Lesson Plan

Overview:
This lesson will introduce Students to the various structures and functions of Plant and Animal Cells by
way of an online eLearning Module - A Cell's Life. In addition - as a summative assessment, Students
will be instructed to take what they have learned and use a coding application - known as Scratch to
either:
1. Design and Develop an interactive game
or
2. Modifying an existing interactive game
that will be used to help teach others about Plant or Animal Cells.
Curriculum Area:
Science
Grade Level:
5th Grade
Standard Addressed:
S5L3. Students will diagram and label parts of various cells (plant, animal, single-celled, multi-
celled).
b. Identify parts of a plant cell (membrane, wall, cytoplasm, nucleus, chloroplasts) and of
an animal cell (membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus) and determine the function of the
parts.
*For more information, consult the Georgia Standards of Excellence (Science) here
Common Core State Standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.2
Summarize a written text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including
visually, quantitatively, and orally.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.5.5
Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics, sound) and visual displays in presentations when
appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.4
Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words and phrases in a text relevant
to a grade 5 topic or subject area.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.5
Compare and contrast the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect,
problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more texts.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7
Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an
answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.9
Integrate information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject
knowledgeably.
ISTE and AASL Standards:
ISTE 5c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop
descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
ISTE 1c Students use technology to seek feedback that informs and improves their practice and
to demonstrate their learning in a variety of ways.
ISTE 3b Students evaluate the accuracy, perspective, credibility, and relevance of information, media,
data or other resources.
ITSE 3c Evaluate and select information sources and digital tools based on the appropriateness to
specific tasks.
ISTE 5c Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop
descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
ISTE 6b Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new
creations.
ISTE 6c Students communicate complex ideas clearly and effectively by creating or using a variety
of digital objects such as visualizations, models or simulations.
ISTE 6d Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their
intended audiences.
ISTE 7c Students contribute to project teams, assuming various roles and responsibilities to work
effectively toward a common goal.
AASL 1.1.6 Read, view, and listen for information presented in any format (e.g., textual, visual, media,
digital) in order to make inferences and gather meaning.
AASL 1.1.8 Demonstrate mastery of technology tools for accessing information and pursuing inquiry.
AASL 2.1.1 Continue an inquiry-based research process by applying critical- thinking skills (analysis,
synthesis, evaluation, organization) to information and knowledge in order to construct new
understandings, draw conclusions, and create new knowledge.
AASL 2.2.4 Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.
Computational Thinking Strategies:
ISTE 5 Computational Thinker: Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and
solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test
solutions.
5c. Students break problems into component parts, extract key information, and develop
descriptive models to understand complex systems or facilitate problem-solving.
AASL 2 - Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations, and
create new knowledge.
2.1.1. Continue an inquiry-based research process by applying critical- thinking skills
(analysis, synthesis, evaluation, organization) to information and knowledge in order to
construct new understandings, draw conclusions, and create new knowledge.
2.2.4. Demonstrate personal productivity by completing products to express learning.
Resources:
Computer (Laptop or desktop)
Access to WiFi/Internet and Adobe Flash
Prior Knowledge:
All plants and animals, including humans, are alike in some ways and different in others.
All plants and animals, including humans, have internal parts and external structures that
function to keep them alive and help them grow and reproduce.
Learning Objectives:
Students will gain an understanding for what a cell is.
Students will study the characteristics of both Plant Cells and Animal Cells.
Students will learn to use computational thinking strategies.
Guiding Questions:
What is a Cell?
 What are the different structures of a Cell?
What are Plant Cells?
What are Animal Cells?
What functions do these structures perform for the Cells?
What is the difference between a Plant Cell and an Animal Cell?
Learning Outcomes:
The Student will be able to:
Identify the various structures of Plant and Animal Cells
Differentiate between Plant and Animal Cells
Explain the various functions of Plant and Animal Cells
Design and develop an animated model of a Plant or Animal Cell
Illustrate the functions of a Plant or Animal Cell
Instructional Phase:
*Lesson may be used as a Supplemental Classroom Resource or as an Asynchronous eLearning Module

eLearning Module A Cell's Life (website)

Introduction Introduction
Module Creator Cathryn Staudigl
Module Objective Students will understand the Learning Objectives of the eLearning Module
and be motivated to meet them
Module Overview Students watch a brief video that introduces them to the Learning Outcomes
for the eLearning Module A Cells Life
Digital Resource Introduction to 'A Cell's Life'

Module #1 What is a Cell?

