The Parts of a Cell: Football Style
By: Kayla Jones
Accelerated Chemistry
A Cell is like a Football Team…
• In order for your cell to
function correctly, you
have to have every part,
just like a Football
Team.
The Head Coach is like the Nucleus…
• Both the Head Coach
and the Nucleus control
a group. For the Coach
it would be the team
and for the Nucleus it
would be the cell.
Assistant Coaches are like the Cell
Membrane…
• The Assistant Coaches
help the Head Coach
decide which players
need to go in and out of
the game. The Cell
Membrane helps decide
what proteins goes in
and out of the Nucleus.
The Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) acts
like a Quarterback…
• The Quarterback has
the package (ball) and
he hands the package
off to the Running Back
or throws to the Wide
Receiver to move
through the Defense
(Cell). Just like the ER
packages proteins to
move through the cell.
The Cell Wall is like the Offensive
Linemen…
• The Cell wall gives
protection, support,
and structure to the cell
parts. In football, the
Offensive Linemen have
to protect the
Quarterback, and
support his pass to the
Wide Reciever.
The Golgi Apparatus is like a Running
Back…
• The Golgi must package
and ship proteins to the
other cell parts. A
Running Back must
catch the ball and
package it by tucking it
in his arm and ship it to
the in-zone.
The Mitochondrion are like the Fans
and Cheerleaders…
• In the cell, the
Mitochondrion is the
“power house”, it
provides energy for the
cell. This is known as cell
respiration. The Fans and
Cheerleaders, motivate
the players and act as a
form of energy when
they’re playing on the
field. This is called
“getting pumped”.
The Vacuole is like a Water boy…
• The Water boy is in charge of
keeping the water and in some
cases, snacks available at all times.
After the players are finished they
must pick up the waste and store it
in the trash can. Vacuoles store
waste, food, and water just like
water boys.
The Ribosome is like Gatorade…
• Gatorade has a source
of proteins within the
drink. This provides the
players an ability to use
those proteins and play
longer. The Ribosome
does this for a cell. It
provides proteins for
the cell to operate
correctly.
Plant and Animal Cell Comparison:
Plant
• Cell walls are located around
the cell for structure and
protection.
• Photosynthesis occurs in this
cell due to having chloroplasts.
• A plant cell is box shaped due
to the rigid wall.
• Plant cells are green due to
the chloroplast that has to be
present in order for
photosynthesis to occur.
• The plant cell has one large
central vacuole.
Animal
• Cytoskeletons are within a cell,
this provides them with structure
and support.
• Animal cells don’t have a
chloroplast.
• Only cell respiration occurs within
the Animal cell.
• Can be any shaped but corners
are rounded.
• Animal cells are usually white or
pink because they are blood cells.
• An Animal cell has many, small
vacuoles.