I made these to use them as pre-assessments and bellringers for my classes. Each page has 2 copies of the same bellringer, so you can save paper! Plus, it will fit in a notebook without being trimmed. These would also work as exit tickets or quick checks. I don’t grade bellringers or exit tickets, but I do sometimes collect them to check how we are doing. We always go over the answers, so that even if they weren’t sure or they missed a few, they get the correct information.
There are actually 2 that are titled Prokaryotes vs Eukaryotes. The first one is a pre-assessment that I use to see what students already know before deciding what they should do. I can give them this and grade it quickly; this helps keep me from having everyone start from the beginning. Plant and Animal Cells on page 4 is another pre-assessment I use. I took the titles off so that they can be used in other ways.
Pre-assessments are a great way to help you differentiate and create learning groups! I have students do the pre-assessment before the lesson, by themselves (they are usually welcome to work together). I grade them quickly while they work on something or watch a short video. For example, since Prokaryotes vs. Eukaryotes is the first thing we are going to do, I can have them get their notebooks set up for the unit. I also like the TedEd on the Whacky History of the Cell Cycle. I separate students into three groups. If they score below an 80%, they will be in group 1, the beginner group and will be starting from the beginning of the topic and we do all of the activities and work to learn the material. Anyone that scores above an 80%, but does not make a 100% will be in the intermediate group and they’ll do work to help them master the content, but doesn’t start at the beginner level. My students that score a 100% will be in the advanced group and do work I probably wouldn’t really have time to get to in class and focuses on increasing their depth of knowledge.
This keeps your advanced learners moving forward, but you aren’t having to try to teach 3 lessons at a time!
How else could you use these?
Find other resources for teaching cells here.
If you would like the answer key, check out my TPT. Please do not post answer keys online.
