Teaching about cells can be a bit abstract. Often, classroom microscopes are not capable of illuminating tiny cells and structures and textbook images never quite do the amazing cell justice. Current media resources however, can be just the thing to engage students in this microscopic world!
In the Cellular Structure and Function activity from PBS LearningMedia, multiple media resources (Grades: 6-12) can be woven together for a virtual tour of the cell.
1. Gallery of Cells Images
Students start by viewing images of a variety of specialized cells. At all levels of organization in the living world, form and function go hand in hand. Take the cell, for example. A cell’s DNA determines the size and shape of the cell as well as its role in the host organism or environment. These images illustrate the variety of forms cells can take, suggesting the myriad functions performed by cells in the human body and in other life forms.