Cells: The Basic Units of Life

• The unit explores the basic units of life, their structure, function, and how they work together in organisms.
• Students will use microscopes and drawings to recognize and describe cells.
• The study of cells using microscopes has revolutionized our perception and problem-solving capabilities.

Scientific Knowledge Unit Outcomes:

• All living organisms are composed of cells.
• Unicellular organisms differ from multicellular organisms.
• Cells form tissues, tissues form organs, organs form organ systems, and organ systems contribute to multicellular organisms.
• Tissues, organs, and organ systems consist of different types of cells.
• Key structures within cells (organelles) are identified: nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane, cell wall, vacuole, and chloroplast, and their roles are described.
• Animal and plant cells are compared based on their organelles.

Respiration:

• Cellular respiration is the process that provides energy for cell activities.
• The word equation for respiration is: glucose + oxygen -> carbon dioxide + water + energy.
• Cellular respiration happens in the mitochondria.

Microscopes:

• The purpose of a light microscope is to visualize small structures.
• Main components of a light microscope are: eyepiece, objective lens/es, stage, base, focus knob, and their functions must be understood.
• Magnification refers to enlarging the image of an object, and resolution to the clarity or detail of the image.
• The equation to calculate magnification: magnification = eyepiece x objective lens.
• Strict safety guidelines must be followed when using the microscope.
• Mitosis, or cell division, is how new cells are created.
• Beneficial and harmful effects, that micro-organisms can have on living entities and their surroundings must be explained.
• Scientific knowledge evolution has helped tackle human health issues; hygiene, biotechnology, and food preservation.
• Evidence from scientific discoveries has changed our understanding and helped solve real-world problems.

Working Scientifically Skills Unit Outcomes:

• Planned procedures, including fair tests, should be followed, and variables should be measured and controlled.
• Investigations demand the use of appropriate equipment and resources, paying special attention to safety equipment.
• The steps to set up a light microscope for viewing specimens must be understood.
• Plant and animal cells (e.g. blood, onion skin) under a light microscope are examined and focused on.
• Wet mounts are prepared and images are focused on.
• Calculations are performed to determine the magnification of a light microscope.
• Classify cells as plant or animal and justify your answer.
• Labeled diagrams are drawn to represent plant and animal cells.
• Organize data using graphs, keys, models, diagrams, tables, and spreadsheets.
• Draw conclusions based on data or secondary sources using data/information obtained.
• Summarize data from own investigations and secondary sources.
• Infer based on provided facts and observations.
• Present ideas, findings, and solutions utilizing scientific language and appropriate representations; digital technologies are used.
• Text types in presentations: comparison, discussion, explanation, exposition, procedure, and recount, should be used.
• Make predictions that are rooted in scientific knowledge and observations.
• A wide range of sources is used to access information; digital technology is included.
• Information is extracted from diagrams, flowcharts, tables, databases, other texts, multimedia resources, and graphs, including sector and line graphs.

Epidemiology:

• Changes in scientific knowledge have led to solutions for human health issues.
• Evidence from scientific discovery has improved our understanding, contributing to solving real-world problems.
• Predictions can be made, accessing digital resources, and information can be extracted from various data representations.

Key Terms:

• Observation: Using senses to notice surroundings.
• Qualitative data: Information not numerically represented.
• Quantitative data: Numerical data that can be counted or measured.
• Inference: A likely observation explanation.

Cholera Key Facts (WHO, Dec 11, 2023):

• Untreated cholera can be fatal in hours.
• Poverty increases risk, affecting people with unsafe water/sanitation.
• Conflict, urbanization, and climate change raise cholera risk.
• Estimated 1.3 to 4.0 million annual cases lead to 21,000-143,000 deaths.
• Oral rehydration treats most infections, the severe require intravenous fluids and antibiotics.
• Safe water, sanitation, and hygiene are crucial in cholera prevention.
• Oral vaccines and improvements in water and sanitation are needed for cholera outbreaks and prevention in at-risk areas.
• Global strategy targets 90% cholera death reduction by 2030 (launched 2017).
• Cholera can cause severe dehydration and watery diarrhea.

John Snow and Cholera:

• John Snow's 1854 London cholera outbreak investigation proved cholera was waterborne, central to disease studies.
• Snow's waterborne cholera explanation was not convincing to contemporaries.

Germ Theory:

• Up until the late 1800s, it believed “miasma” randomly caused sickness.
• French scientist Louis Pasteur’s 1862 experiment showed disease isn't unavoidable and each infectious disease was caused by a specific pathogen.
• This experiment brought hygiene practices into place, such as covering your mouth when coughing, storing food at correct temperatures, and cooking meat.

Dr. Snow's Research and Medical Treatment Programs observations:

• The Broad Street pump removal led to a decrease in cholera cases.
• Private water areas had less cholera; beer consumption instead of water reduced cholera.
• Inferences came from observations.

Microscope and Cell Study Notes:

• Need to comprehend and apply microscopy in cell observation.
• Cells have specific attributes, and functions that determine classification and roles within organisms.
• Cell structure is to be learned via diagrams-cell structure helps their function.
• Micro-organisms, their effect, are linked to solving medical issues.

Hand Hygiene Notes

• Goal: Emphasize scientific studies and individual habits.
• Success depends on text interpretation and results.
• Key- points should concern personal practices involving hygiene..

Historical Context:

• Ignaz Semmelweis’s 1846 discovery was in a hospital,.
• An environment includes male medical students delivering babies.
• The setting included midwives, corpses’ part.

Observations:

• Medical students washed their hands and used chlorine solution.
• Medical students transferred 'particles' from corpses.

Details and results:

• Medical staff using the chlorine solution dramatically reduced deaths.
• Current research validates handwashing in disease prevention.

Vocab:

• Hygiene is any practice or activity that you do to keep things healthy and clean. Ex. bathing and brushing teeth.
• Contemporary science means science that is 'up-to-date', or modern is something we use on a day to day basis.

Techniques for Washing Hands to Stop the Spread of Disease!

• Hands must be completely covered when being washed and sanitized to keep clean and healthy.
• The current data includes a dangerously low hand washing count before COVID.
• Post COVID hand-washing habits may prove to be too limited to maintain cleanliness.

Cell Structure is Complicated:

• Cells' work to make bodies.
• In science (microscopic-organisms.) the body’s microbes are measured in microns.

Light Microscopes:

• Microscopes reveal cellular details; magnification/resolution is essential for use.
• Safety protocol minimizes accidents, it includes gentle handling items like slides and adjusting the stage with care
• Cell viewing requires specific light source/lens setups.

Types of Microscopes:

• Basic microscope types contrast in magnification, view, and preparations required.
• Stereo: 3D view with ≤200x magnification mostly for viewing large objects, like inspects
• Compound: 2D high magnification (≤1500x) viewing thin specimens .
• Electron: High resolution detailed views.

Microscope Applications:

• Magnification definition: Making an object appears bigger for viewing via a lens.
• Resolution allows for high detail seeing when magnifying something.