cells, part 1: edible cell model...

Cells, Part 1: Edible Cell ModelProject

Your challenge in this culminating project is to construct a 3-dimensional EDIBLE model of a plant or animal cell. The celland all of its organelles must be edible.

The organelles to be included are as follows:

Animal Cell: Cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria,ribosomes, vacuoles, lysosomes, golgi apparatus, endoplasmicreticulum.

OR

Plant Cell: Chloroplasts, cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm,nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, vacuole, lysosomes, golgiapparatus, endoplasmic reticulum.

The cell model must also be accompanied by a separate keythat identifies the organelles in your model AND explains thefunction of each organelle. All cell models must be brought toschool on the date due, along with your self-evaluation of themodel, using the evaluation rubric for this project.

1 of 10Cells, Part 1: Edible Cell Model Project

Copyright 2007, Exemplars, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cells, Part 1: Edible Cell Model Project

Suggested Grade Span

6–8

Task

Your challenge in this culminating project is to construct a 3-dimensional EDIBLE model of aplant or animal cell. The cell and all of its organelles must be edible.

The organelles to be included are as follows:

Animal Cell: Cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes, vacuoles,lysosomes, golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum.

OR

Plant Cell: Chloroplasts, cell wall, cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondria, ribosomes,vacuole, lysosomes, golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum.

The cell model must also be accompanied by a separate key that identifies the organelles inyour model AND explains the function of each organelle. All cell models must be brought toschool on the date due, along with your self-evaluation of the model, using the evaluation rubricfor this project.

Big Ideas and Unifying Concepts

Form and functionModelsOrder and organizationSystems

Life Science Concept

Structure and function

Mathematics Concept

Number properties, numeration and number sense



Time Required for the Task

This unit of study takes about two to three weeks. Students were given one week to plan,gather materials and create their models at home.

Context

The edible cell model and cell organelle skits are culminating activities for a two to three weekunit of study on cells for my seventh and eighth graders. (We have a two-year sciencecurriculum, so both grade levels are taught the same topics by the same 7-8 teaching teamseach year.)

Prior to these activities, students have been introduced to related science vocabulary, learnedabout the organelles and looked at cells, such as cheek cells, under the microscope. They havealso had experience with self-assessing and peer-assessing other projects in science. (See"Cells, Part 2: Cell Organelle Skits".)

What the Task Accomplishes

This assessment task provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate not only factualknowledge about cells but conceptual understanding of how cell parts function as part of thelarger system. It also serves as a review for peer assessors each time they give feedback to thepresenters.

How the Student Will Investigate

Students were given the assignment one week prior to the due date. My students workedindividually, but this could also be a group project. All of the work was done for homework. Iwas available to assist with planning “snags” during the week if needed.

Interdisciplinary Links and Extensions

ScienceCreate “flip books” depicting cell division or cell growth and repair.

Language Arts/Music/MovementSee Part 2 of this task, "Cell Organelle Skits".

MathematicsLarge organisms are composed of about one trillion cells, that is a million millions. Havestudents come up with a metaphor or model to demonstrate how large a trillion really is.



Concepts to be Assessed

(Unifying concepts/big ideas and science concepts to be assessed using the ScienceExemplars Rubric under the criterion: Science Concepts and Related Content)

Life Science – Structure and Function: Students identify characteristics of cells and theirfunctions.

Scientific Method: Students use the terms organelle, cell membrane, nucleus, endoplasmicreticulum, ribosome, mitochondria, lysosome, vacuole and gogi apparatus appropriately anddescribe their functions. Students see that how a model works after changes are made to it maysuggest how the real thing would work if the same thing were done to it and that choosing auseful model (not too simple/not too complex) to explore concepts encourages insightful andcreative thinking in science (models).

Mathematics: Students demonstrate number sense and use number properties.

Skills to be Developed

(Science process skills to be assessed using the Science Exemplars Rubric under the criteria:Scientific Procedures and Reasoning Strategies, and Scientific Communication Using Data)

Scientific Method: Predicting/hypothesizing, inferring, analyzing, interpreting, synthesizing,summarizing, drawing conclusions, communicating findings, challenging misconceptions andraising new questions.

Other Science Standards and Concepts Addressed

Scientific Theory: Students look for evidence that explains why things happen and modifyexplanations when new observations are made.

Life Science – Structure and Function: Students explain that important levels of organizationfor structure and function include cells, organs, tissues, organ systems, organisms, andecosystems. Students understand that all organisms are composed of cells; that mostorganisms are single-celled while others, including humans, are multicellular; that cells carry onfunctions needed to sustain life – they grow, divide, take in nutrients, provide energy, andremove wastes; and that specialized cells perform specialized functions in multicellularorganisms.

Life Science – Reproduction and Heredity: Students explain that hereditary information iscontained in genes located in the chromosomes of each cell.

Science in Personal and Societal Perspectives: Students explain that personal health canbe affected by cell growth, division and mutation.



Suggested Materials

Edible projects could range from pizza to cakes to veggies and fruits with dips. Materials areonly limited by student creativity. Students have one week to plan and acquire their ownmaterials for the models. Most of my students made cakes and used toppings (jelly beans,sprinkles, etc.) and frostings for organelles. Refer to the worksheet on page 7 and the StudentEvaluation Worksheet on page 8.

Possible Solutions

A task-specific rubric has been developed for this assessment and is included on page 6.Students use the rubric as a guide during the development of the project and as a self-evaluation when the project has been completed. A peer-assessment is also used for projectpresentations.



Task-Specific Assessment Notes

General NotesNo student work is included – it was eaten! Photographs depict some examples of studentmodels.



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