Cell and Cell Structure could be a great supplement to any middle or high school biology lesson. Students can work through the topics independently or in groups, while taking notes in a science journal. You can have students watch the videos and then write a summary to highlight important concepts. Students can also create their own Venn diagrams to compare animal and plant cells, similar to the one in the app. Challenge students with perfect quiz scores to write their own feedback or hints for other students who are struggling.Continue reading Show less
Cell and Cell Structure is a beautifully designed reference app that takes kids on a virtual journey through cells. You can choose from three options to start: All About Cells, Videos, or Interactive Activities. In All About Cells, you get a list of topics to learn about. Start at the top of the list with "What is a Cell?" or navigate through the topics in any order that you like. Each topic contains detailed graphics and relevant information that you can scroll or tap through. In the Videos option, there are four animated videos that kids will enjoy watching: Mitosis -- animal cells, Mitosis -- plant cells, Inside an Animal Cell, and Inside a Plant Cell. The Interactive Activities option includes three activities that kids can use to practice or apply what they learned: a word search, flashcards, and quizzes.
Students get a vast amount of scientific information that is presented visually and verbally in Cell and Cell Structure. The information is well organized so kids can more easily tackle the subject matter. The app does a thorough job of comparing animal and plant cells, which is an important part of teaching kids about cells. Beautiful graphics make learning about cells a more engaging and exciting learning experience than traditional textbooks.
Kids can practice and test their knowledge with the interactive activities. The word search is a fun way to practice cell terminology, but the drag feature occasionally freezes, which could be frustrating for kids. Also, when you slide the button to show hints, all of the terms are given rather than a select few. The flashcards are visually appealing and kids can use them reinforce concepts. The quizzes are fine for assessing knowledge, but they have some limitations. Feedback for incorrect answers is not provided, and some questions are repeated within the same quiz.
Key Standards Supported
Analyze the structure an author uses to organize a text, including how the major sections contribute to the whole and to an understanding of the topic.
Analyze the structure of the relationships among concepts in a text, including relationships among key terms (e.g., force, friction, reaction force, energy).
Analyze how the text structures information or ideas into categories or hierarchies, demonstrating understanding of the information or ideas.
Key Standards Supported
From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
Develop and use a model to describe the function of a cell as a whole and ways parts of cells contribute to the function.
Use argument supported by evidence for how the body is a system of interacting subsystems composed of groups of cells.
Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits
Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.