Topic-++Cells

Topic: Cells
Below is a list of key ideas related to Cells. For each key idea, you will find a list of sub-ideas, a list of items, results from our field testing, and a list of student misconceptions. After clicking on a tab, click on it again to close the tab.

All living things are composed of one or more cells.
//Students are expected to know that:// //Boundaries://
 * [|Sub-Ideas]
 * [|Items & Student Performance]
 * [|Misconceptions]
 * 1) All organisms, including animals, plants, fungi, and microorganisms, are made up of cells.
 * 2) Cells vary in size, shape, and specialized functions.
 * 3) Most cells are so small that their details can be seen only with a microscope.
 * 4) Living things can be made of just one cell to many millions of cells.
 * 5) Some organisms are made of many types of cells and many of each type.
 * 6) In single-celled organisms such as bacteria, the single cell carries out all of the functions needed for the organism to stay alive; in organisms made of many cells, individual cells work together with (depend on) other cells to carry out their essential life functions.
 * 7) In multicellular organisms, the structures that make up those organisms (including brain, muscles, skin, and lungs in animals, and stems and flowers in plants) are made up of cells.
 * 1) Students are not expected to know the terms "prokaryote" or "eukaryote" or the differences between these types of cells.
 * 2) Items will not test students’ knowledge of fungi.

Percent of students answering correctly (click on the item ID number to view the item and additional data)||~ Item ID Number ||~ Knowledge Being Assessed 6–8 ||~ Grades 9–12 ||~ Select This Item for My Item Bank ||
 * ~ Grades
 * [|CE101004] || [|Both the brain and muscles of the body are made of cells.] || 67% || 72% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3697"]] ||
 * [|CE103003] || [|Both the flowers and stems of plants are made of cells.] || 63% || 72% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3699"]] ||
 * [|CE033002] || [|When looking through a microscope at leaf and root samples, one would see that both are made of cells.] || 63% || 70% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3481"]] ||
 * [|CE102003] || [|Both the leaves and roots of plants are made of cells.] || 61% || 71% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3698"]] ||
 * [|CE053002] || [|Different cells can have different sizes and shapes.] || 57% || 63% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3441"]] ||
 * [|CE100004] || [|Both the skin and the lungs of the body are made of cells.] || 55% || 64% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3696"]] ||
 * [|CE010001] || [|Different organisms range in the number of cells they have, from only one cell to many millions.] || 52% || 60% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/2627"]] ||
 * [|CE128001] || [|Different organisms range in the number of cells they have, from only one cell to many millions.] || 48% || 56% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3440"]] ||
 * [|CE117002] || [|Some living things can be made of only a single cell, and different cells can vary in size and shape.] || 29% || 33% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3446"]] ||
 * [|CE052001] || [|Some living things can be made of only a single cell, and different cells can vary in size and shape.] || 15% || 18% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/2717"]] ||

Frequency of selecting a misconception||~ Misconception ID Number 6–8 ||~ Grades 9–12 || Frequency of selecting a misconception was calculated by dividing the total number of times a misconception was chosen by the number of times it could have been chosen, averaged over the number of students answering the questions within this particular idea.
 * ~ Student Misconception ||~ Grades
 * [|CEM005] || [|There are no single-celled organisms (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 57% || 52% ||
 * [|CEM003] || [|Some living parts of organisms are not made of cells (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 36% || 29% ||
 * [|CEM001] || [|All cells are the same size and shape, i.e., there is a generic cell (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 32% || 28% ||
 * [|CEM004] || [|Plants are not made of cells (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 7% || 5% ||

