Prokaryotic & Eukaryotic Cells Complete Lesson Plan - MS

Everything you need for an engaging, ready-to-teach unit on prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells—all in one resource! This fully editable, multiday lesson includes presentations, worksheets, student-choice projects, and assessments, giving you comprehensive content with minimal prep.

With differentiated, student-led activities, your middle schoolers will stay engaged while you focus on supporting their success.

Essential Questions

• What are the basic characteristics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells?

• How are these cells classified into the currently recognized kingdoms?

Texas Teachers: This lesson aligns with the 2017 TEKS (not updated for the 2021 TEKS).

Why Teachers Love This Lesson

• Differentiated materials to support a wide range of learners

• Multimodal learning to keep students interested and motivated

• Maximum flexibility—use printable or digital formats

• Editable PowerPoints you can tailor to your classroom needs

• Spanish translations of vocabulary, reading passages, and interactive notebook pages

This resource is built on the proven 5E Instructional Model (Engagement, Exploration, Explanation, Elaboration, Evaluation), ensuring a research-based structure for student learning.

What’s Included

Engagement

• Lesson objectives and Word Wall Cards (English & Spanish)

• Teacher guide with discussion prompts, activities, and common misconceptions

Exploration – Student-Led Station Lab
Nine differentiated stations help students explore prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells in multiple ways:

Input Stations (learn content)

• Explore It! – Hands-on demo or experiment

• Read It! – Differentiated reading passages (English & Spanish) with comprehension questions

• Research It! – Online investigation with guiding tasks

• Watch It! – Short video with discussion prompts

Output Stations (show understanding)

• Organize It! – Printable or digital card sorts

• Write It! – Open-ended short-answer responses

• Illustrate It! – Student sketches or diagrams for visual recall

• Assess It! – Task cards + vocabulary-in-context writing

Bonus Station – Challenge It!
Extension tasks like games, crosswords, and mini-projects for early finishers or enrichment

Explanation

• Editable PowerPoints (standard & interactive versions)

• Interactive notebook templates (digital & print, English & Spanish)

• Note-taking guides to support student learning

Elaboration

• Student-choice projects for in-class or at-home extension

Evaluation

• STAAR 2.0–style assessment questions (standard & modified versions)

• Review worksheet for practice, homework, or class discussion

Digital & In-Person Flexibility

Every component is designed for both classroom and virtual learning. Station labs, interactive notebooks, and PowerPoints are all compatible with PowerPoint and Google Slides, making this lesson easy to use anywhere.

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.