This year at school has been busier than ever because our sports programs are thriving. However, this means I am doing hours of work each day as the athletic director, which has stolen time from creating new content for Montessori PE. The good news is that I have lots of games in the reservoir, and since I wrote them, I just need a quick refresher and I’m good to go. Though revisiting some of these games, I have noticed that some need updating, or I can accomplish the same direct aim by utilizing a different playing modality. The cell membrane game is a perfect example of this. When I first made this game, it was a tennis-based game. However, after incessant hounding from my middle school to play a volleyball-style game, I altered the cell membrane game and got another awesome version of the same game. The lesson plan has been updated in the individual lessons area and the member’s area, but I will share it in this blog, too. In fact, if you are new to this blog, it is worth going back because I have posted many lesson plans over the years. Without further ado, the cell membrane game.

Cell Membrane (Animals)

Montessori Physical Education

Introduction:

            When the students learn about animal cells, the cell organelles usually get all the attention. The students memorize the mantra that mitochondria are "the powerhouses of the cell," the nucleus is the cell's control center through DNA. Other organelles are mentioned, but their functions and names are not as easily remembered as the mitochondria or DNA. Commonly, students make Jell-O molds of the cell, complete with different candies to represent these organelles, which is a fun follow-up for upper elementary. However, the cell membrane is one part of the cell that is not mentioned enough (if at all) but whose function is absolutely vital. Like skin, the cell membrane is the only thing that separates the cell's inner workings from the outside world (even if the outside world is part of the whole organism).

            Besides acting as a shield for the cell, the membrane actively transports nutrients and waste out. These transporters along the cell membrane actively move things across the double phospholipid bilayer. Some act like valves, only letting some things move one way. The cell membrane is much more dynamic than just a barrier; it is also a gatekeeper and waste removal system.

            In this game, the students will act as cell membranes, keeping things out, letting nutrients in, and clearing waste. Can your student’s membrane stay intact and protect the cell from invading particles and organisms?

 

Materials: 

Game 1

·      A large play area (indoor or outdoor)

·      A volleyball net

·      Lots of volleyballs, preferably some with a distinguishing mark on them

·      One to two basketball hoops or a large container

 

Game 2

·      A large play area (a gym works best, but the game can be played outside if there is a fence or something to contain lots of flying balls)

·      As many tennis rackets as you have (hopefully at least one racket per two students)

·      At least two substantial yoga balls

·      As many tennis balls as you have (fifty or more)

·      As many basketballs or some type of bouncy balls as you have yoga balls

·      Basketball hoops or large containers to shoot the basketballs or bouncy balls

·      Lots of cones or polydisc dots to mark the division line of the game

 

Minimum Number of Players Needed: This game requires at least eight players, but it is more fun with an entire class.

 

Prior Knowledge: The students should have had lessons on the human body (at least the Great River lesson and an animal cell lesson)

 

Presentation for Game 1

·      Split your students into teams. One team will start as the cell membrane team, and one team will start as the outside team.

·      This is a volleyball-based game in which one side serves to the other for a three-minute round. After that, they switch, and whichever team has more points wins the game.

·      Both teams are trying to score as many points as possible. However, to score the round, you subtract the outside team's score from the cell membrane score, and the remainder is the final score for that team.

o   For example, if the cell membrane team scores fifty points and the outside team scores twenty points, the final score for the cell membrane team is thirty. The teams then switch roles for the next round.

·      The cell membrane scores a point by:

o   Completing a bump, set, spike from a serve.

§  This should be adjusted based on your students' skill levels. For intermediate players and teams, you could ask for two passes before hitting it over the net, and for complete novices, just successfully bumping a serve over the net is acceptable.

o   Catching a specially designated ball, which represents a nutrient the cell needs. This ball might be a different color, or you can put something on it, like a sticker or colored tape, so it stands out from the others.

§  A caught nutrient is one point. From there, the catcher cannot take any steps but can pivot if necessary. If they shoot the volleyball into a basket or container, that is an additional five points because the nutrient was correctly delivered into the cell.

o   If a serve goes into the net.

o   If a serve goes out of bounds.

o   If the outside team serves two balls at the same time.

