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How to Create a Cell Project

Using a large foam ball to establish the perimeters of an animal cell project is not the only way to do it. Students can create an edible, 3-D cell model by using gelatin for the main body of the cell. Various fruits and candies are used to represent the organelles present inside the cell itself. Students are assigned this project in their middle or high school science classes. Assembling this project is fun and easy to accomplish. The cleanup is even more enjoyable, because it doubles as dessert.

Things You'll Need

  • Lemon gelatin mix
  • Spoon
  • Large glass bowl
  • Microwave
  • Refrigerator
  • Water
  • Gallon sealable bag
  • Poster board
  • Markers
  • Gumball
  • Laffy Taffy
  • M&M's
  • Raisins
  • Plum
  • Candy sprinkles
  • Sour gummy worms
  • Gummy worms
  • Jaw breakers
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make the gelatin according to the package directions. Place less water in the mixture than directed on box; this will cause the gelatin mixture to be stiffer.

    • 2

      Open a large plastic resealable bag and place it inside a glass bowl. Pour the gelatin into the plastic bag and seal. Place the gelatin into the refrigerator. Allow the gelatin to cool in the refrigerator for one hour.

    • 3

      Remove the gelatin bag from the refrigerator. Open the bag and place the plum into the center of the mixture. Place the candies and remaining fruit throughout the gelatin bag -- these will represent the organelle. Close the bag and place it in the refrigerator. Allow to set up completely.

    • 4

      Using the markers and poster board, make a key that lists which fruit or candy represents which organelle in the cell. List the organelle as follows: cell membrane -- plastic bag, cytoplasm -- gelatin, centrosome -- gumball, Golgi body -- Laffy Taffy, lysosome -- M&M's, mitochondrion -- raisins, nuclear membrane -- plum peel, nucleolus -- plum pit, nucleus -- plum, ribosomes -- candy sprinkles, rough endoplasmic reticulum -- sour gummy worms, smooth endoplasmic reticulum -- gummy worms and vacuole -- jaw breakers.

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