Cell A Bration in Science Class

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In my Science class today we began our study of cells. This follows on the heels of what has turned out to be a most interesting study on weather. In the course of only a couple of weeks, we here in eastern North Carolina experienced rain, snow, sleet, hail, thunderstorms, and tornadoes. I can only hope our study of cells doesn't bring forth The Blob. In our introductory lesson, we watched a short Discovery Education video about cells that included a lot of the vocabulary the students will need to get used to using as well as a heartwarming story about how advances in regenerative medicine were used to provide new skin for a year old burn victim by growing her own skin in a lab and using it to graft over the burns. The video also covered some interesting history of the study of cells and revealed why they are called cells. We also began our reading today, after making our graphic organizers the students will used to take notes, and learned the three main ideas of cell theory: 1. All living things are made up of one or more cells. 2. The cell is the basic unit of life in which all the activities of life occur. 3. All cells come from cells that already exist. After taking down on their organizer what the 3 main ideas of cell theory were, several of the students asked how cells came to be in the first place. I prevaricated and told them that was a lesson for another day. Do you know how the first cells formed? I'd love to read some of your theories, or theories you've heard or read.