Starter and plenary suggestions for Exploring Science Unit 7A

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Unit 7A Cells and their functions

7Aa Human organs
Starter
As suggested in the Teachers Guide, this lesson could be started by asking pupils
what is inside their bodies, eliciting names of organs and what they do. Alternatively,
use worksheets 7Aa/1 and 7Aa/2 (in Copymaster File 7) and ask pupils to name and
place the organs on the outline of the body. You could also ask pupils what job each
organ performs.
Plenary
The crossword puzzle on worksheet 7Aa/3 could be used as a plenary activity if it is
not to be used for homework. Alternatively, pupils could contribute to a wall display
showing the human body, as suggested in Practical 1. The functions of the organs
could be written onto the display.

7Ab On the slide

Starter
Worksheet 7Ab/9 (in Copymaster File 7) could be used as a starter to remind pupils of
the procedure for using a microscope before they go on to look at cells. Pupils could
write their answers on the worksheet, but the activity is probably more valuable as a
starter if the sheet is made into an OHT and the whole class can discuss what is wrong
in each picture.

Plenary
Worksheet 7Ab/12 (on the website) provides a set of cards which include the name,
description and function of each part of a cell. Ask pupils to match up the name,
description and function of each part, and also to identify which parts are in animal
cells and which are in plant cells.
Answers:
nucleus; found in animal and plant cells; a round structure inside the cell; the control
centre of the cell.
cytoplasm; found in animal and plant cells; a jelly-like substance; many of the cells
activities take place here.
cell surface membrane; found in animal and plant cells; like a very thin bag; keeps the
cell together and controls what goes in and out of the cell.
cell wall; found in plant cells only; like a box with many holes in it; supports the cell.
vacuole; found in plant cells only; filled with a liquid; storage space.
chloroplast; found in plant cells only; green discs; allow the plant to make food.

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Starter and plenary suggestions for Exploring Science Unit 7A

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7Ac Shaped for the job

Starter
As the subject of this topic is adaptation, a good starter activity is to ensure that pupils
understand what is meant by this term. This is best done initially by reference to
objects with which they are familiar, such as cars, buses or trains.
Pupils could be asked how a town bus is different to a long distance coach, and why
they are different this should elicit the idea that, although both vehicles are intended
to transport people, they do so in different ways, and so the design needs to be
adapted to the purpose. A similar discussion could compare the design of a racing car
and a family car, or even the design of things such as handbags versus school bags!
This discussion could then lead on to the fact that, although cells have features in
common, their designs are adapted for their purpose.

Plenary
Worksheet 7Ac/5 (on the website) provides drawings of the different types of cell
covered during this lesson. The pictures provided can be used as the basis for an Odd
one out activity. Alternatively, the pictures can just be used as the basis for a class
discussion that recapitulates the adaptations covered during the lesson. The worksheet
can be given to pupils or used to make an OHT.
Possible answers to the Odd one out sequences are given below. Note that any
answer is acceptable, as long as the pupil can justify it.
1 The nerve cell, because the other two can move (the muscle cell contracts, the
ciliated epithelial cell has cilia that can move); OR the ciliated epithelial cell,
because the nerve and muscle cells are both involved in moving parts of the body.
2 The palisade cell, because the other two are both involved in water transport; OR
the xylem cell, because it is dead (although this is not mentioned in the text).
3 The ciliated epithelial cell, because the other two are both plant cells (pupils should
be encouraged to think more deeply than two of them have bits sticking out!)
4 The nerve cell, because it is the only animal cell; OR the palisade cell, because the
other two are both involved in transporting things (messages and water).
Worksheets 7Ac/1, 7Ac/2 or 7Ac/3 from Copymaster File 7 could be used instead of
this activity if they are not to be used for homework.

7Ad All systems go

Starter
Worksheet 7Ad/6 (on the website) provides a set of true/false statements to help
pupils revise the ideas from previous topics. Pupils are asked to rank the statements as
true or false, and to correct any false statements. They should then decide whether the
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Starter and plenary suggestions for Exploring Science Unit 7A

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second statement of each pair explains the first they should use their corrected
versions for this part of the activity.
For instance:
A
B

Muscle tissue allows us to move.