Although there are many different types of cells in terms of size, structure, and function, all cells have certain characteristics in common.
//Students are expected to know that:// //Boundaries://
 * [|Sub-Ideas]
 * [|Items & Student Performance]
 * [|Misconceptions]
 * 1) All cells are composed of complex molecules made by the cells themselves from simpler molecules (such as amino acids, simple sugars, and fatty acids) that enter the cells from outside the cells.
 * 2) In multicellular organisms, cells provide structural support for the organism they are part of and carry out essential life functions for that organism.
 * 3) In cells of plants and animals, there are internal structures that perform specialized functions such as extracting energy from food, making new molecules for growth, and eliminating wastes.
 * 4) In addition to the internal structures that perform specialized functions for cells, the interior of cells is also filled with water and molecules that are dissolved in that water.
 * 5) A membrane makes up the outer surface of a cell, which controls what enters and leaves the cell. For example, small molecules such as amino acids, fatty acids, and simple sugars can enter and leave through the cell's membrane.
 * 6) Many of the same basic life processes, such as extracting energy from food, making the materials needed for their own growth, and eliminating wastes, take place within the individual cells of all organisms (including plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms).
 * 7) Plant and animal cells need molecules from food, water, oxygen, and a way to eliminate wastes in order to continue to function.
 * 8) Bacteria need molecules from food, water, and a way to eliminate wastes to continue to function. Some bacteria need oxygen and others do not.
 * 1) Students are not expected to know specific internal cell structures (organelles) or differences between bacterial, plant, and animal cells.
 * 2) Students are not expected to know the process of either active or passive transport through the cell membrane.
 * 3) Fungi and microorganisms are used as contexts only when students are also told that these are living organisms.
 * 4) Students are not expected to know which bacteria need oxygen and which do not, and they are not expected to know the terms “anaerobic” and “aerobic.”

Percent of students answering correctly (click on the item ID number to view the item and additional data)||~ Item ID Number ||~ Knowledge Being Assessed 6–8 ||~ Grades 9–12 ||~ Select This Item for My Item Bank ||
 * ~ Grades
 * [|CE093002] || [|Small molecules enter the cell through the cell membrane.] || 64% || 72% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3465"]] ||
 * [|CE133001] || [|The inside of an animal cell contains liquid water and molecular structures that provide organization and shape.] || 60% || 71% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3454"]] ||
 * [|CE065001] || [|The inside of an animal cell contains both water and solid strutures.] || 61% || 67% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/2730"]] ||
 * [|CE075004] || [|Both plant and animal cells perform basic life functions such as making molecules for growth.] || 58% || 71% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3686"]] ||
 * [|CE064001] || [|The inside of an animal cell contains both water and solid structures.] || 56% || 67% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/2729"]] ||
 * [|CE056001] || [|Cells make up the basic structure of organisms and perform the basic life functions of organisms.] || 53% || 62% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/2721"]] ||
 * [|CE146001] || [|Muscle cells obtain energy from food, and they make molecules for growth.] || 53% || 60% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3499"]] ||
 * [|CE129001] || [|Cells are organized into the body structures and perform the basic life functions of the organism they are part of.] || 51% || 62% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3442"]] ||
 * [|CE132001] || [|The cells of living organisms (e.g. cells of mushrooms) need water and a way to eliminate wastes to function.] || 50% || 60% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3449"]] ||
 * [|CE131001] || [|The cells of living organisms (e.g., mushrooms) need molecules from food and water to function.] || 51% || 56% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3448"]] ||
 * [|CE072004] || [|Both plant and animal cells perform basic life functions such as extracting energy from food.] || 50% || 53% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3683"]] ||
 * [|CE062003] || [|The inside of an animal cell contains water, molecules dissolved in water, and small structures that perform specialized functions for the cell.] || 46% || 55% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3656"]] ||
 * [|CE130001] || [|The cells of living organisms (e.g. cells of mushrooms) need molecules from food and a way to eliminate wastes to function.] || 49% || 49% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3447"]] ||
 * [|CE084002] || [|Bacteria need both molecules from food and water to function.] || 49% || 48% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3443"]] ||
 * [|CE063003] || [|The inside of a plant cell contains water, molecules dissolved in water, and small structures that perform specialized functions for the cell.] || 42% || 52% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3664"]] ||
 * [|CE118002] || [|Bacteria need food and a way to eliminate wastes in order to function.] || 45% || 44% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3451"]] ||
 * [|CE077004] || [|Both plant and bacteria cells perform basic life functions such as making molecules for growth.] || 40% || 52% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3688"]] ||
 * [|CE076004] || [|Both animal and bacteria cells perform basic life functions such as extracting energy from food.] || 42% || 47% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3687"]] ||
 * [|CE074004] || [|Both plant and bacteria cells perform basic life functions such as extracting energy from food.] || 41% || 49% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3685"]] ||
 * [|CE088002] || [|Bacteria need both molecules from food and a way to eliminate wastes to function.] || 40% || 51% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3444"]] ||
 * [|CE092002] || [|Bacteria need both water and a way to eliminate wastes to function.] || 44% || 42% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3445"]] ||
 * [|CE073004] || [|Both animal and bacteria cells perform basic life functions such as extracting energy from food.] || 39% || 50% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3684"]] ||
 * [|CE078004] || [|Both plant and animal cells perform basic life functions such as eliminating wastes.] || 38% || 43% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3689"]] ||
 * [|CE079004] || [|Both animal and bacteria cells perform basic life functions such as eliminating wastes.] || 34% || 43% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3690"]] ||
 * [|CE080004] || [|Both plant and bacteria cells perform basic life functions such as eliminating wastes.] || 37% || 38% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3691"]] ||
 * [|CE145001] || [|Muscle cells get energy from food, and they eliminate wastes.] || 37% || 37% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3498"]] ||
 * [|CE147001] || [|Muscle cells make molecules for growth, and they eliminate their own waste material.] || 37% || 36% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3500"]] ||
 * [|CE135001] || [|Nerve cells both obtain energy from food and eliminate waste material.] || 35% || 35% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3469"]] ||
 * [|CE136001] || [|Nerve cells obtain energy from food and make molecules for growth.] || 35% || 30% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3470"]] ||
 * [|CE138001] || [|Proteins needed for growth and repair of the cell are built by the cell itself.] || 29% || 32% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3472"]] ||
 * [|CE137001] || [|Nerve cells make molecules for growth and eliminate their own waste material.] || 28% || 26% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3471"]] ||

