Recommended Website:
A Tour of the Cell, National Science Foundation Biology Interactive
Note on age range: Younger students may also enjoy the visual images of this tour.
“Although the cell is the smallest unit of life, it is by no means simple.”
Thus begins this brief-but-fascinating exploration. The opening picture is a
large, full-color image of a cell. To begin, click on any of the numbered
parts of the cell as they float past you on the screen. A beautiful,
detailed close-up image of that cell part will appear, along with one or two
paragraphs of information about it. Parts featured include the cell
membrane, DNA, RNA, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria, among others.
Once you have viewed a part of the cell, you will see small numbers below
the photo of that part. These numbers provide a convenient way to navigate
through the site sequentially, if you prefer. If you click “Explore More,”
you will go back to the main page.
Can you imagine how many millions of these tiny cells are inside of your
body at this very moment? Amazing!
