B1 Cell Biology - Lesson Plan - Microscope, Cells, Diffusion and Mitosis

Sep 5, 2026

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B1 Cell Biology focuses on how cells form the basic unit of life and how structural differences enable specific functions within organisms. The unit develops core understanding of magnification and resolution, the parts and functions of animal and plant cells, and comparisons between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells. Students apply models of diffusion and osmosis, including isotonic conditions, temperature and concentration effects, and investigate osmotic mass changes in plant tissue. Later lessons cover active transport, exchange surfaces, mitosis, growth, differentiation, stem cells, and evaluating stem-cell dilemmas using practical and working-scientifically skills.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Lesson No. and Title

1. The world of the microscope

2. Animal and plant cells

3. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

4. Specialisation in animal cells

5. Specialisation in plant cells

6. Diffusion

7. Osmosis

8. RP Osmosis in plants

9. Active transport

10. Exchanging materials

11. Cell division

12. Growth and differentiation

13. Stem cells

14. Stem cell dilemmas

B1 Cell Biology | What’s the science story?
Cells are the basic unit of all forms of life. In this section we explore how structural differences between types of cells enables them to perform specific functions within the organism. These differences in cells are controlled by genes in the nucleus. For an organism to grow, cells must divide by mitosis producing two new identical cells. If cells are isolated at an early stage of growth before they have become too specialised, they can retain their ability to grow into a range of different types of cells. This phenomenon has led to the development of stem cell technology. This is a new branch of medicine that allows doctors to repair damaged organs by growing new tissue from stem cells. | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Previous knowledge:
KS3
Year 7 Organisation 1
Year 8 Body systems
Year 9 Photosynthesis and respiration | | | Next steps… B2 Organisation B4 Bioenergetics
B6 Inheritance, variation and evolution | | | | Keywords | | | | | | | Microscope Magnification Resolution Eukaryotic Prokaryotic Plasmid Adaptation Differentiation | Specialised Xylem Phloem Diffusion Passive Random
Semi-permeable
Osmosis | | | Active transport Energy Concentration Surface area-volume Chromosomes Mitosis Stem cells Clone
Therapeutic cloning | | | Working scientifically skills:
WS4: ethical arguments (stem cells)
WS8: Method
WS10: Selecting equipment
WS11: Hazards
WS16: Using equations-magnification
WS17: Making conclusions | | Assessments:
End of unit test (summative) (Out of 30) Exit tickets x 2/3 (formative)
• ET Cells
• ET Diffusion | | | | | Lesson No.
and Title | Learning objectives | AQA Specification | Practical equipment | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1. The world of the microscope | 4 – To use a microscope correctly.
5 – To describe the differences in magnification and resolution between different microscopes.
6/7 – To calculate magnification, real size and image independently. | | PRAC: Microscopes Microscopes, prepared slides | | 2. Animal and plant cells | 4 – To recall the main parts of cells.
5 – To explain the functions of the different parts of animal and plant cells.
6/7– Compare the size of cells using units of length and standard form. | | REQ PRAC: make own slide
Microscopes, slides, coverslips, tweezers, iodine, tiles, knife, cotton buds, onion, | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 3. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells | 4 – To identify structures in prokaryotic cells.
5 – To use orders of magnitude to compare sizes of organisms.
6/7– To explain how the main structures of prokaryotic cells relate to their function. | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 4. Specialisationin animal cells | 4 – To recall the function of specialised animal cells.
5 – To compare the structure of a specialised and generalised animal cell.
6/7 – To suggest the function of an unknown specialised cell based on its structure. | | | | 5. Specialisationin plant cells | 4 – To recall the function of specialised plant cells.
5 – To describe the adaptations of specialised plant cells.
6/7 – To discuss how the structure of specialised plant cells are related to their function. | | PRAC: Looking at root hair cells | | 6. Diffusion | 4 – To define the process of diffusion.
5 – To predict the way substances will move.
6 – To explain how temperature and concentration affect the rate of diffusion. | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 7. Osmosis | 4 – To define osmosis.
5 – To describe why osmosis is important in living organisms. 7+ – To use the terms isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic to explain osmosis. | | PRAC: Osmosis and visking tubing
Visking tube x 2, 250ml beakers, sucrose sol 60%, distilled water, balances, paper towels | | 8. RP Osmosis in plants | Investigate the effect of a range of concentrations of salt or sugar solutions on the mass of plant tissue. | | RP Osm

FAQs

How do magnification and resolution differ when using microscopes?

Students learn to describe differences in magnification and resolution between microscopes and calculate magnification, real size, and image size independently.

What are diffusion and osmosis, and how are they affected by concentration and temperature?

Diffusion is defined as the movement of substances down a concentration gradient. Osmosis is explained as movement of water, with emphasis on isotonic, hypotonic, and hypertonic conditions and how temperature and concentration change diffusion/osmosis rates.

What do students learn about cell division and development from mitosis to differentiation?

Mitosis is defined and its steps are described with examples, linking the process to growth in living things. Growth and differentiation then connect tissue culture to cloning and compare differentiation in animals and plants.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Rizky