Cell Membrane & Transport Lesson Plans

Cell Membrane
        Cell membrane worksheets designed for high school, middle school, and elementary school life science teachers. A great cell transport lab is about osmosis and the diffusion of water across the semi-permeable membrane. Another cell transport worksheet includes how ions are transported through the cell membrane by facilitated diffusion. Click the Free Lesson Plan (PDF) link below or become a member to get access to the answer key and editable file. Free cell membrane curriculum includes:
  • Cell Membrane Worksheet
    Cell Membrane Worksheet
    Published by NGSS Life Science. Free Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Lesson Plan (DOCX) & Answer Key with Membership
     
    Middle School Worksheet
    In this cell membrane worksheet, students learn about the phospholipid structure and how it influences the structure of the lipid bilayer. Also included is osmosis and how the phospholipid bilayer is semi-permeable to water which allows for the transport water from high concentration to low concentration.
    NGSS Standard
    MS-LS1-2 (Cell Organelles)
     
    Published by NGSS Life Science
  • Cell Membrane Lab Experiment
    Cell Membrane Lab: Vitamin E and Aging of Cells
    Free Lesson Plan
     
    High School Lab
    In this cell membrane lab, students learn how Vitamin E inhibits the oxidation of phospholipid and glycolipid molecules in cell membranes. Students then take this concept further with predicting ways to save humans from several life threatening problems revolved around the cell membrane and the immune system.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS1-6
     
    Published by Kelly Ludwig
  • Cell Membrane Lab Experiment
    Osmosis and Diffusion Lab
    Free Student Handout
    Free Teacher Notes
     
    Middle School Lab
    What is osmosis? In this diffusion lab, students make predictions about the effects of osmosis to try to answer this driving question. The experiment focuses on students designing experiments to test these predictions. Students should have prior knowledge of diffusion.
    NGSS Standard
    MS-LS1-2 (Cell Organelles)
     
    Published by Ingrid Waldron and Jennifer Doherty
  • Cell Membrane Lab Experiment
    Cell Surface Area to Volume Lab
    Free Lesson Plan
     
    High School Lab
    Students build a 3 models to represent 3 different cell sizes. Students will then calculate the surface area and volume for each model.
    NGSS Standard
    MS-LS1-2 (Cell Organelles)
     
    Published by Cheryl Massengale
  • Cell Membrane Lab Experiment
    Endocytosis Lab
    Published by NGSS Life Science. Free Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Lesson Plan (DOCX) & Answer Key with Membership
     
    Middle School Lab
    In this endocytosis modeling lab, students try to figure out how to put food molecules into a paper bag by only using their hands and string and without exposing the inside of the bag. This modeling lab is a challenging activity until one group gets why the string is needed to pinch off the side of the bag to make a vesicle around the food molecules. Topics covered include vesicles, endocytosis, and phagocytosis.
    NGSS Standard
    MS-LS1-2 (Cell Organelles)
     
    Published by NGSS Life Science
Cell Membrane Proteins


Cell Transport Topics

  • Lipid Bilayer - cell membrane, plasma membrane, cholesterol, rafts, selectively permeable.
  • Phospholipid - phosphate group head, fatty acids tails, polar head, non-polar tails, glycerol, sphingolopid, glycolipid.
  • Passive Transport - concentration gradient, equilibrium, facilitated diffusion of amino acids and sugars.
  • Osmosis - diffusion of water, water potential, hypertonic solutions, hypotonic solutions, isotonic solutions.
  • Active Transport - proton pumps, sodium-potassium pump, energy requiring pumps, endocytosis, phagocytosis, pinocytosis, exocytosis.
  • Channel Proteins - ion channel, ion-gated channels, carrier proteins, pumps.
  • Receptor Proteins - permeability, hormones, signal molecules, second messenger.
  • Marker Proteins - immune system, carbohydrate chains


Lessons Organized by NGSS Standard