Animal Cell Learning Tool

Ah yes, cells. The literal "building blocks" of any living thing. (unicellular, multicellular) This instructable will help teachers/educators teach the cell part of the grade 6/8 curriculum in science. The 3D model is highly detailed and costs under $10!

Lets Build!

• Clay
• Toothpicks
• A styrofoam ball
• Acrylic paint (orange,blue)
• Hot glue gun
• Container to mix paint in
• Embroidery thread
• Paper
• Paintbrush
• A permanent pen
• Pipe-cleaner(s)
• Utility knife

Anybody see the old movie "Safety second"? Anyways, BE SAFE! I got a second degree burn from a hot glue gun EXPLODING! Don't do that.

1. With your knife, cut away the styrofoam ball so that it looks something like the picture. (25% out)

I didn't have orange so I mixed red and yellow.

1. Mix.
2. Paint. (I put an old roll of tape underneath so no paint would get on the table)
3. Let it dry.

1. Get your blue.
2. Paint!
3. Let it dry.

• Add some glue on the bottom of the clay organelles to help it stick.
• Give it texture! (toothpick)

1. With some red clay, make 2 small ovals.
2. Flatten them out.
3. Add texture.

1. Get green clay.
2. Roll and flatten the little balls of it.

1. In the styrofoam, dig a small hole.
2. With your hot glue gun, fill in the holes. (that will give the membrane covered look)

1. Make a ball of turquoise and yellow.
2. Cut it to look like the picture. (Fig. #3)
3. Put texture on it. (use toothpick)
4. Add a red ball for the nucleolus.

1. Cut a slip of pink paper to match the one in the picture, it should wrap 25% around the nucleus.
2. Cut small bits of embroidery thread to glue on the pink paper.
3. With the hot glue gun, glue the threat on to the paper.
4. Attach around the nucleus.
5. Line the ER with clay.

1. With some blue clay, make small "snakes" and attach them in the fashion of squiggles.
2. Again, add texture.

1. With your toothpick, poke some dots on the clay on the ER.

The cytoplasm is the blue that you painted before.

1. With a pencil, make some lines around to make the microtubule network.

CILLA

1. Cut some pipe cleaners 1 inch long and stick them randomly around the cell.
2. Twist them, to get different shapes.

The orange paint on the outside.......

I typed out every organelle on to a page and then cut them out....

1. Put a dab of hot glue onto each little slip of paper.
2. Stick the toothpick on it.
3. Stick into each one according to organelle.

All in all, I thought it turned out well,and will help teach those kids about cells! If you liked it or have anything to add, comment and remember to vote!

Happy making, mrwonton