This document discusses how cells differentiate and become specialized. It explains that stem cells have "superpowers" that allow them to develop into different cell types like blood cells, skin cells, and nerve cells. The lesson demonstrates cell differentiation, assigns students specialized cell types, and has them research the specific jobs of their cell to learn how cells develop specialized functions.

1. Differentiation
Ms. Russo

2. Ready, Set, Go!
Journal Prompt => One of the most important questions kids
get asked is “what do you want to be when you grow up?”
How do you think cells figure out what they will be when they
„grow‟ up. For example, how does a blood cell become a
blood cell, a skin cell become a skin cell, etc?
I grew up to
become a
doctor!

3. Ready, Set, Go!
View => http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=749-fohVY0M
Discuss => What gives a stem cell „superpowers?‟

4. Agenda
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ready, Set, Go!
Cell Demo
What‟s Your Job?
Journal Close

5. Objectives
•
•
Describe the basic structure and function
of various types of cells (7.4.2)
Describe the levels of organization in
organisms (7.4.3)
•
SWBAT draw a sketch illustrating how cells
become differentiated
•
SWBAT explain the specialized job of at least
one type of cell

6. Cell Demonstration
•
Demo 1 Embryonic
Differentiation
•
Demo 2 Adult Stem Cell
Differentiation
Follow Directions
Listen for Transitions

7. What’s Your Job?
• Now that each of you have grown up and become a
specialized cell, you have a specific job to do. Just
like the little girl below grew up to become a doctor
with a specific job, you‟ve grown up to become a
specialized heart, skin, nerve, or blood cell.
I grew up to
become a
doctor!

8. We just learned that when a cell grows up, it becomes
a specialized type of cell. But guess what! It doesn‟t
stop there. Like doctors, cells can be broken down into
even further by their specialized job task. How many
types of doctors can you think of?

9. Example 1:
A heart cell is a specialized type of muscle cell. The
formal name for muscle cell is myocyte. Heart cells are
cardiac (meaning heart) myocytes.

10. Example 2:
A skin cell is a specialized type of epithelial cell. The
formal name for muscle cell is myocyte. Heart cells are
cardiac (meaning heart) myocytes.

11. Muscle Cells

13. Epithelial
Cells

15. What’s Your Job?
The Nerve Cell

17. Blood Cells

19. Interactive Work: Links to Apps
Heart Cells (Cardiac Myocytes):
http://www.cellsalive.com/myocyte.htm
Skin Cells (Epithelial Cells):
http://askabiologist.asu.edu/epithelial-cells
Nerve Cells:
http://www.planet-science.com/categories/over-11s/human-body/2011/05/what's-ina-nerve.aspx
Blood Cells:
http://www.e-learningforkids.org/Courses/Liquid_Animation/Body_Parts/Blood/

20. Interactive Work: Graphic Organizer
Cell Type:
Sub-types:
Function:
Reminds Me Of...

21. That’s a Wrap
Journal Close (Next Day Entrance Slip)
1. Draw a sketch of how a cell
differentiates, listing the stages in
order beginning with fertilized egg and
ending with differentiation
2. In two sentences, describe the
specialized job that your cell does