Download Cell Analogies Challenge Brief

Cell Analogies | Challenge Brief
Project Based Learning is a new way for students and teachers to experience education,
however it is often misunderstood. Parents, students, and teachers often have trouble
figuring out what to do with PBL and how to make it work.
Driving Question:
How can you demonstrate effective Project Based Learning in a real classroom by creating an
analogy that compares cells and cell parts to non-scientific organization?
Project Requirements:
Your project must include a non-scientific organizational analogy that compares to an
organic cell. You may present this analogy in any creative way you choose including (but not
limited to)
- A video
- A Prezi
- A Microsoft Sway
- A website
- A model
- A skit
Your project must include the following information:
1. Identify the basic characteristics of organisms, including prokaryotic or eukaryotic,
unicellular or multicellular, autotrophic or heterotrophic, and mode of reproduction,
that further classify them in the currently recognized Kingdoms.
 What makes things be classified as being "alive?" Can a single cell be considered
to be alive? Why? Are all cells the same or can they be different? If so, in what
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way? In what ways do many non-living things (or groups of things) seem to be
"alive?"
2. Recognize levels of organization in plants and animals, including cells, tissues, organs,
organ systems, and organisms.
 Using your analogy, describe how each level of organic organization is related to
levels of organization in your example. For instance, in the United States, each
middle school is a cell, all middle schools in the district are a tissue, all schools
that make the district are an organ, every district in the county makes up an
organ system, and every county district in Texas makes up an organism. Apply
this example to your analogy.
3. Differentiate between structure and function in plant and animal cell organelles,
including cell membrane, cell wall, nucleus, cytoplasm, mitochondrion, chloroplast, and
vacuole.
 Describe the following cell parts and relate them all to your group's analogy

cell membrane

cell wall

nucleus

cytoplasm

mitochondrion/mitochondria

chloroplast

Vacuole
4. Compare the functions of a cell to the functions of organisms such as waste removal.
 Think of how all of the above systems in your analogy relate to systems in a
cell and systems in an organism. For example, in a school the principal's office
can be considered to the like the nucleus of a cell and like the brain of a human
body.
5. Recognize that according to cell theory all organisms are composed of cells and cells
carry on similar functions such as extracting energy from food to sustain life.
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