UNIT 1: Cells

1)  Essential Questions:

a.  How are structure and function related?

Structure and function depend on each other. The structure of an object will be designed in a way that it can work according to what its function is. This is not only in cells, but everywhere. For example, the cell membrane is semipermeable, that would be its structure, and it is like this so that it can control what goes in and out of the cell, that would be its function. Another example would be spoons, they are curved, that is their structure, and they carry liquids, that’s their function. So, structure and function are related because they depend on each other, and if the structure isn’t properly designed, then it’s probably not going to be able to complete its function.

b.  How are all cells similar and different?

Similar:

All cells come from preexisting cells; All cells are the smallest and most basic units of life; All cells have ribosomes; All cells have a cell membrane; All cells have cytoplasm.

Different:

There’s prokaryotic cells (They only have a flagellum, capsule, cell membrane, cytoplasm, ribosome, nucleoid; they are smaller), and there’s eukaryotic cells (they are bigger, they have a nucleus, they have many organelles that prokaryotic cells don’t).

Also there’s plant cells and animal cells. Plant cells have the same organelles as animal cells, but they also have a cell wall, chloroplasts, and a bigger vacuole. And, of course, plant cells are found in plants only. Animal cells instead, don’t have chloroplasts, cell wall and have a smaller vacuole. Animal cells have 2 organelles that plant cells don’t have: Lysosomes and centrioles.

c. How does the cell membrane keep cells in homeostasis?

The cell membrane is semipermeable, so it can control what goes in and out of the cell. When the cell membrane realises that there’s more outside than inside, or inside than outside, it uses  it’s semipermeability to balance it out, keeping both sides even.

 

2)  How does what you learned connect to the real world?

We basically learned about the real world, so it’s connected in many ways. We learned about lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and amino acids. We find these in our everyday life, every time we eat, especially. This way, we can know what we are eating. For example, if you are eating meat, you will know it has protein and you will know what will happen with that protein in your body, etc.

 

3)  How did you develop or grow as a student through this unit?

I had learned most of these things before, when I was in Chile, but I never really understood them that well. Going through all this again, here at Berkeley, made me understand everything way better. If you asked me about the function of an organelle before, I probably wouldn’tve been able to remember one, even though I had studied them before. So, learning all this again helped me understand better things that I had already ‘learned’ before.

 

4)  As you look at the work you have completed throughout this unit, what are you strengths?

I don’t think I actually have one, but I enjoy learning about this, maybe that could be considered a strength. Science is my favorite subject, especially chemistry and biology. This makes me enjoy what we studied this unit, so it was easier for me to learn it. I don’t think this could be a strength, but it did make all the learning better.

 

5)  As you look at the work you have completed throughout this unit, what do you think you could improve?

I think I could’ve put more effort into my cell analogy project. I just built it and wrote the basic things that were required. I could’ve dedicated more time to it. For example, I could’ve put more detail into the drawings of the people in my mall, so that it’s easier to understand who they are. I could’ve been more creative and made some decorations for the shops in my mall, that would’ve made it. Also, I could’ve bought some nice color pencils or markers, and paint my mall so that it looks more impressive. So in the next unit, if I’m in a situation like this again, I’ll put a lot of effort into my work so that I don’t have to answer this question again on my next reflection.