Name ______________________________ Block _____
Cell Analogy Exercise
Example - The nucleus is analogous to our school’s office, because it controls or
coordinates the rest of the school’s function.
My cell analogy is based on the walled city of Avilia, Spain. (The city has a potato
plant that produces a gourmet potato product).
Nucleus – the nucleus is analogous to city hall, because it is houses the information
used to control the functions in the city.
Nucleolus – the nucleolus is analogous to the mayor’s office, because it is where the
chief decisions are made, based upon the information in that office.
Chromatin – the chromatin is analogous to the information used to make the decisions
in the mayor’s office.
Nuclear membrane – the nuclear membrane is analogous to the walls of the city hall,
because it keeps everything in the nucleus and keeps other things out.
Nuclear pore – the nuclear pore is analogous is the doors of the city hall, because they
only let in the important officials that go into the nucleus to collect information and
later come out to tell the rest of the city what to do.
Cytoplasm – the cytoplasm is analogous to the streets of the city, because that is where
things move around.
Central vacuole/Vacuole – the central vacuole is analogous to the holding warehouse of
the potato plant, because it stores the potatoes for future use.
Ribosomes – the ribosomes are analogous to the potato plant, because they produce the
finished potato product.
Proteins – the proteins are analogous to the potato product, because that is the product
produced in the plant.
Endoplasmic reticulum – the endoplasmic retriculum is analogous to the part of the
plant that puts preservatives in the potato so that when they leave the city to be
transported to another area of the country, they will stay fresh.
Name ______________________________ Block _____
Golgi apparatus – the golgi apparatus is analogous to the fedex building in the city,
because it takes the potato products and packages and ships them to other places outside
the city.
Vessel – the vessel is analogous to the trucks in the city, because they drive the potato
products around the city.
Lysosomes – the lysosomes are analogous to the people in the fed-ex building, because
they destroy the damaged potato products before they are shipped.
Mitochondria – the mitochondria are analogous to the power plants around the city,
because they produce energy needed by the city.
Chloroplast – the chloroplasts are analogous to the solar panels in the city, because they
provide energy to the potato plant.
Plasma membrane/Cell wall – the plasma membrane and the cell wall are analogous to
the city wall surrounding the city, because it handles the functions of both—it blocks
most things from coming into it, like attacks from other cities, mad cows, etc.