Module Creator Cathryn Staudigl
Module Objective Students will be able to answer the question What is a Cell? and gain a
perspective on its size
Module Overview Students are introduced to a Comic Strip that answers what a Cell is and are
shown an interactive that compares a Cells size to everyday objects
Digital Resource Pixton - Comic Strip - What is a Cell?
Activity Online Interactive - Cell Size and Scale

Module #2 Plant Cells

Module Creator Anna Reed
Module Objective Students will learn about the various structures and functions of a Plant Cell
Module Overview Students are provided text specific information on Plant Cells to help
stimulate recall of prior knowledge and reinforce learning
Digital Resource Quizlet Study Guide - Plant Cell Quizlet
Activity Students are given some general information about Plant Cells along with
an animated .gif of a magnified one and, then, introduced to a Study
Guide containing important terms and definitions of the Cells various
organelles and their functions.
Assessment Plant Cell Quiz Students are tested over Plant Cell organelles and their
(Formative) functions and provided feedback

Module #3 Animal Cells

Module Creator Ebonie Cleaves and Melissa Taylor
Module Objective Students will learn about the various structures and functions of an Animal
Cell
Module Overview Students are provided text specific information on Animal Cells to help
stimulate recall of prior knowledge and reinforce learning
Digital Resource Popplet Infographic Animal Cell Popplet
Activity Students are given some general information about Animal Cells along with
 an animated .gif of a magnified one and, then, introduced to an Infographic
that provides important terms and definitions of the Cells various organelles
and their functions.
Assessment Animal Cell Quiz Students are tested over Animal Cells - organelles and
(Formative) their functions and provided feedback

Module #4 The Cell Block!

Module Creator Cathryn Staudigl
Module Objective Students will demonstrate an understanding of a Plant or Animal Cells
various organelles and their functions by creating or modifying an online
interactive Cell game
Module Overview Students are shown an example of an interactive Cell game - built using
Scratch and provided step-by-step instructions for completing the assigned
Performance Task.
Digital Resource Scratch
Activity Students use Computational Thinking concepts and strategies to
Design and Develop or Modify an interactive game using Scratch that can be
used to help teach others about Plant or Animal Cells.
Assessment A Cells Life - Performance Task Rubric Students are supplied a rubric
(Summative) to help guide their work and assess their artifact

Module #5 Module Review

Module Creator Melissa Taylor and Cathryn Staudigl
Module Objective Students will reinforce their learning about Plant and Animal Cells using
retrieval-based methods
Module Overview Students are supplied visual learning resources that review the content of the
eLearning Module and its Objectives
Digital Resource Infographic - Plant and Animal Cell Infographic
Powtoon - Video - Review of 'A Cell's Life'
Activity Students participate in a review of the various structures and functions of
Plant and Animal Cells and are reminded of the Learning Objectives of the
eLearning Module

Module #6 Module Quiz

Module Creator Ebonie Cleaves
Module Objective Students will demonstrate their learning by successfully completing a quiz
over the content of the eLearning Module
Module Overview Students are given a quiz on Plant and Animal Cells
Digital Resource Module Quiz
Assessment Students are tested over the contents of the entire eLearning Module on Plant
(Summative) and Animal Cells and provided feedback

