Name_____________________________________________________
Project 3.1.1 Cell Analogy Collage
Purpose
In your school, you have many different people working to provide food, secretarial, record keeping,
custodial, nursing, transportation, and other support-type services. Your teachers work in specific
departments such as language, fine arts, history, physical education, mathematics, career and technical,
and science. Imagine what would happen if just one of those groups of staff members did not do their job
every day. The entire student body would be affected. A cell and its organelles function similarly.
An animal cell, the smallest unit of life studied in previous courses, has several parts that function in
specific ways to assist the cell. Cell parts, such as the nucleus, mitochondria, and Golgi body, work
together to perform processes that are necessary for daily living. In turn, the entire animal benefits from
every organelle carrying out a specific function.
What does a nucleus look like or function similar too? An analogy is a comparison between two objects that
are similar in some respects, but otherwise different. For example, an analogy of the human kidneys may
be made with a pool filter. The kidneys filter out wastes from the human body just as a pool filter removes
particles from the swimming pool.
Since cells are hard to see without the help of a microscope and their functions are even harder to
visualize, can you use analogies to help you remember the various aspects and functions of a cell? If an
organelle were missing, would the effect be noticeable? Which organelle affects the most other organelles?
Materials
Per student:






Computer with internet access and
word processing software
Poster paper
Glue stick
Permanent marker
Project 3.1.1 Evaluation Rubric
Colored pencils



Scissors
Pencil
Agriscience Notebook
Per Class

Printer
Procedure
Work individually to design a collage for an assigned cell organelle using analogies describing how the cell
part functions.
1. Your teacher will assign you one of the following cell organelles.
 Cell membrane
 Centriole
 Centrosome
 Cytoskeleton
 Cytosol (cytoplasm)
 Golgi
 Endoplasmic reticulum
 Lysosome
 Mitochondrion
 Nucleus
 Nucleolus
 Peroxisome
 Ribosome
 Secretory vesicle
 Vacuole
2. Visit Cells Alive Interactive Animal Cell (https://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model.htm) and learn
more about your assigned organelle.



Click the red Start the Animation button.
Select Animal Cell.
Select your organelle’s name from the list below the animation and review the information.
Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education © 2020
ASA – Project 3.1.1 Cell Analogy Collage – Page 1
3. Draw your organelle on your poster paper or paste a quality picture. Make sure the image is large
enough to see detail.
4. Use the Cells Alive site or other resources to help you develop your cell collage. Use the following
suggestions as a guideline for your collage.

Write a complete description of the function of your organelle. Use the description as a caption
for the illustration you added in Step 2.
 Answer the questions on Project 3.1.1 Organelle Information Page and paste the page on the
poster.
 Draw or find pictures of two everyday items that answer the question – “My cell organelle looks
like…” Use that phrase as the heading for each image.
 Add the name of the everyday item to attach to the collage above the picture and write an
analogy with a brief statement that explains the similarities between the everyday item and the
cell organelle it represents.
 Draw or find pictures of three everyday items that
answer the question – “My cell organelle
functions similar to (everyday item) because a
(everyday item) does…” Use this heading for
each image.
 Add the name of the everyday item to be placed
above the picture and write a brief statement that
explains the similarities between the everyday
item and the cell organelle it represents.
 Identify other organelles that work with or provide
for your assigned organelle. Create a diagram
showing these relationships. An example is in
Figure 1. Sample Relationship Diagram
Figure 1.
 Type all analogies.
5. Below is a sample poster layout. Develop a unique poster while following suggested guidelines.
Figure 2. Poster Layout Sample
Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education © 2020
ASA – Project 3.1.1 Cell Analogy Collage – Page 2
6. When you have completed your collage, share your interpretation of the cell organelle as directed by
your teacher. Take good notes from all student collages for a complete record of cell parts on your
worksheet.
7. Display your completed collage on the classroom wall in the area identified by your teacher.
8. When instructed to do so, observe the collages made by your classmates. Complete Project 3.1.1
Student Observations as you observe the posters. Record one “looks like” and one “functions like”
analogy for each organelle. Record all relationship(s) with other organelles.
Conclusion
1. How does the use of analogies help you to remember the function and anatomical features of an animal
cell part?
2. Which was the most creative cell analogy poster you observed in class? Why do you think it made an
impression on you?
Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education © 2020
ASA – Project 3.1.1 Cell Analogy Collage – Page 3
Project 3.1.1 Organelle Information Page
Q1
Where is your organelle or structure located in the animal cell? Why do you believe it is located
there?
Q2
What is the function of your organelle?
Q3
Why is the organelle important for animal cell function?
Q4
Describe what your organelle or structure is made of.
Q5
What would happen to the animal cell if this organelle or structure was missing?
Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education © 2020
ASA – Project 3.1.1 Cell Analogy Collage – Page 4
Name_____________________________________________________
Project 3.1.1 Student Observations
Table 1. Organelle Analogies
Cell Part
“Looks Like” Analogy
“Functions Like” Analogy
Relationship with Other Organelles
Cell Membrane
Centriole
Centrosome
Cytoskeleton
Cytosol
(Cytoplasm)
Endoplasmic
Reticulum
Golgi
Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education © 2020
ASA – Project 3.1.1 Cell Analogy Collage – Page 5
Table 1. Organelle Analogies
Cell Part
“Looks Like” Analogy
“Functions Like” Analogy
Relationship with Other Organelles
Lysosome
Mitochondria
Nucleolus
Nucleus
Peroxisome
Ribosomes
Secretory Vesicle
Vacuole
Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education © 2020
ASA – Project 3.1.1 Cell Analogy Collage – Page 6