• Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Plant and animal cells). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
• Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.

1. Which part of a cell is made of cellulose? (mitochondria / cell wall / nucleus / cell membrane) → cell wallPrompt: Think about which parts are only in plant cells.
2. Cells: which statement is NOT true? (Plant cells have a cell wall but animal cells do not. / Animal cells have a cell wall. / Chloroplasts are found in plant cells, not animal cells. / Bacterial cells have no nucleus.) → Animal cells have a cell wall.Prompt: Do plant cells respire?
3. Which part of a cell is where aerobic respiration happens? (mitochondria / cell wall / chloroplasts / nucleus) → mitochondriaPrompt: Think about which parts are only in plant cells.

• Show a microscope image of cells and ask what students think they are looking at.
• Share the objective: Single-celled and many-celled organisms. Read the success criteria together.

• Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
• Example: Is this organism unicellular or multicellular: a bacterium?
• Step 1: A unicellular organism carries out all life processes in one cell.
• Step 2: So the answer is: unicellular (one cell)
• Answer: unicellular (one cell)
• Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

• Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
• Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.

1. Is this organism unicellular or multicellular: a mushroom? (unicellular (one cell) / multicellular (many cells)) → multicellular (many cells)Prompt: Can you see it without a microscope?
2. Pond water is viewed under a microscope. A tiny organism moves using a whip-like tail and has a nucleus and chloroplasts. What is true? (It must be a bacterium because it is small / It is a multicellular plant / It cannot be alive because it is so small / It is a single-celled organism that carries out all life processes in one cell) → It is a single-celled organism that carries out all life processes in one cellPrompt: Bacteria do not have a nucleus.

• Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
• Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

• Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.

1. Single-celled and many-celled life: which statement is true? (All single-celled organisms are bacteria. / Single-celled organisms cannot move. / Some fungi, such as yeast, are single-celled. / A mushroom is a single cell.) → Some fungi, such as yeast, are single-celled.Prompt: Are all microbes bacteria?
2. Why does a multicellular organism need specialised cells? (Different cells can do different jobs, sharing the work / Specialised cells never die / It cannot grow otherwise / All its cells must be identical) → Different cells can do different jobs, sharing the workPrompt: Think of a team where each player has a role.

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-6.