Name:______________________________
Group:______________________
Unit 3-Cell Analogy Performance Task
Background:
All living things, from the tree outside your window, to your pet, to your own body
are made of many tiny living cells. Each cell is the smallest unit of life and is so
small a microscope is needed to see it. Believe it or not, the human body is
actually made of about 5 trillion cells.
Cells work together to form organs, organs work together to form body systems,
and body systems work together to make the entire body tick. For example, brain
cells work together to form the brain, the brain and nerves throughout your body
work together to form the nervous system, and the nervous system works with all
the other organ systems in your body, such as your digestive system.
While cells are the smallest living unit of life, when looking at a cell more closely
you realize that it is actually subdivided into organelles. Organelles perform all
the tasks a cell needs to do, such as using food to make energy and removing
wastes. Each type of cell (some examples are muscle cells, brain cells, and blood
cells) is specialized to perform the tasks they need to accomplish to keep the cell
alive.
It’s only common sense that if you are able to relate things you learned in class to
everyday things, you’ll remember it better. It’s not every day that you and your
friends sit around at the mall discussing the rough endoplasmic reticulum.
However, you probably do discuss things like cars, your homes, and places to visit,
etc… Therefore, your task in this assignment is to relate the different cell
organelles to an everyday situation or thing using an analogy.
An analogy is a comparison of two things that are the same in some ways, but not
in others. Usually, when comparing two things you may use the word “like”. For
example, someone may say a light bulb is like the sun. It is an analogy since both a
light bulb and the sun give off light, so they have a similar function, but what
they look like is very different. The sun is a star while a light bulb clearly is not.
This is an example of an analogy where the function of the two things is similar,
but not what it looks like. An example of an analogy of two things that look alike
but do not do similar things is that of a rope and electrical wire. They generally
look very similar, but rope is used to tie things together while electrical wire is
used to carry electricity. In a very good analogy, the two things being compared
will be similar in BOTH what it is used for and what it looks like.
Name:______________________________
Group:______________________
Performance Task
Georgia Performance Standards
S7L2. Students will describe the structure and function of cells, tissues, organs, and
organ systems.
b. Relate cell structures (cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria)
to basic cell functions.
Non-Negotiable
1) You will come up with an analogy for the cell of your choice (plant or
animal) and its organelles. You cannot use a city, factory, or school since
those are the examples we are using in class.
Example: the Cell City
The nucleus of a cell is the main control center of the cell. It holds all of
the information needed for the cell to function properly. Therefore, it is
like city hall because this is where the information, policy and governing is
done to run the city.
The mitochondria of a cell are where energy (ATP) is created through the
breakdown of glucose (fuel) in a process known as cellular respiration. In a city,
the power plant would be similar to a mitochondria because this is where
electricity (energy) is made from fuel (coal) in a process known as combustion.
2) Your analogy will be depicted in at least a one page story that represents
a cell and its organelles. You should compare roles of at least 8 organelles to
a part of the analogy.
Choices:
You must choose only one
_____ Illustrate your short story. Identify the analogy in each picture
and explain how it has a similar job to a cell organelle.
_____ Make a 3D model of your analogies. (For example: if you did your
analogies using a city then you would make the city structures and label
them as the cell organelles.)
_____ Debate: Which two organelles are the most important for the cell
to have? You must defend your answer with supporting facts and details.
Name:______________________________
Group:______________________
Cells Performance Task Checklist
(Keep up with your due dates by using your checklist.)
Choose an animal or plant cell. Which one did you choose? ___________.
Due Date:
Choose something in the world that is like an animal or plant cell (other than a
school or city). What did you choose? ______________.
Due Date:
Choose at least 8 organelles in your cell to create analogies comparing the
organelle to the part of the world that you chose. Which organelles did you
choose?
___________________________________________________________.
Due Date:
Create at least 8 analogies using the example on your instruction page. This must
be turned in on a separate sheet of paper.
Due Date:
Choose one “choice” from your menu using your previously made analogies.
Due Date:
Make sure that you have all parts of your task are placed in a folder, clip, or
staple all pages together in that order with your rubric on top. Turn in to your
teacher by the required due date.
Due Date
**The following are suggested places or things that you can focus your analogies around.
These are merely suggestions. Feel free to come up with your own.
Camp
Car
Airport
Prison
Bakery
Fire Station
Mall
McDonalds
My House
Zoo
Football Team
Police Department
Movie Theater
Farm
Cruise Ship
Hospital
YMCA
Church
Airplane
Disneyworld
Blockbuster
School Bus
Football Stadium
Train
Name:______________________________
Group:______________________
Cell Unit Performance Task Menu Rubric
Criteria
Content:
Is everything
included, complete,
and were directions
followed
completely?
Accuracy:
Is all information in
the product
accurate?
Creativity:
Is the product
original?
Your own analogies,
story, debate, etc.
Grammar/Spelling:
Is the project free of
spelling and
grammatical errors?
Appropriate
Communication:
Is the information in
the product well
communicated?
Excellent
Good
Poor
Self
Full Credit
Half Credit
No Credit
20 points
15 points
10 points
(How you think you
did)
N/A
Only one portion is
missing or directions
were not completely
followed for one
portion. Missing more
than one portion will
make you receive zero
points in this section.
All parts are
completed and
turned in on time. All
directions were
followed for each
portion.
All portions are done
correctly (analogies
are set up properly,
etc) and all
information is
correct.
Only one portion
was done incorrectly
or only one portion
has some incorrect
information.
Only one portion was
done incorrectly and
only one portion has
incorrect information.
If more than this is
incorrect then you will
not receive credit for
this portion.
Presentation of
information is from
new perspective.
Graphics are
original. Product
includes an element
of fun and interest.
Presentation of
information is from
a new perspective.
Graphics are not
original. Product has
elements of fun and
interest.
There is no evidence
of new thoughts or
perspectives in the
product.
All portions are
virtually free of
spelling and/or
grammatical
mistakes.
There are several
spelling and/or
grammatical
mistakes throughout
this project.
There are numerous
grammatical and/or
spelling mistakes
throughout this
project.
All information is
neat and easy to
read. Product is in
appropriate format
and shows
significant effort.
Most of the product
is neat and easy to
read. Product is in
appropriate format
and shows
significant effort.
The product is not neat
and easy to read or the
product is not in the
appropriate format. It
does not show
significant effort.
Name:______________________________
Group:______________________