in the field of view at 400X.
You only need to draw one or two of the
larger cells. Make sure you estimate the
size of one.

Discuss cell size

Slide 11

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 9

Teacher master L, Elodea Leaf Layers
and Cell Size

Discuss cell size

Slide 12

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 9

Share your observations.
1.

Are all the cells in an elodea leaf
the same size?

2.

How many layers of cells are there
in an elodea leaf?

3.

Are the large cells on top of the leaf
or the bottom?

4.

How big are the elodea cells?

Cell history

Slide 15

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 12

Describe the cell walls you observed.

Label the cell wall on one elodea cell in
your drawing.

View online resource

Slide 16

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 13

• Did you notice anything moving

inside any of the cells? What did
you observe?

View online resource

Slide 17

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 13

“Database: Elodea Cytoplasmic
Streaming”

View online resource

Slide 18

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 13

Cells are filled with a fluid called
cytoplasm.

Label the cytoplasm in one elodea cell
in your drawing.

Discuss chloroplasts

Slide 19

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 14

The little balls you saw flowing in the
cytoplasm are called chloroplasts. They
contain a pigment called chlorophyll
that gives plants their green color.
Label the chloroplasts in one elodea cell
in your drawing.

View online resource

Slide 20

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 16

“Levels of Complexity: Plant Cell”

Spend a few minutes reviewing the
vocabulary for this part. Update the
vocabulary index and table of contents in
your notebook.
• cell
• cell membrane
• cell structure
• cell wall
• chlorophyll

Review vocabulary

Slide 22

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 18

• chloroplast
• cytoplasm
• elodea
• mitochondrion
• nucleus
• organelle

• What microscopic structures make up

organisms such as elodea?

Answer the focus question

Slide 23

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 19

Include a drawing
in your response
and describe what
you found in your
investigation.

• What questions do you need to ask to

determine if elodea is living?

Teacher master K, Evidence of Life

Wrap-Up/Warm-Up

Slide 24

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells
Step 20

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Photo credits:
Cover slide: © iStockphoto/Bosca78
Notebook image: © photastic/Shutterstock

Diversity of Life Course, 3.1: Discovering Cells

Slide 25