Cell Brochure

Overview

Students will be creating a travel brochure that describes a cell as an attraction.  A brochure is a pamphlet with words and pictures that describes a place and why you should go spend your money there.  Students will accurately describe/draw/explain at least 12 organelles (attractions) and their functions in this creative brochure. It is important that your analogies make sense and relate to the actual function of the cell organelle you are describing.  Some students in the past have chosen a restaurant, state, capital building, hotel or tv show, the brochure options are endless!  Humor and creativity are strongly encouraged! I have many examples in class to spark your imagination.

For instance if you were using an analogy of the golgi in a restaurant brochure:  

DO:  "If you have a to-go order, Greg the Golgi will ship your vesicle lunch right to your car, make sure you tip him for his packaging of your lunch, labeling and delivering it to you."  
Remember that a brochure is trying to get people to visit your location or to sell a service.  
DON'T:  "Greg is the Golgi because he delivers the food."

Requirements

Items that you need to include in your brochure:

• Cover: has the name of the "attraction place,” drawn and colored illustration of the attraction/cell.

• Analogies:  Each creatively written analogy is described and represented with a colored picture.  See the Dos and Don'ts above.  The pictures can be drawn, traced or printed off the computer.  Organelles can be grouped (like the cell wall and cell membrane together on one picture).  Each organelle/attraction states describes the real life function as it relates to your attraction.  Creativity is the key! 

  1. 1. 1. • Working alone:  9 organelles

           • Partners:  A minimum of 12 organelle "attractions" 

           • Groups of 3: ONLY WITH APPROVAL:  15 organelle analogies   

Time given in class

Students can work individually or some can work with a partner of their choosing for this in class assignment.  20 minute chunks of time will be given almost daily with the expected progress timeline listed below.  If you are working individually you can be a little behind the timeline, and if you are working in a group of 3 you should be moving ahead of the timeline because of the 15 organelle requirement.  

• Day 1:  Brainstorm on form given.  Come up with the location and which organelle analogies you want to choose.  Feel free to choose organelles not on the list like ATP, microtubules, cytoskeleton etc.  

• Day 2:  Work on the brainstorm form matrix.  A very rough draft (no writing or pictures), just figuring out where your organelles will go and which ones you want to group together.  Decide if you want a larger brochure or a smaller brochure.  How will you fold this brochure?  How will you fill all space (even the space on the back).

• Day 3:  Start Final Draft and complete the Title and ONE organelle analogy and picture. 

• Day 4:  3 organelles TOTAL (one from yesterday and 2 for today) with descriptions and pictures

• Day 5:  a total of 6 organelles completed with pictures

• Day 6: 9 organelles completed

• Day 7: 12 organelles completed

• Day 8: color and fine tune the project

• Day 9: finish the project and get ready to turn later this week.  

Grading

Brochures will be evaluated by accuracy of organelle descriptions, pictures, design, creativity, and if it "sells" your concept.   

• Minimum organelle analogy depending on the size of your group.

• Each analogy is accurate, has a description and a picture.  Some analogies can be grouped like the vesicle and Golgi or the Nucleus/nuclear membrane/chromosome/nucleolus all grouped with one picture.  

• Brochure is visually appealing with little empty space

• Brochure is enticing "selling" people to visit their location. Descriptions are more analytical than just: "The owner is the nucleus that makes all the decisions."  

• Clever and humorous analogies throughout the brochure

• Remember:  DO:  Sample some of our yummy drinks from our Vacuole machine that will store the soda and is ready to keep you hydrated during your visit!

Don't:  The soda machine is a vacuole because it stores water.