Science 10
CELL CITY PROJECT
For this project, you will work with a partner to develop a “cell city”. We have just learned
about the cell’s organelles and their functions. Now you will have a chance to be creative and
use various parts of a city to represent organelles. In order to do this, imagine a city and consider
its various aspects (e.g. garbage service). Choose the organelles that best fit the aspects of a city.
Each organelle will be represented as a part of your city and you will create your own city plan.
Half of the class will be creating cell cities that represent plant cells and the other half will be
creating cell cities that represent animal cells. You and your partner will sign up for either a
plant or an animal cell on the sign-up sheet on a first come, first serve basis.
You must represent a minimum of 10 organelles in your cell city. You may represent
additional organelles in order to earn extra marks!
In order to complete this activity, you must do some research into the various organelles. Find
out what their functions are in the cell and then relate these functions to aspects of a city.
Research can be done in your textbook, on the internet or in the library.
The finished product:
1. Once you have chosen the role of each organelle as a part of your city, you will create a
model or poster illustrating the cell city. Be sure to lay out the city in the same way as
the type of cell you have chosen, meaning that the various city parts are located in the
same places that they would be as organelles in a plant or an animal cell.
2. The final part of this project is to write a one page single-spaced summary of your cell
city. In this summary, describe each organelle and its city analogy, and then explain why
the organelle has been represented as that particular part of the city. Include this
summary as part of your poster.
Be creative and have fun!
DUE DATE: ______________________________
AN OUTLINE FOR YOUR CELL CITY IS DUE ON _______________________________
Science 10
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC (Total Marks = 40)
1. Outline (/10)
 An outline is due on_______________________________
 Include an analogy for each organelle to an aspect of a city
2. Creative title for the poster (/2)
 Title is relevant to the cell city
3. Completeness of the content (/10)
 Cell city includes 10 organelles (accurately representing the type of cell that you chose)
 All organelles are represented as a part of the city (in other words, don’t draw a nucleus
as a nucleus in the city; draw it as something that would be in a city!)
 Appropriate location of the city part in the city according to the location of an organelle
in an animal or a plant cell (depending on which you chose)
4. Quality of the analogies (/10)
 Analogies are clearly described in the summary
 Analogies appropriately represent each organelle
 Analogies include how the function of the organelle in the cell relates to the function of
the part of the city it is representing
5. Creativity and Originality (/8)
 Analogies are creative, thoughtful and UNIQUE
 Creativity in representing the organelles as parts of the city on the poster
 Models / Drawings include colour
 More than 10 organelles are represented in the cell city
Science 10
MARKING KEY (Total:
/40)
Outline:
/10
Criteria
Title
/2
Completeness of
content
/10
Qualities of
analogies
/10
Creativity
/8
Excellent
(25-30)
Title is creative and
representative of the
particular Cell City.
Cell City includes 10
or more organelles,
with each represented
as a part of the city
and the organelles are
located in places
within the city that are
reflective of an animal
or plant cell.
Creative and
appropriate analogy
for each organelle that
describes why the
organelle is being
represented as that
particular city part,
describes well and
creatively how the
city part relates to the
organelle and
describes accurately
and creatively how
the functions of the
organelle and city part
are similar.
Analogies are
appropriate, creative
thoughtful, unique.
Poster is complete,
creative, original and
colourful. Summary
is well placed and
presented on poster.
More than 10
organelles are
represented.
Good
(20-25)
Title is representative
of the cell city.
Fair
(15-20)
Title is generic.
Cell City includes 10
organelles, with these
organelles being
represented as a part
of the city and located
in places within the
city that are reflective
of an animal or plant
cell.
Appropriate analogy
for each of the
organelles included
that describes why the
organelle is being
represented as that
particular city part,
describes well how
the city part relates to
the organelle and
describes accurately
how the functions of
the organelle and city
part are similar.
Cell City includes less
than 10 organelles,
with these organelles
represented as a part
of the city and located
in places within the
city that are reflective
of an animal or plant
cell.
Analogy for each of
the organelles
included that
describes why the
organelle is being
represented as that
particular city part,
describes how the city
part relates to the
organelle and
describes how the
functions of the
organelle and city part
are similar.
Analogies are
appropriate and
thoughtful. Poster is
complete, creative and
colourful. Summary
is well placed on the
poster. 10 organelles
are represented.
Analogies are
appropriate. Poster is
complete and
colourful. Summary
is on the poster. Less
than 10 organelles are
represented.