Back to the lesson plan builder
Lesson length30 min45 min60 min
Questions🔀 New questions

Print the plan for yourself; the student sheet prints on its own page after it.

Science lesson plan · 6th grade (Year 7 in England) · 60 minutes

Single-celled and many-celled organisms

Cells, genetics and evolution

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-1England: KS3 Biology: Cells and organisation

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Single-celled and many-celled organisms.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: Plant and animal cells

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Microscope images or slides, Cell diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • 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 contains chlorophyll? (cell wall / cell membrane / nucleus / chloroplasts) → chloroplastsPrompt: Think about which parts are only in plant cells.
  2. Cells: which statement is NOT true? (Chloroplasts are found in plant cells, not animal cells. / Bacterial cells have no nucleus. / Only animal cells have mitochondria. / Plant cells have a cell wall but animal cells do not.) → Only animal cells have mitochondria.Prompt: Do plant cells respire?
  3. Which part of a cell controls what enters and leaves the cell? (chloroplasts / cell wall / mitochondria / cell membrane) → cell membranePrompt: Think about which parts are only in plant cells.

Hook · 6 min

  • 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.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • 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.

We do: guided practice · 12 min

  • 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: moss? (unicellular (one cell) / multicellular (many cells)) → multicellular (many cells)Prompt: Can you see it without a microscope?
  2. An amoeba has no lungs or stomach. How does oxygen get into it? (by diffusion through its cell membrane / it does not need oxygen ever / through tiny lungs / through its cell wall made of wood) → by diffusion through its cell membranePrompt: It is only one cell, so everything is close to the surface.

You do: independent practice · 17 min

  • 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.

Exit ticket · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Is this organism unicellular or multicellular: a human? (unicellular (one cell) / multicellular (many cells)) → multicellular (many cells)Prompt: Can you see it without a microscope?
  2. An amoeba has no lungs or stomach. How does oxygen get into it? (through its cell wall made of wood / by diffusion through its cell membrane / through tiny lungs / it does not need oxygen ever) → by diffusion through its cell membranePrompt: It is only one cell, so everything is close to the surface.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: Plant and animal cells.
  • Use concrete materials: microscope images or slides.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

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

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

eurekami

Single-celled and many-celled organisms

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    An amoeba has no lungs or stomach. How does oxygen get into it?

    • A. it does not need oxygen ever
    • B. by diffusion through its cell membrane
    • C. through tiny lungs
    • D. through its cell wall made of wood

  2. Question 2

    Single-celled and many-celled life: which statement is true?

    • A. Single-celled organisms cannot move.
    • B. All single-celled organisms are bacteria.
    • C. A unicellular organism carries out all seven life processes in one cell.
    • D. A mushroom is a single cell.

  3. Question 3

    Is this organism unicellular or multicellular: an earthworm?

    • A. unicellular (one cell)
    • B. multicellular (many cells)

  4. Question 4

    Why does a multicellular organism need specialised cells?

    • A. Different cells can do different jobs, sharing the work
    • B. It cannot grow otherwise
    • C. Specialised cells never die
    • D. All its cells must be identical

  5. Question 5

    Is this organism unicellular or multicellular: moss?

    • A. unicellular (one cell)
    • B. multicellular (many cells)

  6. Question 6

    Is this organism unicellular or multicellular: a human?

    • A. unicellular (one cell)
    • B. multicellular (many cells)

  7. Question 7

    Is this organism unicellular or multicellular: an oak tree?

    • A. unicellular (one cell)
    • B. multicellular (many cells)

  8. Question 8

    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?

    • A. It cannot be alive because it is so small
    • B. It is a multicellular plant
    • C. It is a single-celled organism that carries out all life processes in one cell
    • D. It must be a bacterium because it is small

Free from eurekami.com

for the adult only

Answer key: Single-celled and many-celled organisms

  1. 1. B. by diffusion through its cell membrane

  2. 2. C. A unicellular organism carries out all seven life processes in one cell.

  3. 3. B. multicellular (many cells)

  4. 4. A. Different cells can do different jobs, sharing the work

  5. 5. B. multicellular (many cells)

  6. 6. B. multicellular (many cells)

  7. 7. B. multicellular (many cells)

  8. 8. C. It is a single-celled organism that carries out all life processes in one cell