PLANT AND ANIMAL CELL PROJECT
DUE: Wednesday Sept. 9th
As we begin our studies over the structures and functions of plant and animal cells, it
is important that you understand how cells work and do their job inside our bodies. To do
this you will create a 3-D plant or animal cell.
Objective: By making a 3-D model of the cell, the student will become aware of the various
organelles and structures, which make up a plant or animal cell.
Guidelines:

You may choose to turn the project in early. If you decide to, you can receive up to
10 points extra credit on any test grade (Not to exceed a 100). Be sure to write
which cell model you are making (Plant or animal)

Project may NOT be edible at all due to critter problems arising. Thus, the model and
all cell structures must be materials found in your house, not food.

All parts of your cell must be labeled clearly in order to receive credit; I suggest using
toothpicks and pieces of paper to make little flags.

The cell should be as accurate as possible. The cell parts should be located where they
belong. For example, the nucleus should be bigger than ribosome’s and chloroplast
should be green.
o Your cell must be 3-dimensional. This means it needs to have a front, back, and
sides. It cannot be a piece of paper with things glued on it. Your plant cell
must be rectangular or your animal cell must be circular.
o Actual numbers of organelles found in real cells should be represented. Ex: Each
cell has one nucleus. Plant cells have one large vacuole. Cells have multiple
mitochondria and other organelles.
Make sure to keep this packet in a safe place. It will need to be turned in when you turn in
your cell to use the rubric to grade the project.
Good luck and enjoy your adventure to discover the functions and structures of plants and
animals cells.

If the model is an ANIMAL
CELL it must contain the
following organelles:
Materials
you may want to