Differentiated Learning:
ELL/ESOL Students:
Students may pair with a helpful student
Translation technology can be utilized - if accessible.
Language translation dictionaries can be used at all times.
SPED Students:
Students may pair with a helpful student
Students may have extended time
Instructional Strategies:
Based on Dr. Robert Gagn's "Nine Events of Instruction" (Gagn, 1985), this Lesson Plan is designed
to provide Learners with the opportunity to engage in each step of the instructional process (Pappas,
2015).
1. Gain Attention
Integrate innovative means to capture the curiosity of the learner and establish relevance
 The eLearning Module - A Cell's Life opens up to the animated image of a young girl
(a.k.a. pedagogical agent) against a backdrop of floating cells, surrounded by
questions that grab the learners attention and provide relevance to the informational
content of the site.
2. Inform the Learner of the Objective(s)
Establish motivation by providing clear expectations
The videos - Introduction to 'A Cell's Life' and Review of 'A Cell's Life' are used
as an educational resource for introducing/reviewing the Student to the Learning
Outcomes while seeking to motivate them in meeting the eLearning Modules learning
objectives.
3. Stimulate Recall of Prerequisite Learning
Introduce new concepts by associating them with prior information
The Comic - What is a Cell? is used to introduce the concept for the Lessons content
while the Plant Cell Quizlet and the Animal Cell Popplet furnish the Student with text
specific information for helping stimulate recall of prior knowledge while establishing
and reinforcing new understandings.
4. Present the Content
Introduce a variety of Media (e.g. video, audio, text) in organized 'chunks'
From the use of the two videos - Introduction to 'A Cell's Life' and Review of 'A
Cell's Life' to the Comic - What is a Cell? and down to the Infographic - Plant and
Animal Cell Infographic, the lesson incorporates a variety of rich and diverse materials
- in accordance with:
Multimedia Principle which states that people learn more deeply from words
and pictures than from words alone (Meyer, 2009, p. 47)
Segmenting Principle which allows the learner to engage essential processing
without overloading the learners cognitive system (Cognitive theory of, n.d.)
Personalization Principle by including the use of a pedagogical agent a.k.a.
animated character for engaging the learner with the instruction.
offering to provide the learner with a more meaningful learning experience while
remaining focused on the core learning objectives.
5. Provide Online Guidance
Supply Detailed Instructions, Rubrics and Examples
Online guidance is supplied by:
1. A Cell's Life: the site was designed using digital architectural elements e.g.
personalized narratives, animated .gifs and the presence of a progress bar for
providing direction and encouraging the learners progression from one area to the
next.
2. A Cells Life - Performance Task Rubric: a detailed list of criteria, supplying the
learner with an understanding as to the level(s) of expectation for the task
3. Scratch Game Example : a working example to be used for helping to inspire and
direct the Students work
6. Elicit Performance
Offer opportunities for rehearsal and practice of learned content
The following artifacts offer valuable opportunities for rehearsal and practice, engaging
learners in active learning: What is a Cell?, Plant Cell Quizlet, and Animal Cell
Popplet, Plant and Animal Cell Infographic Plant while the Performance Task (The
Cell Block) promotes the development and strengthening of many Computational
Thinking (CT) concepts e.g. sequencing, loops, parallelism, events, conditionals,
operators, data, etc., providing them with a valuable hands-on experience that
reinforces learning.
7. Provide Feedback
Supply specific, constructive and immediate feedback to reinforce retention
 All three (3) formative assessments - Plant Cell Quiz, Animal Cell Quiz, and Plant
and Animal Cells Quiz - all provide specific and immediate feedback in order to help
the learner achieve greater understanding and comprehension of the Learning Modules
content, as suggested by the Feedback Principle in Multimedia Learning (Johnson &
Priest, 2014).
8. Assess Performance
Furnish a summative assessment to measure the degree of learning
The Cell Block supplies the learner with a performance task that requires them to take
what theyve learned and transform it into a tangible piece of evidence that can be
assessed using A Cells Life - Performance Task Rubric for measuring their achieved
degree of comprehension.
9. Enhance Retention and Transfer
Review learning objectives and summarize content
The Plant and Animal Cell Infographic presented before the Summative Quiz
engages the learner in beneficial recall, reinforcing the content of the Module and aiding
in its successful transformation into learning.
Motivational Strategies:
In order to drive the Students exploration while progressing through the eLearning Module, we have
adopted the ARCS Model as a means to enhance their learning experience by employing the following
set of motivational strategies:
Attention
To supply Students with appropriate motivation for maintaining their attention, we utilized:
Variability furnished a diverse mix of learning materials (e.g. visual and auditory aids,
exploratory tools, etc.) to meet the needs of all levels of learners coupled with a
varied instructional format
Relevance
By making the content relevant to the Student, we provide them with the means to interpret its
applicability in their lives by promoting:
Choice offer more than one learning option and/or means for displaying their understanding
Confidence
To successfully provide a learning experience that advances the Students confidence level(s), we:
Furnished clear and concise learning objectives
Granted the opportunity to practice and rehearse material(s)
Provided flexibility to allow Students to complete tasks at their own pace
Furnished a Progress Bar to help encourage their progression
Supplied Students with self-evaluation opportunities throughout the Module (e.g. games, mini-
quizzes, formative assessments, Rubric, etc.)
Attributed success to the Students ability and effort
Satisfaction
To afford the Student the satisfaction of having successfully completed the tasks we:
Provided immediate feedback as a form of positive reinforcement and motivation
Offered various forms of recognition (e.g. Certificate of Achievement)
Granted the Student the opportunity to share their newly acquired knowledge and skills (e.g.
Performance Task)
 References

ARCS Model of motivational design theories (Keller). (n.d.). Retrieved

from https://www.learning-theories.com/kellers-arcs-model-of-motivational-design.html

Cognitive theory of multimedia learning. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://sites.google.com/site/cognitivetheorymmlearning/segmenting-principle

Gagne, R. (1985). The conditions of learning and theories of instruction (4th ed.). Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth Publishing.

Georgia Standards of Excellence. (2017-2018). Retrieved from

www.georgiastandards.org/Georgia-Standards/Documents/Social-Studies-K-5-Georgia-

Standards.pdf

Johnson, C.I. & Priest, H.A. (2014). The feedback principle in multimedia learning. In R.E.

Mayer (Ed.), The Cambridge Handbook of Multimedia Learning (pp. 449-

463). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Meyer, R.E. (2009). Multimedia learning (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pappas, C. (2015, November 18). Applying Gagn's 9 events of instruction in

eLearning. Retrieved from elearningindustry.com/how-to-apply-gagnes-9-events-of-

instruction-in-elearning

Piskurich, G. M. (2015). Rapid instructional design: Learning ID fast and right (3rd ed.).

Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.