The Cell as a Keebler
Factory
Cells
are
Living
Systems
 Welcome to the World of Cells!
Introduction to Cells (2:55) Frank Gregorio
 Cells are tiny systems that make up all living
things, including YOU!
 Tiny parts called organelles work together in
this system to make proteins. This is a
cell’s main job!
 Proteins are important products that give you
observable traits like hair, eye, and skin
color.
 We can compare our cell system to an
everyday system we are familiar with: a
Keebler Cookie Factory. You will be
surprised at how similar the two really are!
Both Systems Make A Final Product
Cells
Keebler Factory
 Our factory can make a
variety of cookies.
 Our cells can make a
variety of proteins.
keratin
antibody
hemoglobin
Systems Have Parts that Work Together
Parts to a Keebler Factory
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Boss (Ernie Elf)
Ma Keebler
Cookie Recipes
Worker Elves
Assembly Line of Cookies
Packaging/Shipping Department (Fast Eddie)
Keebler Factory Cars
Cookie Warehouse
Security Door
Factory Floor
Generators
Clean Up Crew
Equivalent Parts in a Cell
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Nucleus
Nucleolus
Chromatin (DNA)
Ribosomes
Endoplasmic Reticulum
Golgi Body
Vesicles
Vacuoles
Cell Membrane
Cytoplasm
Mitochondria
Lysosomes
PRE-THINK! Predict the function of each cell part by using what you know
about the Keebler Factory parts. Write small notations in the labeled column.
Factories Need a Boss
Keebler Factory
Cell
Ernie Elf
 He controls everything that
happens inside the factory.
Nucleus
 It controls everything that
happens inside the cell.
Ma Keebler
 Inside Ernie’s office, trains elf
workers.
Nucleolus
 inside nucleus, makes ribosome
workers.
nucleolus
Factories Need Instructions
Keebler Factory
Recipes
 The instructions for making
delicious cookies.
Cell
DNA (chromatin)
 The instructions for making
important proteins.
Factories Need Workers
Keebler Factory
Elves
 They read the recipes and make
cookies.
 They work along the assembly
line or on the factory floor.
Cell
Ribosomes
 They read the DNA and make
proteins.
 Found on ER or floating in
cytoplasm.
Factories Need To Move Their Product
Keebler Factory
Cookie Assembly Line
 A large conveyor belt that
moves cookies to their next
location.
Cell
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
 A maze of membranes that
moves proteins to their next
location.
Factories Need to Pack & Ship
Keebler Factory
Packing/Shipping Department
 Fast Eddie packs the cookies into
boxes, tags them with a tracking
label, and ships them to stores to
be sold or in warehouse storage.
Cell
Golgi Body
 It packages, tags, and ships the
proteins out of the cell or to
storage.
Factories Need Vehicles
Keebler Factory
Keebler Factory Cars
 These carry the cookies from
one part of the factory to the
other.
Cell
Vesicles
 Carries the proteins from one
part of the cell to the other.
(sounds like “vehicle”)
Factories Need Storage
Keebler Factory
Cookie Warehouse
 Cookies can be stored in this
room along with other raw
materials until needed.
Cell
Vacuole
 Stores proteins along with food
and water until needed.
Group Activity! – Map the Path of our Product
Keebler Factory
1. Take the six picture cards
provided by your teacher and
place them in the correct order
to show the path a cookie takes
through the Keebler factory.
2. Now create a caption for each
card using six post-it notes.
Stick the post-it next to the
card.
Cell
3. Do the same process for the cell
using the six picture cards and six
NEW post-it notes.
THINK! – If you
remove one of the
pictures in our
chain, is the cell
still alive? Why or
why not?
Factories Need Protection
Keebler Factory
Cell
Factory Door
 It regulates what can enter and
exit the factory.
Cell Membrane
 It regulates what can enter and
exit the cell.
Factories Need Space
Keebler Factory
Factory Floor
 It holds all the other parts of
the factory in place.
Cell
Cytoplasm
 It holds all the other cell parts
in place. It’s like Jell-O.
Factories Need Power
Keebler Factory
Generators
 They create energy so that the
factory can power its baking
machines.
Cell
Mitochondria
 These “mighty” organelles
break down glucose (sugar) to
create energy which powers the
cell.
Factories Need to Stay Clean
Keebler Factory
Clean-Up Crew
 They clean the factory by
removing waste, dirt, and
debris from the factory floor.
Cell
Lysosomes
 They clean the cell using
powerful chemicals to digest
waste, old cell parts, and
foreign invaders.
Plant Cells Have a Few More Parts
Keebler Factory
 What could this be in our
Keebler factory?
 Bark on hollow tree bakery
 Leaves on hollow tree bakery
 Water Cooler inside break
room
Plant Cell
Cell Wall
 A rigid outer covering for
strength and support
Chloroplast
 A green organelle that captures
sunlight and turns it into food
(glucose) for the plant
Large Vacuole
 Plant cells only have 1 large
vacuole filled with water
Group Activity! – Analyze the Cell as a Whole Unit
Animal Cell
maze
ER
Plant Cell
chloroplast
nucleolus
Cell membrane
DNA
nucleus
vacuole
vacuole
mitochondrion
Cell membrane
maze
cytoplasm
ER
mitochondrion
Golgi
lysosome
cytoplasm
ribosomes
Small dots
nucleolus
Cell wall
nucleus
DNA
Visualization –
The Inner Life
of a Cell is
Spectacular!
Now that you know a cell’s job is to
make proteins, watch these
proteins in action as they work to
make the inner life of a cell come
alive.
Harvard University selected XVIVO
to develop an animation that would
take their biology students on a
journey through the microscopic
world of cells.
ABC Report- Inner Life of Cell