Connect the shape of individual cells to their functions, and understand how cells build up to form an entire organism.
Introduce cell size extremes.
The largest known cell in the living world is the yolk of an ostrich egg! It is a single cell measuring 130 mm to 170 mm in diameter. The outer shell and the egg white are actually extra, non-cellular materials designed to protect and nourish the cell.
Explain how cell shape relates to its job.
Cells don't all look the same. Their size and shape are directly related to the specific job they need to do in the body.
Let's look at two incredible examples of how a cell's shape helps it survive and function.
Visual comparison of muscle and nerve cells.
Cell shapes are highly specialized. Muscle cells are built for motion, while nerve cells are built for rapid communication.
Test understanding of cell shapes.
Which of the following cell shapes helps a muscle cell contract and relax smoothly?
Explain levels of biological organization.
The human body is incredibly complex, but it is highly organized. The life of every complex organism begins with a single foundational unit: a cell.
Flowchart from Cell to Organism.
The structural organization of life progresses from simple individual cells all the way up to complex multicellular organisms.
Order the levels of organization.
Drag and drop the levels of biological organization to order them from the simplest (top) to the most complex (bottom).