Cells
Time		Exercises 1-4 take approximately 2 hours.
Supplies		biology reference books yellow sticky pads large paper for drawing maps pencil pen
Objectives			Once you have completed this knowledge mapping exercise, you should be able to:
		1.	Describe the key structures in a typical animal cell.
		2.	Specify the major function(s) of each structure.
		3.	Summarize the flow of materials into and out of a cell.
		4.	Briefly describe some of the key processes that occur in plant and animal cells. Click below to download the SemNet "1.7h Cells Net", which is a completed network showing how we have put together the ideas in the Cells Lesson. This net provides a useful exemplar and guide, but it should not be considered THE right answer. It is important to understand that we all think in different ways. There are multiple correct ways, and multiple incorrect ways, to put these ideas together. You will have to use your judgment, reviewing each net as if it were and essay
Background Information		Mapping In this exercise you will construct a series of knowledge representations to consolidate and demonstrate your understanding of the cell using mapping devices. The focus will be on describing a single concept or showing the relations between a small number of main ideas, rather than integrating many ideas into a large knowledge network.
Exercise 1		Mapping Animal Cell Structure
		1.	Work in Groups of three or four students each, or alone if you prefer.
		2.	Write a list of the concepts that should be included in a concept map of animal cell structure. You may organize your map by superordinate categories (e.g., organelles, subcellular structures) or by locations in the cells or by some other device.
		3.	Write each concept on a separate yellow sticky paper.
		4.	Arrange your sticky concepts on a large sheet of paper and use a pencil to draw and label lines between them. The lines should be directed (with arrows) and labeled. Rearrange as necessary until you are completely satisfied with your map.
		5.	Make a final version of your map with concepts and relations written in ink and put your names and the date on the map. Your students may take a variety of approaches to the mapping task. Here is our map for use as a reference.
TG Figure 1. Structural Map of Cell
Exercise 2		Mapping Flow into and out of an Animal Cell
To Do		1.	Again, work in Groups of three or four students each, or alone if you prefer.
		2.	Think about the materials that flow into and out of an animal cell on a regular basis, where they go inside the cell, and what they do. Consider what you know about nutrients, oxygen, waste materials, water, secretions, etc. Make a list of the things that should be included in a flow map. You might use a large drawing of a cell as the underlying framework.
		3.	Write each concept on a separate yellow sticky paper.
		4.	Arrange your sticky concepts on your cell drawing or in another format of your choosing and use a pencil to draw and label the lines showing linkages. The lines should have an arrow showing the direction in which the substance moves and should be labeled. Rearrange your ideas as necessary until you are completely satisfied with your map.
		5.	Make a final version of your map with concepts and relations written in ink and put your names and the date on the map. As above, there is no single correct method for performing this task. Our approach is shown below.
TG Figure 2. Flow into and out of a cell.
Exercise 3		Mapping the Functions of an Animal Cell
To Do		1.	Cells are dynamic and metabolically active places. What are some of the processes that occur inside the cell? A process is identified in each of Figures 1 through 6. For each one, can you identify the key inputs and outputs (substrates and products), the site(s) where it occurs, and in some cases, the key subprocesses? If you don't know, consult your biology books. The numbers indicate how many ideas we connected to each relation. Please complete each map. Our responses are shown below. Again, there is no single correct way to respond to this task.
Figure 1. Process: Respiration ­ Our Responses Figure 2. Process: Photosynthesis ­ Our Responses Figure 3. Process: Secretion ­ Our Responses Figure 4. Process: Protein Synthesis ­ Our Responses Figure 5. Process: Lipid Synthesis ­ Our Responses Figure 6. Process: Digestion/Recycling ­ Our Responses
To Do		2.	Another way to think about processes is to look at the structural map you created in Exercise 1. For each structure you identified in your concept map, add its major function(s) using the relation ray such as 'has function.' Here are the functions we added to our map You will have to make a judgment about the correctness and adequacy of your students' approaches.
TG Figure 3. Structural Map with Functions
Exercise 4		Comparing & Reflecting
		1.	Compare your representations with those of your peers. Are they the same? Do different maps tell you different things? Are they consistent, or at least compatible?