Muscle cells always stay the same length.

True
False

Pupils should correct statement B to say that muscle cells can get shorter, then say that
B explains A because it is the contraction of muscles that allows us to move.
Answers:
A True
B False muscle cells can change length.
Corrected B explains A
C False root hair cells absorb water from the soil.
D False root hair cells have a large surface area.
Corrected D explains corrected C
E False nerve tissue carries messages around the body (or blood vessels carry
blood around the body)
F True
F does not explain the corrected E
G False ciliated epithelial cells help to keep the lungs clean.
H True
H explains corrected G
Plenary
Use the wordsearch on worksheet 7Ad/2 (from Copymaster File 7) as a plenary
activity, to remind pupils of the organs and organ systems covered during this topic.
Alternatively, worksheet 7Ad/4 (from Copymaster File 7) can be used instead. This
can be done by pupils individually or as groups, or question 1 could be copied onto an
OHT and used as the basis of a class plenary.

7Ae A seedy story

Starter
Pupils should have learned about parts of flowers at KS2, and also about the process
of pollination, fertilisation etc. Worksheet 7Ae/10 (on the website) provides a card
sort activity that is designed to remind them of this work, and also to let you find out
how much they remember. Pupils should be allowed to attempt to sort the cards into
pairs in small groups before holding a class discussion to ensure that the correct
matches have been made!
Answers:
A stamen; B petal; C style; D ovary; E stigma; F sepal; pollination
insects or the wind take pollen from one flower to another; fertilisation - pollen
reaches the ovum (egg) and joins with it; dispersal seeds are spread by animals,
wind or water.
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Plenary
Worksheet 7Ae/11 provides a set of cards for a question loop activity that can be used
to summarise the whole Unit, and act as a starting point for revision.
There are 30 cards provided. All cards must be used to close the loop if you do not
have 30 pupils in the class, give some pupils more than one card. Alternatively, copy
two sets of cards, so each pupil has at least two cards two hands should then go up
in answer to every question, and pupils are less likely to mentally switch off when
they have used their card.
Answers:
What does a nucleus do?
Name three parts of an animal cell.
Name three cell parts that are found in
plant cells but not in animal cells.
What do chloroplasts do?
What does the cell wall do?
What does the cell surface membrane do?
What is a tissue?
What does the liver do?
What do nerve cells do?
How are muscle cells adapted to their
function?
What do ciliated epithelial cells do?
What do xylem tubes do?
How are xylem cells adapted to their
function?
What is an organ?
Which organ system is the stomach part
of?
Which organ system is the heart part of?
Which organ system are the lungs part
of?
How are new cells made?
Which part of a flower makes pollen
grains?
Where does the pollen need to land to
fertilise a flower?
How does the pollen nucleus reach the
ovary?
How can pollen get from one flower to
another?
What happens to an egg after it has been
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Controls a cell.
Nucleus, cytoplasm, cell surface
membrane.
Cell wall, vacuole, chloroplasts.
Make food by photosynthesis.
Supports the cell.
Keeps the cell together and controls what
goes in and out of the cell.
A group of cells of the same type working
together to do a job.
Makes and destroys substances.
Carry messages around the body.
They can change length.
The cilia wave to move dirt out of the
lungs.
Carry water up a plant.
They are hollow.
A group of different tissues that work
together.
The digestive system.
The circulatory system.
The breathing system.
A cell splits up to form two daughter
cells.
The stamen.
The stigma.
A pollen tube grows down the style.
By the wind or by insects.
It grows into a seed.
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Starter and plenary suggestions for Exploring Science Unit 7A

fertilised?
What does fertilisation mean?
What does pollination mean?
How are palisade cells adapted to their
function?
Why do we need to use microscopes to
look at cells?
What is a microscope slide?
What is the function of the stem in a
plant?
What is the function of the small
intestine?

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When a pollen grain joins with an ovum

(egg).
When a pollen grain is transferred from
the stamen of one flower to the stigma of
another.
They have a lot of chloroplasts.
Cells are very small.
A piece of glass that a cell is put onto so
it can be seen.
It holds the leaves in place and carries
substances around the plant.
Digests and absorbs food.

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