MAKING THREE DIMENSIONAL PLANT AND ANIMAL CELLS

Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide students with a hands-on activity which will enhance their understanding of the 3-D characteristics of cells while reinforcing their knowledge of plant and animal cell structure

Materials: plain or yellow play-doe, red play-doe, blue play-doe, green play-doe, purple play-doe, yarn, pepper, plastic bubble packing, aluminum foil, toothpicks, plastic wrap

Cell structure list, materials, nickname, and function

Cell Part / Material Used / Nickname / Function
Cytoplasm / Plain or yellow play-doe / Factory Floor / Holds all the organelles
Nucleus / Blue play-doe / The President / Directs all the cell’s activities
Endoplasmic Reticulum / Yarn / Transport Team / Passageways that carry proteins and other materials from one part of the cell to another
Ribosome / Pepper / Assembly Line / Produces proteins
Mitochondria / Purple play-doe / The Powerhouse / Produces most of the energy needed to carry out daily functions
Vacuole / Plastic bubble packing / Storage / Stores food, water, and waste
Lysosome / Red play-doe / Custodian / Breaks down large food particles and old cell parts into smaller ones
Chloroplasts / Green play-doe / Energy / Captures energy from sunlight and produces food for the cell
Golgi Bodies / Straws / DistributionCenter / Receives, packages, and distributes proteins and other materials to other parts of the cell
Cell Wall / Aluminum foil / Factory Fence / Protects and supports the plant cell
Cell Membrane / Plastic wrap / Security / Controls what substances come in and out of the cell

Procedures

  1. After studying cell structure, divide the class into small groups.
  2. Inform each group they will be making two cells – one plant and one animal cell. When they finish each cell will be about the size of a tennis ball. Assign each group member a different structure to create and add to the cell.
  3. Have the “cell membrane people” cut two pieces of plastic wrap big enough to fit around each of the cells.
  4. Form two balls using the plain or yellow play-doe. Lay each ball on the plastic wrap and press each into a pancake at least 6” in diameter. One pancake should be the animal cell and the other the plant cell.
  5. Have others create the other cell parts with the materials listed in the paper and place them in a pile on the center of the appropriate pancake. (Exception – animal cell will not have chloroplasts). The students should be instructed on the size and shape of the parts as they are making them.
  6. When all of the cell parts are completed and in place, have someone in each group “gather up” the pancake carefully cupping it around its top and seal all of the edges together forming a ball. A plant cell is rectangular shape so the students will need to fold it up like a “burrito.
  7. Both cells then need to be wrapped with the plastic wrap that is underneath it. The animal cell is then complete.
  8. The plant cell needs to then have aluminum foil wrapped around it forming its “cell wall.”
  9. To show the students what it looks like you can use a large knife to cut it in half.
  10. This is a great time to show the students that although all the cells are made up of the same organelles, none of them look exactly alike.

Play-Doe Recipe

1 cup of baking soda

1 cup of flour

1 cup corn starch

4 tsp. cream of tarter

2 tbsp. oil

1 ¾ cup water

Stove top method: Mix and cook until the dough leaves the side of pan. Cool on plate with wet cloth on top.

Oven method: Bake at 150°F overnight.

This recipe makes enough for 3-4 balls of play-doe.

There are multiple recipes for making play-doe. This is one that I use, but you can use any other one that you might prefer. I usually have a few parents per class that I contact and ask to make large batches for the class.