Foam pieces are good for constructing human cell models because they come in various shapes and sizes. You can also sculpt foam pieces to desired shapes using a piece of sandpaper. For the basic cell parts, you can use variously sized foam balls (nucleus, nucleolus), foam peanuts (vacuole), foam tubes (cell membrane and golgi bodies) and foam plate (cytoplasm). If you want to paint the foam pieces, use tempera paint, which is washable. To assemble the cell model, hold the foam pieces in place with toothpicks.
Build a cell model from polymer clay by shaping clay into cell parts. You can either use colored clay or paint the clay parts after they have dried and hardened. For the cytoplasm of the cell, press a ball of clay into a flat disc. Roll a piece of clay out with your fingers until it forms a rope. Arrange the rope around the perimeter of the cytoplasm. This is the cell membrane. Flatten a smaller ball of clay into a disc and press it into the center of the cytoplasm for the cell's nucleus. Flatten an even smaller ball of clay into a disc and press it into the nucleus for the nucleolus. Roll a few other thin ropes of clay (about half the size of the cell membrane) and press onto the cytoplasm to form the three golgi bodies. Mold an oblong shape for the cell's vacuole and press it onto the cytoplasm. Bake the model in a conventional kitchen oven at 200 degrees F for approximately 10 minutes. Let the model cool for two to three hours before touching.
Edible cell models are an especially fun project for young students. If you want to preserve the model for a few days, choose foods that will not rot immediately. Candy works well for cell models because it preserves for a few days and because it comes in various colors, shapes and sizes. Use licorice for cell membranes and three golgi bodies. Use a large marshmallow for the cell nucleus. Use a jelly bean or mini marshmallow for the nucleolus. For the cell's vacuole, which is oblong-shaped, a circus peanut works well. You can adapt these ingredients if desired. You can use regular glue to hold the candy parts in place on a paper plate, which serves as the cytoplasm. Or if you want to eat the cell model, just arrange the parts in place with toothpicks.
If you want to make an edible cell model in less time or with fewer materials than the candy cell model, you can decorate a giant cookie. Sugar cookies work well because they are consistent (unlike oatmeal or chocolate chip cookies). If desired, use a food dye in the cookie mix to color the cell. Then use frosting tubes to add the cell membrane (a border around the cookie) and the three golgi bodies. Draw the other cell parts on with a different colored frosting and then top with sprinkles for the plastids and centrioles.