Cell Analogy Project

You are challenged to create 12 original and appropriate functional analogies between cell
structures and everyday objects. What is an analogy? A comparison! Think about the example
done in class: the nucleus is like castle because it holds the instructions for making toys like the
nucleus holds the instructions for cellular processes in the DNA.

Directions: Follow each step and refer to the rubric to complete the project. This will be a major grade!
You can create a poster (paper or online), pop-up book , website, Prezi, etc be creative!

1. Choose a type of cell to create the analogy for: Animal Cell or Plant Cell

2. Create a theme for your analogybe creative!
Examples: cell city, school, home, kitchen, restaurants, sports

3. Organelles needed on poster = 12 total
Cell/plasma membrane
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Nucleolus
Mitochondria/mitochondrion
Golgi apparatus/ Golgi body
Ribosome
Vacuole
Rough endoplasmic reticulum
Smooth endoplasmic reticulum
Cell wall (plant cell only)
Chloroplast (plant cell only)
Flagellum (animal cell only)
Lysosome (animal cell only)

4. Find a picture of an everyday object which has a similar function/job/use as each cell structure.

5. Find a picture of the cell organelle then paste the picture of the everyday object next to the organelle.

6. Write an analogy to show the similarity between the cell part and the everyday object. Be sure to explain
the reasoning behind your analogies. (Do this next or under the pictures of the organelle and its analogy
picture.)
Example: The nucleus is like a brain because it controls and coordinates the activities of the whole cell
in the same way the brain controls and coordinates activities of the body.







Cell Analogy Project Rubric

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY 10-8 7-5 4-2 1-0
Title
Title can be read
from a distance
and is quite
creative.
Title can be read
from a distance
and describes
content well but
lacks creativity.
Title is
small/hard to
read at a
distnace and
describes the
content well but
lacks creativity.
The title is too
small and/or
does not
describe the
content of the
poster well.
Content -
Accuracy
All 12 organelles
are displayed on
the poster with
the correct
function.
8-11 organelles
are displayed on
the poster with
the correct
function.
5-7organelles
are displayed on
the poster with
the correct
function.
Less than 5
organelles are
displayed on the
poster with the
correct function.
Labels
All organelles on
the poster are
clearly labeled.
8-11 organelles
on the poster are
labeled.
5-7organelles on
the poster are
labeled.
Less than 5
organelles on
the poster are
labeled.
Creative
images
Majority of the
graphics used on
the poster reflect
a exceptional
degree of
student creativity
in their creation
and/or display.
Half of the
graphics used on
the poster reflect
student creativity
in their creation
and/or display.
The graphics are
made by the
student, but are
not creative.
No graphics
made by the
student are
included.
Relevance to
topic
All graphics are
related to the
topic and make it
easier to
understand.
All graphics are
related to the
topic and most
make it easier to
understand.
All graphics
relate to the
topic.
Graphics do not
relate to the
topic.
Analogies
The poster
includes all
required
analogies clearly
written.
The poster
includes most
required
analogies clearly
written.
The poster
includes less
than half the
required
analogies clearly
written.
The poster
includes is
missing
analogies.


Total points: ________ /60