Lesson Plan: Animal Tissues & Cells

Lesson Plan
Animal Tissues & Cells
foldscope.com/lessonplans
Lesson: Animal Tissues & Cells Module Code: 0201.1
Note: This lesson plan corresponds to the Foldscope Prepared Slide Box Set #1 - Animal Tissues & Cells
Grade Level: Middle school and up Duration: 1 hour (recommended)
Learning Objectives: Students will understand the organiza�onal levels of an animal. They will understand the differences
in appearance and func�on among the four main types of �ssue and be able to iden�fy them under
a microscope. They will understand the basics of �ssue differen�a�on and how this occurs during
embryonic development.
Section Overview Learning Goal
Activity 1 Organiza�onal levels of an animal Students understand the characteris�cs of cells, �ssues,
organs, and organ systems in rela�on to animal �ssues.
Activity 2 Tissue types Students understand differences in appearance and

func�on among the four main types of �ssue and be able
to iden�fy them under a microscope.
Activity 3 Tissue development Students understand the basics of �ssue differen�a�on

and how this occurs during embryonic development.
Activity 4 Extended Students prepare a fresh animal �ssue slide and observe
with Foldscope. Students apply their understanding of
animal �ssue from prepared slides to a fresh sample.
Materials: • Foldscopes
• Foldscope Prepared Slide Box Set #1 - Animal Tissues & Cells. (This product is available for purchase at
h�ps://www.foldscope.com/order)
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Activity 1 — Organizational levels of an animal
Section Description
Intro Content All living things are made up of cells. In complex mul�cellular organisms, cells are
organized into �ssues, groups of cells that share a common embryonic origin and
are arranged in an orderly pa�ern to achieve a par�cular func�on. There are four
main types of �ssue that will be covered below. Organs are structures made from
mul�ple �ssue types that together carry out a complex task. For example, your
lungs, heart, and brain are all important organs. Organs with related func�ons are
grouped together into organ systems, such as the respiratory system, which takes
in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide, and the circulatory system, which flows
blood to deliver oxygen throughout the body. These systems all work together to
keep an organism alive.
Activity 1. Look at one of the primary �ssue slides (slides 1-1 to 1-12).
2. Can you see the individual cells? What features allow you to iden�fy a cell?
Cells should be identifiable primarily by the outline of their cell membrane, and the
dark dot of a nucleus within.
3. What varia�ons do you no�ce among different types of cells?

Cells in different tissues will be different shapes, sizes, and densities.
4. Can you dis�nguish mul�ple types of �ssue within a single sample?

Many of these samples should contain multiple types of tissue, which is differentia-
ble by appearance.
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Activity 2 — Tissue Types
Section Description
Intro Content There are four main types of �ssues. Epithelial �ssue consists of �ghtly packed
sheets of cells that cover surfaces and line body cavi�es. Connec�ve �ssue supports
and connects other �ssues. It is made up of cells suspended in an extracellular
matrix. Muscle �ssue contains proteins that allow the cells to contract, making this
�ssue responsible for allowing the body and its organs to move. Nervous �ssue pro-
cesses and transmits informa�on by sending electrical impulses. The study of �ssue
appearance, structure, and func�on at a microscopic scale is called histology. By
studying �ssue samples from pa�ents, histologists can observe disrup�ons in �ssue
that may allow them to diagnose an injury or disease.
Activity 1. Which �ssue slides do you think are the best examples for each type of �ssue?
Exemplary slides for each tissue type:
- Epithelial: 1-1, 1-2, 1-8, 1-9
- Connective: 1-14, 1-15, 1-16
- Muscle: 1-3 and 1-4
- Nervous: 1-5 and 1-6
2. What differences and similari�es can you observe among the different types of �ssue?
How do these differences in appearance reflect their differences in func�on?
Epithelial tissue will have cells that are more densely packed together. The tissue
often is shaped in ways that increase its surface area. Connective tissue will have
cells that are suspended in an extracellular matrix. Muscle tissue will have cells
that are clearly striated into elongated layers. Nervous tissue will be made of
neurons, which have a distinctive cell shape.
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Activity 3 — Tissue Development
Section Description
Intro Content All of an organism’s cells originate from the zygote, a fer�lized egg. A�er fer�liza�on,
the zygote begins mitosis, the process of dividing cells. As these cells divide, they
begin to differen�ate into three dis�nct germ layers: the ectoderm, mesoderm, and
endoderm. These three germ layers then further differen�ate to form specific types
of �ssue associated with their posi�on. The ectoderm, which is the outermost layer,
produces epithelial and nervous �ssue that gives rise to cells closer to the surface of
the body, such as skin cells, neurons, and pigment cells. The mesoderm is the middle
layer, which produces epithelial and muscle �ssue; these give rise to central �ssues
such as cardiac, skeletal, and smooth muscle, red blood cells, and kidney cells. The
endoderm, the innermost layer, produces epithelial �ssue that forms the lining of
airways and the diges�ve system, as well as many glands; this includes lung cells,
thyroid cells, and pancrea�c cells.
Activity 1. Observe slide 1-17.

a) What process is being shown here?
Slide 1-17 shows animal cells at various stages of mitosis.
b) What do you see on the slide that indicates this process is occurring?
Students should be able to see cells with two nuclei, indicating that they are
preparing to divide; they should also be able to see cells whose cell membranes
are pinching in the middle as they begin to split.
2. Observe slides 1-18, 1-19, and 1-20.

a) What is being shown in these slides? How does this connect to slide 1-17 and
�ssue germ layers?
Slides 1-18, 1-19, and 1-20 show a frog embryo whose tissues are beginning
to differentiate. The cleavage stage in 1-18 is a fertilized egg that has just
undergone mitosis to form tens of thousands of cells. Divisions continue
through the blastula phase in slide 1-19 as the embryo forms a liquid-filled
cavity called a blastocoel. This cavity begins filling with cells in the gastrula
stage, where the distinction between endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm
first appears.
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Activity 4 — Extended
Section Description
Intro Content Slice a piece of fresh meat, such as a chicken breast, chicken leg, or fish, very thinly and
cut it small enough to mount on a slide with a ring s�cker. Can you see individual cells?
What �ssue types do you observe? Cut another slice from another part of the meat. Is
there different �ssue there? What func�on does this �ssue play in the animal?
For Foldscope tutorials on sample prepara�on and viewing visit

(h�ps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLnO8NcEb6LFy1p0rCVBfHY0JUgBswRC4m)
Resources: h�ps://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/4-1-types-of-�ssues/
h�ps://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-human-body-systems/hs-
body-structure-and-homeostasis/a/�ssues-organs-organ-systems
h�ps://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ap/chapter/introduc�on-to-�ssues/
h�ps://www.augusta.edu/scimath/biology/docs/animal�ssues.pdf
h�ps://www.uwlax.edu/biology/zoo-lab/lab-2--microscopy-and-the-study-of-�ssues/
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Lesson Plan
Animal Tissues & Cells
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Lesson Plan: Animal Tissues & Cells

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Lesson Plan

Animal Tissues & Cells

Grade Level: Middle school and up Duration: 1 hour (recommended)

Section Overview Learning Goal

Activity 2 Tissue types Students understand diﬀerences in appearance and

Activity 3 Tissue development Students understand the basics of �ssue diﬀeren�a�on

3. What varia�ons do you no�ce among diﬀerent types of cells?

4. Can you dis�nguish mul�ple types of �ssue within a single sample?

Activity 1. Observe slide 1-17.

2. Observe slides 1-18, 1-19, and 1-20.

For Foldscope tutorials on sample prepara�on and viewing visit

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