Teaching cell structure and function is one of my favorite parts of biology. Cells give us so many opportunities to move beyond memorizing vocabulary and help students see how structures are directly related to the jobs they perform. Microscopes, models, card sorts, lab stations, games, and other hands-on activities can all help make an abstract topic much more concrete.
I get a lot of questions about teaching cell organelles, especially from teachers who feel that their cell unit has become a long list of structures and functions for students to memorize. It doesn't have to feel that way! Whether you are introducing cell theory, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, plant and animal cells, organelles, or cell transport, here are eight tips that have worked well for me.
Tip #1: Be Excited About Teaching Cells!
We know that our students are very good at picking up on what we teachers are feeling. If you feel bored teaching your cell unit, there is a good chance your students will feel the same way. I always tried to begin a new unit with something that made students curious about what was coming next.
This short video is one way to kick off a cell unit. It is only about three minutes long, but it can help set the stage for the idea that cells are anything but boring. Be sure to turn up the volume!
Tip #2: Teach Cell Structure and Function Together
There are some basics students simply need to know. Cell theory, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, plant and animal cells, and the major cell organelles all provide the foundation for concepts students will encounter throughout biology. But when you begin teaching organelles, try not to let the unit become a list of names and definitions.
Instead, continually connect structure to function. Show students how the two subunits of a ribosome fit together around mRNA during translation. Look at the folded membranes inside mitochondria and ask why all that membrane surface might be useful. Discuss how the structure of the Golgi apparatus allows proteins to enter, be modified, packaged, and sent to other locations.
You don't have to teach every biochemical detail the first time an organelle appears. At this point, students need a strong framework they can build on later.
If you would like a structured way to teach these concepts, my Cell Organelles Structure and Function PowerPoint, Slides, and Notes covers cell theory, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, organelles, plant and animal cells, and cellular transport.
After students have been introduced to the organelles, I like to get them actively working with the information. A card sort requires them to make connections instead of simply rereading their notes.
My Cell Organelle Card Sort Game gives students practice connecting organelle names with their structures and functions. Activities like this also make it much easier to see which organelles students are confusing before moving on.
Tip #3: Reintroduce Cell Organelles All Year Long
Students are not going to fully understand every organelle during the first few days of a cell unit, and I don't think we should expect them to. Their understanding of cell structure and function should continue to grow as they move through biology.
For example, students may learn that chloroplasts carry out photosynthesis during the cell unit, but that statement becomes much more meaningful when they actually study photosynthesis. The same thing happens when mitochondria reappear during cellular respiration, ribosomes and the endoplasmic reticulum appear during protein synthesis, and the nucleus and chromosomes take center stage during cell division and genetics.
Cell membranes are another great example. An introductory discussion of the membrane's role in maintaining the cell's internal environment can later develop into a much deeper study of diffusion, osmosis, concentration gradients, and cell transport. My potato osmosis and diffusion lab is one way to make those concepts visible to students.
You can also extend the conversation into homeostasis. In How Do Living Cells Deal With Changes?, I look more closely at how cells maintain a stable internal environment even when conditions around them change.
Tip #4: Get Out Your Microscopes!
Kids love microscope work! If you want to get students excited about your cell unit, give them plenty of opportunities to use microscopes. Diagrams and photographs are useful, but there is no substitute for students looking through the eyepiece and seeing real cells for themselves.
Microscope work also gives students an opportunity to compare different cell types. Instead of simply memorizing a diagram of a plant or animal cell, students can observe differences in shape, organization, and visible structures and begin asking why those differences exist.
My Variation in Cell Structure Lab is designed to let students compare different types of cells while practicing microscope skills.
If your students need more microscope experience, I have two related posts that may help. Microscope Activities for Middle and High School Biology Students Love has ideas for getting students engaged with microscopes, while 7 Reasons Why Microscope Skills Are Important in Biology Class explains why I think these skills are worth making time for in the biology curriculum.
Tip #5: Use Digital Activities to Change the Pace
Digital activities can provide a nice change of pace during a cell unit. There are online resources that allow students to explore cells and organelles visually, and one I've used is Cells Alive!
I also like digital activities that require students to retrieve information rather than simply click through a presentation. My Cell Structure and Organelles Google Hidden Picture Games turn review into a challenge. As students answer questions correctly, portions of a hidden picture are revealed. It gives them a reason to keep working while providing repeated practice with cell concepts.
