Cells - Living, Dead and Never Been Alive

These diagnostic questions and response activities (contained in the zip file) support students in being able to:

• Explain what is meant by movement, growth, nutrition, excretion, respiration, reproduction and sensitivity (the characteristic processes of living organisms).

• Explain that a living organism may not show all of the characteristic processes of life in an obvious way, or all of the time.

• Justify the classification of examples as living, dead or never been alive, using the characteristic processes of living organisms.

• Decide whether examples of things that are living, dead and have never been alive are likely to be made of cells.

• Recall what all animals and plants need to stay alive.

• Explain why animals and plants need particular things to stay alive, by linking them to the characteristic processes of life.

• Link the requirements of living organisms to the characteristic processes of life and to the idea that organisms are made up of cells.

The resources include details of common misconceptions and a summary of the research upon which the resources are based.

Download the zip file for all the questions and activities.

More resources like this can be found on the BEST webpage:  Best Evidence in Science Teaching