The Cell will be an online interactive multimedia resource intended to reinforce a student's standard classroom knowledge of animal and plant cells and their organelles. This learning tool will feature sections containing interactive models of the animal and plant cells; animal and plant organelles; and a self-quiz. The Cell will be created using two graphic software programs, Macromedia Flash and Adobe Photoshop.
The California Science Content Standards mandates that instruction for the seventh grade includes animal and plant cellular structures and the differences between those structures as part of their life science curriculum. Therefore, this project will specifically target students in the seventh grade.
Performance Analysis:
The desired performance for seventh graders in life science curriculum is established by the California Science Content Standards. One portion of the life science curriculum covers the animal and plant cell structures and organelles, and the differences between the two cell types.
What is the actual performance of the seventh graders regarding this specific piece of the life science curriculum? To determine the actual performance of the students, a pre-assessment quiz will need to be given to measure the body of knowledge the students have learned within the classroom. A post-assessment quiz will be given to the students after they have visited our online learning website, The Cell.
The primary tool for performance analysis will be the assessment quizzes given to the students before and after visiting our online learning tool, The Cell. The students' instructors will be our secondary tool for performance analysis. The instructors will be able to provide information on the changes, if any, in the students' level of performance in the classroom with regard to this specific body of knowledge.
Needs Assessment:
As a preliminary study, the data for our needs assessment portion of the project will be gathered from a small target group of seventh grade science classes. This data will be collected through pre-assessment quizzes administered to seventh grade science classes that have already been given classroom instruction on animal and plant cells, their organelles, and the differences between animal and plant cells. In addition, informal interviews with the students' instructors will provide insight into what elements of the material their students may have difficulty with, and what aspects of the topic students are expected to demonstrate competence on for the standardized testing in science.
Students are expected to perform these tasks:
- Identify and name the parts of the animal and plant cells. (Structure and the organelles)
- Describe and list the functions of the animal and plant organelles.
- Describe and list the differences between animal and plant cells.
Instructional Goal:
After having classroom instruction and using The Cell learning tool, seventh grade science students should be able to identify and name the parts of the animal and plant cells, describe and list the functions of the animal and plant organelles, and describe and list the differences between animal and plant cells. In addition, students should be able to meet the mandated goals in life science on knowledge of animal and plant cellular structures set forth by the California Science Content Standards.
Sample Data Gathering:
A short quiz, will be administered to students on paper. Questions will consist of true/false, matching vocabulary to definition, and labeling a diagram.
Invitation to teachers:
If you would like to participate in this project, please contact us with the form in the right column of this page.