My PBL Project: Cells

INTRODUCTION:

Cells are the building blocks of life. If it weren't for them, living things wouldn't even exist. In my project, you will see the difference between plant and animal cells.

DRIVING QUESTION: What are the basic components of all cells? How are prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells different?

-DNA, cytoplasm, ribosomes, cell membrane. are the basic components of all cells (prokaryotic and eukaryotic).

-The cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells is filled with a large, complex collection of organelles, many of them enclosed in their own membranes; the prokaryotic cell contains no membrane-bound organelles which are independent of the plasma membrane.

Safety precautions: Gloves,Goggles,Apron.

These are the materials you will need for this project:

1. Balloons

2. Foil container & plastic container

3. Two gels

4. Tweezers

5. Scissors

6. Some mini marshmallows

7. Some beads

8. Raw noodles

9.Beaker

10. Mittens

11. Paper & writing utensil to label cell parts

PROCEDURE:

1. We will start with the plant cell. (use the foil rectangular container)

2. Place the gel inside the beaker

3. Heat the beaker w/ the gel inside until it melts & becomes liquid.

4. When it's completely melted, turn the heat off and take the beaker off the heater using gloves.

5. Carefully pour the liquid into the foil container.

6. Use your materials to represent the parts of the cell. Use the balloon to represent the nucleus. Make sure to put in the center of the container. You can use any materials. (This is just an example)

7. Next, cut the raw noodles into tiny pieces to fit around the container. This will represent your cell wall.

8. Add another balloon around the nucleus. That will be your vacuole. Label them.

9. Make sure to use the tweezers while putting in your labels because the liquid is very hot. Now you have "vacuole," "cell wall," and "nucleus" labeled.

10. Use a mini green marshmallow for the plant cell. Then, label it, "chloroplast". Also, just place the cytoplasm label anywhere on the gel (Make sure it's an empty space). Cut the raw noodles into 3 small pieces & label it the "Golgi Body".

11. Finally, cut the edge of the plant cell's container.

We are now done with the plant cell.

12. Use another box of gel to make the animal cell.

13. Cut gel into medium size pieces in the beaker and heat it.

14. After the gel melts, pour it into a circular container (the one used to hold the gel)

15. Cut a balloon up into a small piece and place it in the middle of the cell. Label it "nucleus".

16. Next, cut 3 small pieces of raw noodles and label it "smooth ER". Also, get another 3 small pieces of raw noodles and place two beads in them. Label that the "rough ER". Get a yellow marshmallow and label it "lysosome".

17. Get another yellow marshmallow and cut a couple lines through it (Don't cut all the way). Label that "mitochondria". Take an orange marshmallow and cut through the middle of it, not cutting all the way through. Label it "golgi body". Take a couple of beads (about 3), an place them anywhere around the cell. That will be labeled as "ribosomes". Finally, just place the "cytoplasm" label anywhere on the gel. (Make sure it's an empty space).

We are now done with both cells!