Tip #6: Make Learning About Cells Hands-On
Like many topics we teach in science, cell structure and function can be rather abstract to students. They can't pick up a mitochondrion or hold a Golgi apparatus in their hands, so anything we can do to get them manipulating information, examining specimens, talking about concepts, and solving problems helps make the content more concrete.
Hands-on learning doesn't always have to mean a traditional lab. Stations can combine models, diagrams, short tasks, observations, and discussion while getting students out of their seats and interacting with the content in several different ways.
My Cell Chat Lab Stations were created for exactly this purpose. Students rotate through stations as they work with cell organelles, plant and animal cells, and cell structure and function. I especially like activities like this because students are talking about biology while they work instead of passively listening to me talk about it.
Tip #7: Make Cell Review Fun!
Let's face it: kids love to play games, especially when there is a little friendly competition involved. As you move through your cell unit, look for ways to mix traditional practice with activities that feel different. Students may be practicing the same vocabulary and concepts, but changing the format can make a big difference in their willingness to participate.
My Biology Buzz Words Cell Organelles and Cellular Transport Vocabulary Games give students multiple ways to work with biology vocabulary. The Google Hidden Picture Games are another option when you want a digital review activity.
The goal isn't simply to make the unit entertaining. Every time students have to retrieve an organelle name, connect a structure with its function, distinguish a prokaryotic cell from a eukaryotic cell, or explain a cell concept in a new context, they are strengthening their understanding.
Tip #8: Build in Plenty of Review and Reinforcement
A cell unit is dense with new vocabulary and concepts. Students may be learning dozens of new terms while also trying to understand how those structures work together to keep a cell alive. One trip through the vocabulary is simply not enough.
I like to build review into the unit rather than save all of it for the day before the test. Short review activities give students repeated exposure to terms and definitions while giving you opportunities to spot misconceptions early.
For a quieter review activity, my Animal and Plant Cells Color by Number combines 50 review and reinforcement questions with a coloring activity. I also have a Cellular Transport Color by Number for additional practice with diffusion, osmosis, and cell transport.
Another option is my Cell Organelles Vocabulary Word Puzzle. And if you want a simple review idea you can put together yourself, take a look at my Cell Organelles Mix and Match Review.
The Best Cell Unit Keeps Making Connections
The most important component of improving your cell structure and function unit is still YOU. Your enthusiasm matters, but so does giving students many different ways to interact with the content. Teach the essential vocabulary, but don't stop at vocabulary. Let students observe real cells, manipulate information, compare cell types, play with the concepts, and continually connect structure to function.
And don't feel as though students have to master everything about cells in one unit. Keep returning to these ideas throughout biology. When students encounter photosynthesis, cellular respiration, protein synthesis, genetics, cell division, and homeostasis, bring the organelles back into the conversation. That's when students begin to see the cell as an interconnected living system rather than a diagram they memorized for a test.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teaching Cells
What should students learn in a cell structure and function unit?
A strong introductory cell unit usually includes cell theory, prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, major cell organelles and their functions, differences between plant and animal cells, and the relationship between cell structure and function. Depending on your course sequence and grade level, you may also introduce the cell membrane and cellular transport.
How can I make teaching cell organelles more engaging?
Move beyond having students memorize a list of organelles and definitions. Card sorts, microscopes, lab stations, models, vocabulary games, digital activities, and short review challenges give students different ways to work with the same concepts. Most importantly, continually ask students to connect an organelle's structure to the job it performs.
What are some hands-on activities for teaching cells?
Microscope labs are one of my favorite choices because students can observe actual cells and compare different cell types. Card sorts and lab stations are also useful because students physically manipulate information, discuss their thinking, and make connections between cell structures and functions.
How can microscopes be used when teaching cells?
Microscopes allow students to move from textbook diagrams to real biological specimens. Students can compare cell shapes, observe visible structures, practice preparing slides, and see firsthand that cells vary considerably depending on their function and the organism they come from.
How can students remember cell organelles and their functions?
Repeated retrieval is more useful than expecting students to memorize everything at once. Revisit organelles throughout the unit using different formats, and then bring them back again later in the year when students study processes such as photosynthesis, cellular respiration, protein synthesis, cell division, and genetics. Each new connection gives the organelle and its function more meaning.
