Chloroplasts

Are plants the only organism that has chloroplasts in their cells?  Can animals have chloroplast?  Read the following article Making the most of a meal by Stephen Ornes.   

What is a chloroplast?  What is chlorophyll?  What do they do?  Explain why the scientists say the sea slugs "are what they eat?"

Mitochondria

Each eukaryotic cells has many organelles.  Read the following article Aerobic exercise improves ability to burn fat by Eric Heiden. 

What fuels your cellular activity?  What are mitochondria?  Why do aerobic athletes have more mitochondria than average people?  Why are mitochondria important when excercising?

Stem Cells

We are beginning our new unit on cells.  We have many different types of cells - brain cells, skin cells, nerve cells, muscle cells, etc.  Can one type of cell become another type?

Read the following article Giving the Brain a Hand by Susan Gaidos.   What are stem cells?  How do you make them?  Where else can you get stem cells from?  Why are stem cells important?

Hypotheses vs. Theories

My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizza-pies.  When I learned to memorize the planets, my teacher taught me that mnemonic device.  But since Pluto is no longer considered a planet that needs to change.  Read the following article about Pluto.  Is Pluto No Longer a Planet? from National Geographic. 

Why is Pluto no longer considered a planet?  What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory?  Can you prove a hypothesis?  When does a hypothesis become a theory?