Edible Plant Cell Projects
Due Thursday, October 8, 2015
Late Projects will NOT be accepted
Activity purpose:
Fresh water algae, mold that grows on bread, a pine tree, and a house cat are all living things. As living things they share one feature in common, they are all made up of cells. Cells are the building blocks of living things. In this activity you will make a model of a plant cell. You will then observe your model to draw conclusions about the makeup of cells.
Project must be:
Entirely edible (can be eaten)
Your project does not need to be digestible (will not make you sick), or even palatable (tastes good), just edible.
No larger than 25cm X 43cm X 10cm (10 inches by 17 inches by 4 inches), or
No smaller than 10cm X 10cm X 10cm (4in. X 4in. X 4in.)
Activity Procedure:
1. Get, make or use something as an outside, hard, edible covering for your cell. This outside covering is the cell wall.
Cell wall is the stiff outer structure that surrounds the cell membrane of all plant cells. It keeps the cell rigid, helping the entire plant keep its shape.
2. Right inside the cell wall you will place a thin, flexible, edible layer. This will represent the cell membrane.
Cell membrane surrounds the cell and directs materials into and out of the cell.
3. You will also need edible cytoplasm.
Cytoplasm is a jellylike material that fills the space inside the cell. Most cell parts float within the cytoplasm.
4. In the center of the cytoplasm you will need to place a medium sized edible, round nucleus.
Nucleus controls all cell activities, including how the cell grows, develops and divides.
5. Place one or two small, edible pieces in the cytoplasm. These will represent one or two vacuoles.
Vacuole is a temporary storage area for either materials the cell needs or from waste materials. Plant cells usually have fewer and larger vacuoles than animal cells. Most plant cells just have one vacuole.
6. Scatter a few small, green pieces in the cytoplasm. This green food will represent chloroplasts.
Chloroplasts are scattered throughout the cytoplasm of the plant cell. The chloroplasts give plants their green color and are used in making food.
7. Scatter a few small foods that are not green, in the cytoplasm. These will represent mitochondria.
Mitochondria carry out the activities that release energy for the cell.
8. Label the parts of your edible plant cell.
9. Make sure that you have allNINE parts of the plant cell represented and labeled.
10. Bring your cell to school Thursday, October 8, 2015. If it needs to be refrigerated, place it in a cooler with some ice.
Draw conclusions (must be typed) and placed on a half of poster board:
- Observe your model. What cell part makes up the greatest part of your model? What can you conclude from this observation?
- What cell part is at the center of your cell? Where in the cell are all the other parts located?
- Scientists often use models to better understand
complex structures. How does your cell model help Drawing Conc. Drawing
you draw conclusions about the structure of cells?
What things about a cell does your model NOT tell you?
- Make a drawing of your cell model, and label each part
with the name of the cell part it represents. Then
compare your model to the pictures of the cells on page Picture
325. How are the drawings similar? How are they
different?
- Take a picture of your edible cell and print it. Then
glue it on the poster board next to your drawing.
Rubric:
ItemPointsYour Points
Entirely edible10 points______
Meets size requirement10 points______
Neat and presentable10 points______
Each part of the cell made appropriately45 points______
(5 points per part)
Each part of the cell is labeled correctly45 points______
(5 points per part)
Presentation 20 points______
Drawing Conclusion 20 points______
Total points160 points______
I have read and understand the requirements of this project. I further understand that it is due on Thursday, October 8, 2015. This signed slip is due back on Thursday, October
Student Name: ______Parent Signature:______