Frequency of selecting a misconception||~ Misconception ID Number 6–8 ||~ Grades 9–12 || Frequency of selecting a misconception was calculated by dividing the total number of times a misconception was chosen by the number of times it could have been chosen, averaged over the number of students answering the questions within this particular idea.
 * ~ Student Misconception ||~ Grades
 * [|CEM056] || [|Cells of living organisms do not make molecules for their own growth and repair.] || 71% || 68% ||
 * [|CEM051] || [|Animal cells do not eliminate their own wastes.] || 44% || 43% ||
 * [|CEM055] || [|Bacteria do not extract energy from food.] || 41% || 36% ||
 * [|CEM049] || [|Bacteria do not make molecules for their own growth.] || 42% || 35% ||
 * [|CEM045] || [|Bacteria do not carry out essential life functions for themselves.] || 41% || 35% ||
 * [|CEM052] || [|Bacteria do not eliminate their own wastes.] || 40% || 35% ||
 * [|CEM044] || [|Bacteria do not need a way to eliminate wastes to function.] || 38% || 36% ||
 * [|CEM006] || [|Cells do not need a way to eliminate waste materials to function (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 36% || 33% ||
 * [|CEM042] || [|Bacteria do not need molecules from food to function.] || 34% || 34% ||
 * [|CEM050] || [|Plant cells do not eliminate their own wastes.] || 34% || 31% ||
 * [|CEM048] || [|Animal cells do not make molecules for their own growth.] || 33% || 32% ||
 * [|CEM043] || [|Bacteria do not need water to function.] || 32% || 32% ||
 * [|CEM039] || [|Cells do not need molecules from food to function (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 32% || 30% ||
 * [|CEM038] || [|Plant cells do not carry out essential life functions for themselves (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 32% || 29% ||
 * [|CEM053] || [|Plant cells do not extract energy from food.] || 31% || 31% ||
 * [|CEM054] || [|Animal cells do not extract energy from food.] || 30% || 27% ||
 * [|CEM046] || [|Bacteria do not need food to function.] || 28% || 30% ||
 * [|CEM009] || [|Cells do not carry out essential life functions for the organism they are part of (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 29% || 24% ||
 * [|CEM047] || [|Plant cells do not make molecules for their own growth.] || 30% || 23% ||
 * [|CEM034] || [|Cells are not organized into the body structures of the organism they are part of.] || 29% || 22% ||
 * [|CEM037] || [|Animal cells do not carry out essential life functions for themselves (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 27% || 25% ||
 * [|CEM013] || [|Cells do not need water to function (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 24% || 19% ||
 * [|CEM028] || [|The interior of a cell is completely filled with water (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 18% || 14% ||
 * [|CEM007] || [|The interior of a cell is solid (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 13% || 11% ||
 * [|CEM008] || [|The interior of a cell is filled with air (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 11% || 9% ||

