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How to Make a Model Cell for Elementary Kids

Elementary school students learn about the basic building blocks of life by crafting their own cell models. Children better understand cells as a whole system by learning about the functions of each individual cell structure. A cell model project is a hands-on activity where students form real models that help them review the science lessons learned in class. One idea for an animal cell model is to use paper plates and play dough.

Things You'll Need

Purple, pink, red, light-purple and yellow play dough
Plastic knife
Rolling pin

Instructions

- 1
  Roll the purple play dough into a ball approximately three inches in diameter for the cell's nucleus. Cut it in half with a plastic knife.
- 2
  Form a pink ball about 1/2-inch wide. Flatten it and press it into the center of one of the purple halves to form the nucleolus. Press the nucleus and nucleolus into the center of the paper plate.
- 3
  Shape red play dough into three 1-inch bean shapes. Press them onto the paper plate as the mitochondria. Roll light-purple play dough into two 1-inch balls. Push them onto the plate as the vacuoles.
- 4
  Form two orange play dough pieces into 1-inch balls. Put them onto the plate as lysosomes.
- 5
  Roll out yellow play dough with a rolling pin until it is roughly 1/4-inch thick. Cut out a rectangle from the yellow dough about 2 by 3 inches using the plastic knife. Fold it up accordion style, and press it onto the paper plate as the golgi.

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