Cells: The Basis of Life
17 short narrated lessons in 3 chapters, each with pictures, a quiz with a hint and a second try, and an explanation for every answer.
Standards: MS-LS1-1 MS-LS1-2 MS-LS1-3
What your child will learn
Cells and living things
- What Makes Something AliveIdentify the characteristics that all living things share.
- Discovering CellsDescribe how the microscope led to the discovery of cells.
- The Cell TheoryState the three parts of the cell theory.
- One Cell or ManyCompare unicellular and multicellular organisms.
- Cells and Living Things Review ReviewReview the evidence that all living things are made of cells.
Parts of a cell
- The Cell Membrane: A Choosy BorderExplain how the cell membrane controls what enters and leaves a cell.
- The Nucleus: The Cell's Control CenterDescribe the nucleus as the control center that holds genetic material.
- Mitochondria: Releasing the Cell's EnergyExplain that mitochondria release energy the cell can use.
- Plant Cell Parts: Walls, Chloroplasts and VacuolesDescribe the cell wall, chloroplasts and large vacuole in plant cells.
- Comparing Plant and Animal CellsCompare the structures found in plant and animal cells.
- Parts of a Cell: Chapter Review ReviewReview how each cell part helps the cell function as a whole.
From cells to body systems
- Tissues and OrgansExplain how cells form tissues and tissues form organs.
- Organ SystemsDescribe how organs work together in organ systems.
- Systems Working TogetherExplain how the digestive, circulatory and respiratory systems work together.
- Plant SystemsDescribe how roots, stems and leaves work together as plant systems.
- From Cells to Body Systems: Review ReviewReview how the body is a system of interacting subsystems made of cells.
- Unit 1 Test: Cells, the Basis of LifeShow what you learned in the whole unit (Cells and living things, Parts of a cell, From cells to body systems) by answering mixed questions.
Try a question from this unit
From the lesson “What Makes Something Alive”
A student says a cloud is alive because it grows, moves across the sky and splits into smaller clouds. Which response is best?
Show the answer
It is not alive, because it is not made of cells.. A cloud is made of water droplets, not cells, and it does not use energy the way organisms do. Growing and moving are not enough on their own. Being mostly water does not rule out life, since organisms are mostly water too.
Hint kids see after a wrong try: “Go back to the first characteristic on the list. Does a cloud have it?”
Key words
- organism
- characteristic
- microscope
- cell
- cell theory
- unicellular
- multicellular
- cell membrane
- nucleus
- DNA
- mitochondria
- cell wall
- chloroplast
- vacuole
- organelle
- tissue
- organ
- organ system
- digestive
- circulatory
- respiratory
- root
- stem
- leaf
Try these lessons in Kids Shelf
Narrated lessons, pictures and quizzes for every grade from K to 8. Works offline.