Cells in multicellular organisms repeatedly divide to make more cells for growth and repair.
//Students are expected to know that:// //Boundaries://
 * [|Sub-Ideas]
 * [|Items & Student Performance]
 * [|Misconceptions]
 * 1) In multicellular organisms, new cells needed for growth and repair come from the division of existing cells.
 * 2) Cell division results in the formation of two nearly identical cells from a single original cell.
 * 3) Individual cells grow by creating new complex molecules that make up the cells’ structures, using molecules from food that enter the cells.
 * 4) In multicellular organisms, both an increase in individual cell mass and an increase in cell number cause the organism of which they are part to increase in size and mass.
 * 5) The successive duplication of cells explains how multicellular organisms can develop from a single cell.
 * 1) Students are not expected to know that following the initial development of an organism’s body structures, only certain types of cells divide.
 * 2) They are not expected to know that there are differences in rates of division between types of cells, the length of time different cells are alive, or any other details of the life cycle of cells.
 * 3) Students are not expected to know the terms "mitosis" or "meiosis" or any of the terminology associated with the phases of cell division.

Percent of students answering correctly (click on the item ID number to view the item and additional data)||~ Item ID Number ||~ Knowledge Being Assessed 6–8 ||~ Grades 9–12 ||~ Select This Item for My Item Bank ||
 * ~ Grades
 * [|CE119002] || [|The difference in size between young children and fully grown adults can be explained by the repetitive process of cell growth and division.] || 59% || 68% || [[image:http://assessment.aaas.org/img/star_16x16_grey.png link="http://assessment.aaas.org/users/itembank/add/3473"]] ||

Frequency of selecting a misconception||~ Misconception ID Number 6–8 ||~ Grades 9–12 || Frequency of selecting a misconception was calculated by dividing the total number of times a misconception was chosen by the number of times it could have been chosen, averaged over the number of students answering the questions within this particular idea.
 * ~ Student Misconception ||~ Grades
 * [|CEM022] || [|In the early development of an organism, cells that result from cell division do not grow before dividing again (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 22% || 15% ||
 * [|CEM020] || [|Organisms grow by cell division, but the cells do not themselves increase in size or mass (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 22% || 15% ||
 * [|CEM023] || [|In the early development of an organism, cells grow in size but the number of cells remains constant (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 13% || 11% ||
 * [|CEM024] || [|In the early development of an organism, the organism grows in size and mass without cell division or cell growth (AAAS Project 2061, n.d.).] || 6% || 7% ||

Different body structures are made up of different types of cells.

 * [|Sub-Ideas]
 * [|Items & Student Performance]
 * [|Misconceptions]