| Lesson Plan |
| Grade: |
Date: 25/02/2026 |
| Subject: Biology |
| Lesson Topic: explain the movement of water between cells and solutions in terms of water potential and explain the different effects of the movement of water on plant cells and animal cells (knowledge of solute potential and pressure potential is not expected) |
Learning Objective/s:
- Describe water potential and the qualitative effects of solutes and pressure.
- Explain how water moves by osmosis between cells and their surrounding solutions.
- Compare the effects of water movement on plant cells versus animal cells.
- Predict cell responses in hypotonic, isotonic, and hypertonic environments.
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Materials Needed:
- Projector and screen
- Whiteboard and markers
- Printed handouts with plant and animal cell diagrams
- Osmosis demonstration kit (dialysis tubing, sucrose solutions, potato slices)
- Worksheets for scenario analysis
- Sticky notes for exit tickets
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Introduction:
Begin with a quick demonstration: place a piece of potato in different sugar solutions and ask students what they observe. Review prior knowledge of diffusion and semi‑permeable membranes, linking it to water potential. State that by the end of the lesson they will be able to explain water movement and predict how plant and animal cells respond.
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Lesson Structure:
- Do‑now (5’) – short written question on diffusion displayed on the board.
- Mini‑lecture (10’) – introduce water potential with diagrams and key terminology.
- Interactive simulation (8’) – students adjust solute concentration to see changes in water potential.
- Hands‑on demonstration (12’) – use the osmosis kit to observe turgor changes in potato slices; record observations.
- Guided analysis (10’) – compare plant vs animal cell responses using the provided comparison table.
- Formative check (5’) – Kahoot quiz presenting different solution scenarios.
- Summary discussion (5’) – pairs summarise the main concepts and share with the class.
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Conclusion:
Recap the main ideas: water moves from higher to lower water potential, plant cell walls prevent bursting, and animal cells are vulnerable to lysis or crenation. Students complete an exit ticket describing the expected cell response in a given solution. For homework, ask them to research how crops are irrigated to maintain optimal water potential.
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