Cells and Cell Theory: Introductory Activities and Worksheet 6th-8th Grade

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Are you looking for engaging ways to introduce cells to your middle school science students and add inquiry to your cell lessons? In this cell introduction lesson, students will learn about cell theory and cell differentiation using critical thinking and inquiry to discover what a cell actually is.

PLUS… this introduction to cells bundle includes a comprehensive, fully aligned digital counterpart to the PDF version! This is perfect for any situation where you find yourself needing engaging digital cell lessons that maintain high levels of inquiry and critical thinking! From remote learning to hybrid teaching to students who need independent study assignments that match the rigor and content you offer in your classroom- this resource has it all!

You’ll start your students off with a card sort activity, challenging them to develop their own ideas about what qualifies something as living or non-living, a key aspect of cell theory. The printable cards are available in black and white as well as color, perfect for printing once, laminating, then using over and over again. The digital version allows students to interactively move cards around on their screen.

While some cards may seem obvious, others will leave students pondering. Guided questions on the worksheet and group discussion will help them formulate their ideas.

Next, students will engage in a hands-on Makerspace cell exploration activity, focusing on another part of the cell theory – cell differentiation. Students will conduct a quick internet image search of cells, then recreate what they find, using the principles of a Makerspace activity. Guidelines and instructions for running the activity are included, making it easy to implement.

The digital version includes 2 modified versions of this cell exploration activity that maintain the creativity and inquiry of the original activity!

Finally, after engaging in these hands-on inquiry activities, students will read about cell theory using the included reading passage and take notes on the note-taking worksheet. The reading passage is available digitally both as part of the digital resource and as a separate resource through Google Drive allowing you to save paper by sharing the reading passage digitally with your students!

Also included are the Teacher Tip Pages, providing you with lots of support, tips, and ideas, so that you can easily implement these hands-on, inquiry activities into your science classroom!

Be sure to check the PDF preview to see all that’s included and how you can use it in your classroom as you prepare your students to learn all about cells!

AND, if you want to take your students through the entire cell journey… Be sure to check out the bundle:

Digital Cells and Organelles Unit Bundle

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