After learning about DNA and the function of a cell’s organelles, students in the Gifted and Talented program across Frenship Elementaries, had the opportunity to extend their learning by going inside the giant-sized model of an animal cell.  

Tanya Carder and Karen Stuart, GT teachers at Frenship, planned and designed an activity that allowed the students to simulate a ‘magic school bus’ ride and interact with a giant animal cell. 

Once inside the cell, the students were challenged with virtual simulations using their iPads and enchanted with glowing ‘cytoplasm’. They were encouraged to articulate how and why a cell is a system.  

The giant model cells were labeled and decorated in a variety of ways and seeing the parts of a cell from ‘Magic School Bus’ perspective helped students gain a deeper understanding of the individual roles played by the organelles and how the cells form tissue and organs. 

Based on the high levels of engagement and the large smiles observed by the GT teachers across the elementaries, the students enjoyed the activity.