Cell Size and Scale – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Cell Size and Scale

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

app2022

84%

WISE Score

4.0

App Store

Zoom from a coffee bean to a carbon atom—a clean, ad-free way to visualize the microscopic world without cracking open a textbook.

Cell Size and Scale

app

4+, 2022

84%

WISE Score

4.0

App Store

Zoom from a coffee bean to a carbon atom—a clean, ad-free way to visualize the microscopic world without cracking open a textbook.

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Where to Find

App Store

Google Play

Screenwise Verdict

This is exactly what a no-nonsense educational app should be: free, fast, and focused. It does one thing—help you visualize cellular scale—and does it well, without trying to gamify or monetize your attention.

It's not going to replace a favorite game or hold a kid's interest for an hour, but as a 10-minute science supplement during homework or a rainy afternoon curiosity dive, it's perfect. Teachers love it because it's curriculum-aligned; parents love it because there's zero risk of ads or rabbit holes.

If your kid is studying cells or just fascinated by the invisible world, bookmark this. It's the kind of tool that makes science feel a little more real—and a lot less abstract.

Age Fit

Designed for grades 6-12 (ages 11-18), but curious 9- or 10-year-olds with a science itch will get something out of it, especially with a parent walking them through. Older teens and adults studying biology will still find it useful as a quick reference.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Pure educational content with no emotional manipulation, violence, or inappropriate themes. The interface is calm and straightforward—just a slider to zoom through scales of biology. No chaotic pacing, no stress-inducing elements. It's the digital equivalent of looking through a microscope in science class.

Imaginative

The concept itself—zooming from a coffee bean down to a carbon atom—sparks curiosity about the invisible world around us. However, it's more exploratory than creative; kids observe rather than build or express. The interactive slider is engaging but doesn't invite open-ended play or experimentation. Still, visualizing scale in this way can genuinely shift how kids think about biology.

Safe

Browser-based with no downloads, no ads, no in-app purchases, no user-generated content, no data collection. Created by the University of Utah's Genetic Science Learning Center, a trusted educational institution. Zero monetization concerns or manipulative design. The only reason it's not 100 is that any web-based tool technically requires internet access, which could lead to other browsing, but that's splitting hairs.

Enriching

Directly aligned with middle and high school science standards (grades 6-12). Teaches spatial reasoning and gives kids a concrete mental model for microscopic structures—something textbooks struggle with. The NIH even featured it for helping students understand relative sizes. It's not deeply interactive or game-ified, so engagement might wane after 10-15 minutes, but the conceptual takeaway is solid.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Makes abstract biology concepts concrete—kids can finally picture how a virus compares to a cell
Zero distractions: no ads, no purchases, no accounts, just pure science exploration
Used in actual middle and high school curricula (OpenSciEd, NYC DOE), so it aligns with what they're learning
Quick and intuitive—no tutorial needed, just drag the slider and watch the scale shift
Free and browser-based, so accessible on any device without downloads

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What to Watch For

It's a short-burst tool, not a game—expect 10-15 minutes of engagement, then they're done
Best used alongside a lesson or homework assignment; on its own it might feel a bit dry
Younger kids (under 10) might not grasp the scale concept without adult guidance

Conversation Starters

"How many viruses do you think could fit across one of your skin cells? (Spoiler: about a thousand!)"
"What surprised you most about the sizes—was anything way bigger or smaller than you expected?"
"If you could zoom in on anything in our house like this, what would you pick?"

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