Cell Organelle Project

You will be completing a cell organelle project of your choice. There are 3 different options, each described below. The project will be due on Thursday, September 29th.

Option 1: Tour Guide of a Cell

You and a partner are required to produce an infomercial/multimedia presentation that describes a plant or animal cell as if it were a large exhibit or amusement park. You must accurately describe and explain at least10 organelles (attractions) and their functions. Include diagrams, drawings, and video clips or animations. Humor and creativity are strongly encouraged. You may use Prezi, Animoto, Scrapblog, another web2.0 tool, or create your own video.

The goal of your presentation is to attract visitors to spend money to visit an animal or plant cell. You can think about your cell as a huge amusement park, or even better, a small roadside attraction. The presentation must describe at least 10 “attractions” (organelles or cell processes) that will “ delight and amaze” their potential customers. Humor and creativity are strongly encouraged. Presentations are evaluated by accuracy of organelle descriptions, design and creativity.
Using small roadside attractions as an inspiration, produce a travel infomercial to entice visitors visit the “incredible!, amazing!, and unbelievable!” sights of an animal or plant cell. For example, visitors might want to “visit the ribosomes, located just outside the nucleus, and watch as proteins are synthesized Right Before Your Very Eyes!!!” You will be allowed creative license in your descriptions, such as “ be sure to visit the Golgi center inside the gift shop and have your purchases gift wrapped for you before you leave!”
Presentations will be evaluated on accuracy in describing functions of organelles, design, and creativity. You should also show the links between organelles and how they work together. This is a project that is completed with a partner. You may use your notes, available textbooks, and on-line resources. REMEMBER TO CITE ALLOF YOUR SOURCES!

An example project, from a different school, can be found at:

Option 2: Organelles – Facebook Style

The Project
We are currently studying all of the organelles that make up Eukaryotic cells. In keeping with the 21st century, your job is to create Facebook pages for each of the organelles. This task will require creativity and imagination. The purpose of this activity is to assist high school students in learning the names, locations, and functions of all of the organelles in a Eukaryotic cell.

A. The project must include 10 of the following list of organelles:

  • Cell Membrane
  • Chromosomes & Chromatin
  • Nuclear Envelope
  • Nucleus
  • Nucleolus
  • Ribosomes
  • Lysosomes
  • Mitochondria
  • Golgi Apparatus
  • Centrioles
  • Vacuole
  • Peroxisomes
  • Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
  • Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
  • Cytoplasm

B. Incorporate the following components into your Facebook pages:

  1. Organelle Name
  2. Location of Organelle in the cell
  3. Hand drawn colorful picture of the organelle
  4. Description (function of the organelle)
  5. Friends of the Organelles (who works with the organelle?)
  6. Sample Wall Posts (must include three posts per organelles

C. Creativity Counts:
1. Each “Facebook” page needs to be neatly hand-drawn out or typed using a facebook template.
2. Use color to make your pages interesting.
3. Spelling and information presented must be accurate.

Option 3: Cell Organelle Campaign

Your group has to run a campaign to get your assigned cell organelle elected as The Most Important Organelle. You will have to argue that without your organelle, the cell and the organism and consequently the world as we know it will collapse. You are arguing this to me and each other.Do not skip on detail because I will know it!
Here’s what you have to do:
•You will put up campaign posters and other propaganda (with pre-approved permission) in the biology room and hallway. I am requiring at least one poster championing the greatness of your organelle. This should be very visual, think of the iconic president posters, like Obama Hope.
•In addition to your poster, you need to create a campaign pamphlet that describes how totally awesome your organelle is. Include a catchy graphic on the front, then details as to the structure of the organelle and the function of the organelle. Be sure to relate the structure of the organelle to its function. It is crucial for you to make the connection for your voter about why your organelle is the most important. So tell your voter why your organelle is important for survival of the organism. Can you link that to survival of an ecosystem? The whole entire world? Okay, maybe I’m being dramatic, but that is how campaigns can be! Get into this. Make sure you have references for this pamphlet! MLA style for the references only. Use any formatting style you think looks groovy. Other than what I requested, go to town with the pamphlet. Quotes of doctors or other experts? Sounds great. Pictures? Perfect.

  • Every good candidate has a solid vice-president running mate. Discuss your running mate and why he is an important contributor to the overall health of the cell, the organism, and beyond. Remember, this organelle is present if something happens to the original president, so you want an attractive candidate1

•Mudslinging. The fun stuff. You need to run a smear campaign against the other 7 organelles. Look up what diseases are associated with mutations and malfunctions with their organelles and create some kind of literature against it (poster, pamphlet, fact sheet, T shirt, radio ad, etc) and you have to include it in your campaign speech. You must have a smear campaign against EACH of the other organelles.

  • In your speech you also need to include how your organelle – once elected -- will work in cooperation with all of the organelles!
    Beyond what I have required, you can be as creative as is ethically correct to win this campaign. No threatening or bribing. But extra posters, T shirts, buttons, stickers, pencils, face paint...I don’t know. You come up with the ideas!
    List of organelles:
  • Cell Membrane
  • Chromosomes & Chromatin
  • Nuclear Envelope
  • Nucleus
  • Nucleolus
  • Ribosomes
  • Lysosomes
  • Mitochondria
  • Golgi Apparatus
  • Centrioles
  • Chloroplast
  • Vacuole
  • Peroxisomes
  • Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
  • Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum