Peer Review

Plant and Animal Cell Builder

Material Detail page

Reviewed:: Mar 14, 2020 by Biology

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Ratings

Overall Rating:

Content Quality:

Effectiveness:

Ease of Use:

Overview:

The Plant and Animal Cell Builder is a simulation tool which allows users to explore the structure and function of plant and animal cell components using a matching game. Each cellular component is compared to a matching component in a factory to help students relate to the content. This resource is a good tool for checking student comprehension at the end of a lesson on cell structure and could be used as an in-class activity or assigned as homework.

Type of Material:

Simulation

Click and Learn Type Flash Simulation

Recommended Uses:

In-class or assigned as homework, individual or group work.

Technical Requirements:

Flash required

Identify Major Learning Goals:

Students will be able to:

Describe what a cell is.
relate and compare animal cell to plant cell.
analyze function of specific components in plant and animal cell.
understand structure of plant and animal cell.

Target Student Population:

Middle school, high school, lower level college division

Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:

Not required, experience of click and learn might be beneficial.

Content Quality

Rating:

Strengths:

Interactive and engaging.
Details major features of both plant and animal cells.
Uses a relatable concept - a factory to make the function of cells structures easier to understand.

Concerns:

Introduction should be somewhat more edetailed: for example a video url which introduces a cell with endosymbiotic theory and then differentiation of a cell into - plant and animal cell.
Should also include the interdisplinary summary i.e. association with various subjects such as calculate the magnification of cell.

Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool

Rating:

Strengths:

Includes learning objectives.
A data table and journal are provided for students to record information.
Easy to integrate into an existing lesson.
Can be used as an assessment tool.
Can be completed from remote locations

Concerns:

Needs description of function of plant cell (such as Xylem and Phloem) and Animal cell. Blood Cells could be realted to this activity towards the end so that students can see the functions of the cells as well.

Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty

Rating:

Strengths:

Instructions are clear and concise.
Easy to navigate
Visually appealing

Concerns:

Sounds do not provide any useful purpose in this simulation. They do not increase interaction or enhance learning.

Other Issues and Comments:

Some videos should also be included so that the Animal and Plant cells can be related to their functions. For example - role of Mitochondria and Chloroplast in cellular respiration and Photosynthesis.

Creative Commons: