1. Cell Differentiation Demonstration
Demo 1 - Embryonic Differentiation
Students will number off in 1's and 2's and each group will go to separate sides of classroom. 2 students
will come to center of class (one 1 and one 2). They will represent the first cell division after the initial
fertilized egg. Cells will 'divide' by summoning a classmate of the same number. Cells will divide again by
again summoning a classmate of the same number. Teacher will explain that the next cell division is
significant because it is when the 'identical' cells of the embryo begin to differentiate. After students
'divide' by summoning another classmate, 1's will form a protective ring (precursor to placenta) and 2's
will clump together inside this ring (inner cell mass). Then, teacher will explain that the inner cell mass
represents embryonic stem cells that will give rise to each and every cell in the human body. To further
demonstrate, interior clump will divide into 4 new groups to represent differentiation into specialized
cells that will give rise to specialized tissues (i.e. heart tissue) that will then become organs (heart). 1's
will be heart cells, 2's will be skin cells, 3's will be nerve cells, and 4's will be blood cells. Teacher will
explain that cells differentiate when a gene 'turns on.' To illustrate, inner cell mass students will each
wear a sign with a 'turned on' gene representing differentiation into a heart, skin, nerve, or blood cell.
After demo, teacher will explain there are actually many stages of cell differentiation in progressing
from the inner cell mass to specialized cells such as the heart cell or nerve cell but our demo showed the
basics for simplicity.
Demo 2 - Adult Stem Cell Differentiation
All students other than those designated heart, blood, skin, and nerve cells will move to the side of
classroom. Teacher will number these remaining students 1-5. All 1's should join the heart cells, all 2's
should join the skin cells, and so on. Group 5 will be declared 'adult stem cells.' Teacher will use this
opportunity to explain that similar to embryonic stem cells, adult stem cells can differentiate into any
cell. Furthermore, adult stem cells can divide to make more stem cells. Teacher will then have some
students from each of the differentiated cell groups die off. Then, it will be demonstrated how adult
stem cells recognize this and differentiate to take their places. In the end, each adult stem cell will
become a heart, nerve, skin, or blood cell with the exception of a few stem cells left behind who's job
would be to continue to divide and create more stem cells (these students will be assigned to heart,
nerve, skin, or blood cell groups after this demo is competed).
Demo 3 - Tissues
Now that all students are differentiated into heart, skin, nerve, and blood cells, teacher will explain that
when groups of specialized cells begin working together, they form a tissue. Students in the heart group
will serve as an example of this process. Heart cell students will be summoned to the front of the class
and will have to figure out how to make a beating heart by coordinating when to beat (teacher may
suggest holding hands and jumping simultaneously).
2. Demo 4 - Organs
Teacher will explain that organs such as the heart are formed when multiple tissues work together. As
an example, skin cell students will be asked to join the heart cell students as an example of heart tissue
working with skin tissue to form the heart. Skin cell students will form circles inside of four 'circles' of
heart cell students (representing chambers). This will mimic interior lining of heart chambers.