If the model is a PLANT
CELL it must contain the
following organelles:
use:
1. cell
membrane
1. cell wall
2. nucleus
SUGGESTIONS:
2. cell membrane
Make sure your
3. nucleolus
3. nucleus
organelles are
4. nucleolus
secure before you
5. nuclear membrane
move it.
 Styrofoam balls
Craftmembrane
foam
4. nuclear
Beads
5. vacuole
Yarn
6. mitochondria
7. lysosome
Pipe Cleaners
8. endoplasmic
reticulum
Felt
6. vacuole
7. mitochondria
8. chloroplast
9. ribosome
9. endoplasmic reticulum
Pom Pom balls
10. cytoplasm
 Crayola molding clay or 10. cytoplasm
11. Golgi Apparatus
11. Golgi Apparatus
foam
Organelle
1. Cell membrane
Description
Animal Cell
Grading Key
Function
1. Thin flexible membrane
1. Allows materials like food and
that contains
oxygen to enter the cell and harmful
phospholipids.
waste products to leave the cell
through the phospholipids.
2. Forms the outside
boundary that separates
2. Keeps the cytoplasm inside
the animal cell from its
environment.
2. Nucleus
Large oval structure
1. Acts as the brain of the cell
2. Directs all cells activities
3. Nucleolus
Small nucleus
Stores materials to makes ribosomes
4. Nuclear
Thin flexible membrane
1. Allows material to pass into and
that contains pores.
out of the nucleus.
Membrane
2. Protects the nucleus
5. Chromosomes
1. Thin strand of DNA.
2. Doubled rod of
condensed chromatin
containing DNA.
Directs the functions of the cell
6. Vacuole
1. water filled sac floating
Stores water, food and waste
in the cytoplasm.
products.
2. Some animals cells have
small vacuoles while others
do not have any.
7. Mitochondria
1. Bean shaped structure.
1. Produces most of the energy the
cell needs to carry out cell
2. The powerhouse of the
functions.
cell.
2. Muscle cells and vary active cells
have large numbers.
8. Lysosomes
1. Small round structures
1. Break down large food particles
that contain chemicals.
into smaller ones.
2. The cells clean up crew.
2. Breaks down old cell parts into
substances that can be used again.
9. Endoplasmic
reticulum
1. Flattened sacks stacked
1. Carries protein and other
side by side.
materials around the cell.
2. Cloth folded back and
2. Some lead to the cell membrane
forth.
and out of the cell.
3. Maze of clear tube like
passageways.
10. Ribosomes
1. Small bead like
Makes proteins
structures.
2. Found on the
endoplasmic reticulum and
floating within the
cytoplasm
11. Cytoplasm
Fluid
Surrounds all the cell’s organelles
Plant Cell Grading Key
Organelle
1. Cell Wall
Description
Made of cellulose a
Function
1. Protect the plant.
nonliving tough and rigid
material, yet flexible
2. Gives support to plant cells and
thus the plant.
3. Protects the cell membrane
from tearing.
2. Cell membrane
1. Thin flexible membrane
1. Allows materials like food and
that contains
oxygen to enter the cell and
phospholipids.
harmful waste products to leave
the cell through the phospholipids.
2. Located just inside the
3. Nucleus
cell wall of plant cells.
2. Keeps the cytoplasm inside
Large oval structure
1. Acts as the brain of the cell
2. Directs all cells activities
4. Nucleolus
Small nucleus
5. Nuclear
Thin flexible membrane
1. Allows material to pass into and
that contains pores.
out of the nucleus.
Membrane
Stores materials to makes
ribosomes
2. Protects the nucleus.
6. Chromosomes
1. Thin strand of DNA
Directs the functions of the cell
2. Doubled rod of
condensed chromatin
containing DNA
7. Vacuole
1. water filled sac floating
Stores water, food and waste
in the cytoplasm.
products.
2. Most plants have one
large vacuole.
8. Mitochondria
1. Bean shaped structure.
1. Produces most of the energy
the cell needs to carry out cell
2. The powerhouse of
functions.
the cell.
2. Muscle cells and vary active
cells have large numbers.
9. Chloroplast
1. Large green structure
1. Captures sunlight energy and
floating in the cytoplasm.
use it to produce food.
2. Found only in plant
2. Gives green plants their color.
cells and most protists.
10. Endoplasmic
reticulum
1. Flattened sacks stacked
1. Carries protein and other
side by side
materials around the cell.
2. Some lead to the cell
2. Cloth folded back and
membrane and out of the cell.
forth.
3. Maze of clear tube
like passageways.
11. Cytoplasm
Fluid
Surrounds all the cell’s organelles
Name: ___________________________________ Number: _________ Date:
___________
You will use the attached rubric to see which organelles need to be present,
accurate, and labeled. You will turn your copy of the rubric when you turn
in your 3-D model.
Cell Rubric
Unacceptable
Developing
Well Done
Exceeds
Features
8
12
16
20
Construc
Cell lacks
Cell has a fair Cell has a
Cell is outstanding
tion
structural
design. Some
good design.
in design. It is
design. Many
organelles are
All organelles
evident that the
organelles are
missing.
are present.
design was
missing.
thoroughly
planned. The cell
demonstrates
outstanding
efforts to match
the structure of
each organelle.
Proporti
* 6 or less
* 7 organelles
* 8 to 9
All organelles are
on
organelles are
are in
organelles are
in proportion to
in proportion
proportion to
in proportion
each other and to
to each other
each other
to each other the cell and in
and to the
and to the
and to the
the correct
cell.
cell.
cell.
location.
* 6 or less
*7 organelles
* 8 to 9
organelles are
are in the
organelles are
in the correct
correct
in the
location.
location.
correct
Score
location.
Details
Parts of cells
More detail
Most
All organelles and
are generalized
needed to
organelles and
cell parts are
“blobs” of
recognize
cell parts are
accurately detailed
color. Numbers
organelles and
accurately
and clearly
of organelles
cell parts.
detailed and
represented.
are not
Numbers of
clearly
Actual numbers of
representative
organelles are
represented.
organelles are
of an actual
somewhat
Actual
represented.
cells.
represented.
numbers of
organelles are
represented.
Labels
6 or less
7-8 organelles 9 to 10
All 11 organelles
organelles are
are labeled
organelles are
are labeled
labeled properly properly and
labeled
properly and
and are not
fairly easy to
properly and
neatly written or
written clearly.
read.
clearly
typed.
written.
Cell Type Model is
Model is a
Cell models
unrecognizable
replica of a
represent
as a cell
generalized
animal or
cell
plant cells
Points earned_________
Cell models
clearly
represent
animal or
plant cells