Cell Structure Webquest and the Wacky History of Cell Theory

Since cells are the basic units of all living things there are many great websites about them. In this webquest you will primarily use two of the best sites to discover what many of the parts of eukaryotic cells look like and what they do.

Goals: 

1. Identify the structure and function of major organelles. 

2. Explain the main differences between cells in plants and cells in animals. 

3. Evaluate two different websites to get the most useful information from each. 

Use the following sites to fill out your "Cell Structure and Function Webquest." Each site has its strengths and weaknesses. You can also use Chapter 7.2 of your Biology Textbook and your notes to help you.

Cells Alive! Has great animated cells images of both plant and animal cells you can roll over with your mouse to identify organelles. Some of the explanations about the organelles aren't that great, but some are excellent. http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model.htm

Biology 4 Kids has really fantastic explanations of what the organelles in the cell do. There aren't any cool animations, but the diagrams are very nice. One bad thing about Biology4Kids is that it has advertising on it, but it still has some great bio info.  http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_main.html

Here is the Ted Ed video we watched in class about "The Wacky History of Cell Theory"

I embedded it below from YouTube, so it may not play at school. 

The direct link to it at Ted Ed is http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-wacky-history-of-cell-theory

Here is a more advanced 15 minute video about the structure and function of cells. 

Water Intoxication: Hold your wee for a Wii contest - The sad case of Jennifer Strange

Here is the article we read in class from the New York Times "The Lede" blog. 

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/01/15/too-high-a-price-for-a-wii/

Take a look at this short MSNBC news story about Jennifer Strange and her death by hyponatremia.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16614865/ns/us_news-life/

Video on Water Intoxication from YouTube http://youtu.be/MKbW7fFqbCA

This link describes the sports medicine concern with hyponatremia that occurs in athletes who sweat a lot during an event, and then drink large amounts of water. Jennifer was not sweating like an athlete, but her body reacted in a similar way.

http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/hydrationandfluid/a/Hyponatremia.htm

CBS News also did a story a few days later explaining a bit more about the consequences for the people who worked for the radio station.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/18/national/main2369761.shtml

It turns out that the DJs were joking about a person who died from water intoxication two years prior to their Wii contest... so they knew it was dangerous. The radio station was sued by Jennifer Strange's family and had to pay them quite a bit. The following article from the LA Times newspaper gives the details.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/10/jury-awards-16-million-in-radio-prank-that-left-sacramentoarea-woman-dead-.html