Voyage to the Center of a Cell

50 Points Possible

Macromolecules and Cellular Structures

Introduction

If you were shrunk down enough to explore the inside of a cell: What would you see as you make your way through?What are the functions to each of these components?

In this project you will demonstrate what you know about the cell and its building blocks. You will play the role of an expert geneticist who will lead his/her audience (readers) on a voyage through a place no other human has gone before, a human cell. You will be the expert guide describing and drawing everything you saw during your exploration. You will tell us about the cell membrane, what it’s made of and what its function is. You will also tell us about ribosomes, what they are made of and what their function is. To aid you in your description you will make illustrations that will help the reader visualize what you saw on your travels.

In the following example I will demonstrate an approach you can take when describing the cell (Note how I describe every component and its purpose/function):

I went into Tumby’s pizza parlor yesterday, and as I approached the counter I caught a glimpse of Mr. Tumby at work. As I stood there I watched him take out a ball of dough and lay it out on a board. He then proceeded to roll it out with his rolling pin. He was an expert of his trade, creating the pizza with great care and detail. The dough, you see, is the foundation of every pizza, its essential to holding all the ingredients in place. And knowing this, Mr. Tumby, made sure to roll it out with care not to pierce the dough. Once he finished rolling out the dough, he spread some tomato sauce on the rolled out dough, which adds moisture and flavor to the otherwise bland base. After, he tossed on a ton of cheese, which will fasten down all the ingredients. Mr. Tumby then added the pepperoni, which adds the protein, needed to further savor a pizza. A pizza lacking anyone of these components would seize to be delicious.

In your narrative you must include, and properly use, the following vocabulary words:

Nucleus / Ribosome / Cytosol
Mitochondrion / Golgi Apparatus / Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
Plasma Membrane / Vesicles / Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
Vacuoles / Eukaryotic Cell / DNA
Nucleic Acids / Proteins / Lipids
Carbohydrates / Lysosomes / Nucleolus

Parameters of Assignment

  • You will have two class periods to complete the assignment
  • You can take your work home, but the bulk of the assignment must be completed in class
  • You may only use your notes and your knowledge to complete the assignment, no cellphones!
  • You must work on this assignment independently to show YOUR expertise
  • All visuals must be hand drawn, no printed images, no magazine clips, etc

What can you do at home to help you be better prepared to complete this assignment?

  • Write an outline (be sure to write it in your notebook because that and your knowledge are the only two things you can use during class)
  • Make rough draft, including drawings

Grading Rubric:

4 = 50 points

  • Makes use of all vocabulary words
  • Applies all vocabulary words in a precise/appropriate manner
  • Discuss all of the functions for critical cell components
  • Discusses the macromolecules, and their precursors
  • Presents the cell and its characteristic features with great detail and in an organized manner that is easy to understand
  • Has at least 9 visuals (drawings) that clearly represent and aid in the comprehension of the voyage

3 = 40 points

  • Makes use of 80% of vocabulary words
  • Applies 80% of vocabulary words in a precise/appropriate manner
  • Discusses most of the functions for critical cell components
  • Discusses most macromolecules, and their precursors
  • Presents the cell and its characteristic features with some detail in an organized manner
  • Has 8 visuals (drawings) that clearly represent and aid in the comprehension of the voyage

2 = 30 points

  • Makes use of 60% of vocabulary words
  • Applies 60% of vocabulary words in a precise/appropriate manner
  • Discusses half the critical cell components function
  • Discusses half of the macromolecules, and their precursors
  • Presents the cell and its characteristic features with few details in a somewhat organized manner
  • Has 7 visuals (drawings) that clearly represent and aid in the comprehension of the voyage

1 = 20 points

  • Makes use of 50% of vocabulary words
  • Applies 50% of vocabulary words in a precise/appropriate manner
  • Discusses less than half of the critical cell components function
  • Discusses less than half of the macromolecules, and their precursors
  • Presents the cell and its characteristic features with few details in an unstructured manner
  • Has 6 visuals (drawings) that clearly represent and aid in the comprehension of the voyage

You can create any of the following to illustrate your voyage:

  • Comic Strip
  • Pamphlet (Brochure)
  • Storybook
  • If you have a different idea, please let me know first so I can approve it