·      The outside team scores by:

o   Serving an ace (a non-returned serve often touching the ground without being touched)

o   Serving a ball that is not returned in the correct number of hits

o   If a cell membrane player touches the net

·      The outside team makes a line of servers, serving one at a time. The following server should go as soon as a ball hits the ground or if it is a special ball and is caught. While the outside team does not want to serve two at a time because they are gifting points away, they want to be as quick as possible to catch the cell membrane team off guard.

o   Everyone should serve even if they are having trouble getting the ball over. I allow novice players to move closer to the net for their serve attempt, but any former or current volleyball players must serve from the regulation line because it is good practice for games.

·      The cell membrane team wants to roll the balls back to the serving outside team so that they can continue to serve them. The only way the cell membrane team scores points is by getting serves, so they want to ensure that the outside team has a steady supply of volleyballs to serve.

·      You may have to remind the outside team to be fair when serving a normal ball versus a nutrient ball. If you notice the outside team is purposely holding back from serving a nutrient ball because it is potentially worth many points, pause the game. Remind the serving team that what they do will probably be repeated back to them. If they withhold nutrient balls, the other team will do the same thing when they are receiving, which will make the game less fun for everyone.

·      For the post-game discussion, I like to highlight the functions of the cell membrane. The first comparison I make is that the cell membrane is like our skin, and it is the barrier that protects us from the outside world. It's even more crucial for a cell because, without a membrane, you would just have a soupy mix of organelles. The cell membrane is not just a shield or wall, however, as it is active in transporting waste out of the cell and accepting needed nutrients inside the cell.

 

Presentation for Game 2

·      Split the playing area in half. Whether the game is being played in a gym or outside, separate it length-wise (not the half-court line). The students will be divided into the cell membrane team and the invading team.

 

·      The cell membrane team will stand in a line about an arm's length away from each other. If you use cones or polydisc dots to mark the dividing line, they will be on the division line of the playing area. Every player will have a tennis racket.

·      The invading team, with tennis balls, is trying to get them past the cell membrane team. The invading team is only allowed to throw one ball at a time. The following stipulation is crucial: the invading team must throw with their non-dominant hand. The ball must bounce at least once before reaching the cell membrane players. This will serve as good practice for using their "weak hand" and will protect the players with the tennis rackets from tennis balls being thrown at them too hard.

o   The tennis balls do not have to bounce off the ground if you are playing this game outside. However, all throws should be underhand now.

·      The “normal” tennis balls represent garbage and debris that must stay outside the cell. However, there should be some different-colored balls or some with a distinguishing mark that shows the cell membrane team that the tennis ball is a nutrient ball that needs to be caught.

·      Every time a cell membrane player successfully catches a nutrient ball one-handed, the cell membrane team earns a point. They can then roll the ball back to the invader team.

·      The cell membrane team will be standing on the division line, and they will hit the normal balls back while trying to one hand catch the nutrients. They should have adequate space between players so they won't hit their rackets against each other. The cell membrane players should be shown how to "volley" the ball; they should not take full swings at the tennis ball. The tennis racket should be held so the "face" of the racket is pointing toward the ball, and a jabbing-pushing motion should be used to deflect the ball instead of full swings.

·      The teacher will have a predetermined number of tennis balls allowed in the cell before they are damaged too much. For example, the round is over if ten tennis balls are in the cell that made it past the cell membrane at any given time. After each round, the teams switch roles. This makes it vital for the cell membrane players (with tennis rackets) to defend against the garbage tennis balls. A non-caught nutrient ball should also count as a garbage ball.

·      Each round can be played for a predetermined time (2-5 minutes) or until the invading team gets a certain number of tennis balls past the cell membrane line. The goal of the cell membrane is to last the total amount of time of the round. After each round, the teams switch roles.

Aims:

Direct: The students should play as cell membranes protecting the cell or as foreign invaders trying to get particles through the cell's defense.

 

Indirect:  

·      Listening to directions

·      Communication

·       Sportsmanship

·      Teamwork

·      Strategy

 Physical skills practiced: 

·      Throwing and bouncing with their non-dominant hand

·      Using tennis rackets for volleying

·      Shooting a basketball or bouncy ball into some type of container

·      Running

 Control Of Error: 

The number of balls on the side of the inner cell will prove if the cell membrane is effectively doing its job or if they are letting in too much.

Age: Upper elementary and middle school