Make a cell and eat it too with this delicious and educational activity! There are lots of different ways and ingredients that you can use to build your animal cell, check out our suggestions!
What is the Difference Between Plant and Animal Cells?
What are some differences between plant and animal cells?
Animal Cells
- Don’t have a cell wall
- Circular or irregular shaped
- One or more small vacuoles
Plant Cells
- Have a cell wall
- Rectangular shaped
- One large vacuole that takes up about 90% of the cell
- Have chloroplasts to make their own food
Parts of a Cell (aka Materials Needed)
- Cell membrane – large glass cake pan (preferably round to best represent the circular shape of animal cells)
- Cytoplasm – jello mix (might need two boxes depending on the size of the pan, we recommend a light colour)
- Nucleus – Oreo
- Nucleolus – Oreo filling
- Golgi apparatus – candy belts
- Endoplasmic reticulum – shoe string candy or liquorice
- Ribosomes – sprinkles
- Mitochondria – gummy worms or raisins
- Vacuoles – gumdrops
- Lysosomes – M&M’s or smarties
How to Create an Animal Cell Diagram
Step 1
Follow the steps on the jello box to prepare it a day before you plan to do this activity.
It will need time to completely set! Make the jello in a large glass cake pan.
Step 2
Place the nucleus in the jello, offset it a little from the centre. Keep in mind that the Oreo filling is the nucleolus. The nucleolus is a lot smaller in comparison to the nucleus.
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the nucleus? … The nucleus is the “brain” of the cell. It is where the DNA is stored. The nucleus also manages all of the activities that go on in the cell!
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the nucleolus? … The nucleolus is found inside of the nucleus and is important for protein synthesis and ribosome production.
Step 3
Place the Golgi apparatus closer to the edge of the cell. Set the candy belt on its side and shape it as a repeating “S” shape to best represent the organelle’s appearance.
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the Golgi apparatus? … The Golgi apparatus is responsible for altering, moving, and packaging lipids and proteins into small packages called “vesicles” so that they can be transported to their target location within the cell.
Step 4
Cut up a couple strands of liquorice into 4 or 5 pieces to be your endoplasmic reticulum. Lay the liquorice flat on the jello around half of the nucleus. Add a couple of rows! It’ll best resemble the organelle if they aren’t lined up perfectly.
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the endoplasmic reticulum? What are the two different kinds of the endoplasmic reticulum? … The endoplasmic reticulum transports chemical compounds from and to the nucleus. The endoplasmic reticulum can be rough or soft.
Step 5
If you are using gummy worms for your mitochondria, cut them in 3 or 4 segments. They should be only a cm or two long. Place 2 or 3 anywhere in the cytoplasm. They should not be touching any other organelles.
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the mitochondria? … The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell! It converts oxygen and food into usable energy and nutrients for the cell!
Step 6
Place 2 or 3 vacuoles anywhere in the cytoplasm. They don’t need to be together!
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the vacuoles? … Vacuoles control the PH level of the cell. They also hold waste products.
Step 7
Place a handful of lysosomes (separately) around the cell.
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the lysosomes? … Lysosomes are like sacs, similar to vacuoles but they contain enzymes that can help break down complex molecules so that other organelles are more readily able to use them.
Step 8
Sprinkle some ribosomes all over the cytoplasm!
STEM Q for You: What is the function of the ribosomes? … Ribosomes build proteins for the cell to use.
Step 9
Grab a spoon and dig in! As you enjoy your treat, can you remember what each candy represents? Can you also recall the function of each organelle?
The STEM Behind the Fun
What is the function of an animal cell? … Animal cells are the basic unit of life in organisms of the Animalia kingdom. Animals are multicellular. This mean that many cells work together to form the whole organism.
What is a eukaryotic cell? … Cells are defined as either eukaryotic or prokaryotic. An animal cell is defined as a eukaryotic cell. This means that is has a nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus.
Can you name some other common cell types? … Stem cells, intestinal cells, red blood cells, muscle cells, liver cells and nerve cells.
