Free to use in class. Play it a few times; it's made to support what students learn in class, not replace it.
About this song
A cinematic rock anthem about plant cells for grades 6-9. A glowing plant cell map and step-by-step diagrams show every part as it's sung: the cellulose wall, pectin and plasmodesmata, chloroplasts (thylakoids, grana and stroma), root cells, the central vacuole and turgor pressure, the cell plate, palisade cells, guard cells and stomata, and photosynthesis and respiration.
Dr. Lewicki Science Series
Check yourself
What keeps a plant standing tall?
Show the answer
Turgor pressure. Water fills the central vacuole and pushes out against the cell wall, which keeps stems and leaves firm. When the plant runs dry, the vacuoles shrink, the pressure drops and the plant wilts.
Key terms
plant cells
plant cell vs animal cell
cell wall
cellulose
chloroplasts
thylakoids
grana
stroma
central vacuole
turgor pressure
wilting
plasmodesmata
cell plate
stomata
Standards it supports
MS-LS1-2Model the function of a cell as a whole and how the parts of cells contribute to that function.
MS-LS1-6The role of photosynthesis in cycling matter and moving energy into and out of organisms.
NGSS: Next Generation Science Standards.
Lesson pack
Coming soon for this song: a lyric sheet, fill-in-the-blanks, vocabulary, a quiz and an exit ticket.
