ScienceSource 8 - Unit A

Mosquitoes and Illness - before microscopes and knowledge of cells, diseases like malaria and West Nile were almost impossible for people to understand:

• West Nile Virus in Canada - information from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
• The West Nile Virus in Ontario - prevention tips from the Ontario government.
• West Nile Virus - from the Centre for Disease Control in the USA.

Arthropod Viruses - how insects help to spread disease.

Unit Task: Learning About Cells - we are all made of cells, but how can you teach others about these tiny building blocks of life?

• Cell Models - click on the models and explore the cells.
• Cells Powerpoint Presentation - an example of how you might teach someone about cells using presentation software.

Sizes Under the Microscope - it can be difficult to understand just how small microscopic objects really are.

• How Big Is A ... - keep this activity in mind as you learn about microscopic things.
• Cell Size and Scale - slowly drag the slider at the bottom of the window to zoom in and get an idea of the relative size of different cells.

Magnifying Things Too Small To See - to understand, we observe, but how do you understand something you cannot observe?

• The History of the Microscope - van Leeuwenhoek and Hooke were the first to use a microscope.
• Introduction to Microscopy - a very complete collection of microscope information.
• Antony van Leeuwenhoek - a "father of the microscope", he used a single-lens microscope to discover micro-organisms.

Microscopic World - amazing images from a world that we live in, but can only see with a microscope.

• Molecular Expressions Photo Gallery - scroll down to see the long list of images taken though microscopes.
• Microscopy Images - although this is a site to buy images, you can look at these amazing photos all you want.

The Cell Theory - what is true about the cells found in all living things?

• The Wacky History of the Cell Theory - a well-done animated video.
• Studying Cells Tutorial - a timeline of cell discoveries made by scientists.

Spontaneous Generation - how could early scientists explain mould on food, tadpoles in the river, or maggots on meat?

• The Slow Death of Spontaneous Generation - the hypothesis that some vital force contained in or given to organic matter can create living organisms from inanimate objects.
• Spontaneous Generation - clear information on spontaneous generation.

The Compound Light Microscope - by using two lenses and a good light source, a tiny world is revealed.

• How Light Microscopes Work - an amazing technology available in many science classrooms.
• Compound Microscope - learn about it in context with other microscopes.

The Light Microscope - learn more about this powerful classroom tool.

• Virtual Microscope - take the controls of this virtual scope, and observe a virtual world too small for the virtual eye to see.
• Virtual Urchin Microscope Tutorial - excellent interactive activity.

Section 1.1 Quiz - need more practice? Try this online quiz.

Living Things and Cell Theory - living things are made of cells, but do you know more than that?

Comparing Plant and Animal Cells - all living things are made up of cells, but how different are plant and animal cells?

• Cell Differences - this is a very informative site with excellent illustrations.
• Plant and Animal Cells - a different approach to comparing plant and animal cells.

What is Magnification? - cells are revealed to us through magnification, but how can we imagine these tiny structures?

• Secret Worlds: The Universe Within - take this amazing tour that shows how changing your perspective and magnification changes the world you are in.
• Cell Size and Scale - slowly drag the slider at the bottom of the window to zoom in and get an idea of the relative size of different cells.

Living Cells - observe cells in action.

• Inner Life of a Cell - an amazingly beautiful tour through a cell.
• Organelles in the Cytoplasm - read and watch about cells and their organelles. (Free registration may be required)

Cell Structure - - select a plant or animal cell and use the microscope to see how it is made up (ExploreLearning login is required).

Special Techniques for Studying Cells - if most organelles are colourless, how can we see them under the microscope?

• Microscope Slide Staining Information - so many stains, what are they used for?
• Basic Cellular Staining - how to get cells ready for staining.

Why Do Geologists Use Microscopes? - rocks also have very small details that cannot be seen without a microscope.

• Polarized Light Microscopy - did you know that different mineral crystals give off different colours of polarized light at different angles?
• A Grain of Sand - show these images to your friends and ask them if they know what they are looking at.

Preparing Slides - how to get slides ready to view under the microscope.

• Wet Mount Slides - the careful placement of the cover slip is probably the key to the wet mount technique.
• How to Prepare Microscope Slides - several techniques are explained here.

Comparing Plant and Animal Cells - do you know how animal and plant cells differ?

Section 1.2 Quiz - need more practice? Try this online quiz.

Cell Membranes - these activities will help to understand permeability.

• Diffusion - an excellent diffusion simulator.
• The Big Eggshell Breakdown - an interesting activity illustrating a semi-permeable membrane.

Diffusion - - observe the motion of particles in an enclosure with an adjustable partition in the middle (ExploreLearning login is required).

Bottled Water - the movement of particles from high concentration to low concentration.

• The Truth About Tap - we buy it for health and convenience, but do we know what we are really getting?
• Mineral Water - many bottled waters are called "mineral water" because of all the mineral particles they contain.

Diffusion and Osmosis - the movement of particles from high concentration to low concentration.

• Diffusion and Osmosis - illustrations and explanations of these two high-to-low concentration movements.
• Transport in Cells: Diffusion and Osmosis - an excellent video overview.

The Artificial Kidney - by using a dialysis procedure, wastes can be removed from the blood of patients whose kidneys do not work well.

• How Haemodialysis Works - by using osmosis and diffusion in a dialysis machine, wastes are removed from a kidney patient.
• How Peritoneal Dialysis Works - this special procedure actually filters the blood inside the body without involving the kidneys.
• Kidney Transplant - some patients undergo surgery to replace one of their kidneys.

Osmosis - - adjust the concentration of a solute on either side of a cell membrane and start the timer to see what happens (ExploreLearning login is required).

Cherry Osmosis - In this excellent video, osmosis is explained and discussed, with the use of cherries as an example.

Section 1.3 Quiz - need more practice? Try this online quiz.

The Flow of Materials into and out of Cells - do you know how matter moves in and out of cells?

Solving the Mystery of Viruses - viruses are so small an electron microscope (which uses tiny electrons instead of light) is needed to view them.

• The Transmission Electron Microscope - learn about this amazing microscope, see some objects viewed with it, and practice with a virtual version.
• Scanning Electron Microscope - learn about the scanning electron microscope.

Reverse Osmosis - making water move from low concentration to high concentration has benefits, such as removing harmful particles and cells.

Unit Task: Learning About Cells - all cells share certain characteristics, but plant and animal cells differ in some fundamental ways:

• Cells Powerpoint Presentation - an example of how you might teach someone about cells using presentation software.
• Animal Cell vs Plant Cell - this table presents a handy side-by-side comparison of these two types of cells.