The Cell as a Keebler Factory

Cells are Living Systems

Welcome to the World of Cells! Introduction to Cells (2:55) Frank Gregorio

Cells are tiny systems that make up all living things, including YOU!

Tiny parts called organelles work together in this system to make proteins. This is a cell’s main job!

Proteins are important products that give you observable traits like hair, eye, and skin color.

We can compare our cell system to an everyday system we are familiar with: a Keebler Cookie Factory. You will be surprised at how similar the two really are!

Keebler Factory Cells

Our factory can make a variety of cookies.

Our cells can make a variety of proteins.

Both Systems Make A Final Product

antibody

keratin

hemoglobin

Parts to a Keebler Factory

Equivalent Parts in a Cell

Boss (Ernie Elf)Ma KeeblerCookie RecipesWorker ElvesAssembly Line of CookiesPackaging/Shipping Department (Fast

Eddie)Keebler Factory CarsCookie WarehouseSecurity DoorFactory FloorGeneratorsClean Up Crew

Nucleus Nucleolus Chromatin (DNA) Ribosomes Endoplasmic Reticulum Golgi Body Vesicles Vacuoles Cell Membrane Cytoplasm Mitochondria Lysosomes

Systems Have Parts that Work Together

PRE-THINK! Predict the function of each cell part by using what you know about the Keebler Factory parts. Write small notations in the labeled column.

Keebler Factory Cell

Ernie Elf He controls everything that

happens inside the factory.

Ma Keebler Inside Ernie’s office, trains

elf workers.

Nucleus It controls everything that

happens inside the cell.

Nucleolus inside nucleus, makes

ribosome workers.

Factories Need a Boss

nucleolus

Keebler Factory Cell

Recipes The instructions for

making delicious cookies.

DNA (chromatin) The instructions for

making important proteins.

Factories Need Instructions

Keebler Factory

Elves They read the recipes and

make cookies. They work along the

assembly line or on the factory floor.

Ribosomes They read the DNA and

make proteins. Found on ER or floating in

cytoplasm.

Factories Need Workers

Cell

Cookie Assembly Line A large conveyor belt that

moves cookies to their next location.

Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)

A maze of membranes that moves proteins to their next location.

Factories Need To Move Their Product

Keebler Factory Cell

Packing/Shipping Department

Fast Eddie packs the cookies into boxes, tags them with a tracking label, and ships them to stores to be sold or in warehouse storage.

Golgi Body It packages, tags, and

ships the proteins out of the cell or to storage.

Factories Need to Pack & Ship

Keebler Factory Cell

Keebler Factory Cars These carry the cookies

from one part of the factory to the other.

Vesicles Carries the proteins from

one part of the cell to the other. (sounds like “vehicle”)

Factories Need Vehicles

Keebler Factory Cell

Cookie Warehouse Cookies can be stored in this

room along with other raw materials until needed.

Vacuole Stores proteins along with

food and water until needed.

Factories Need Storage

Keebler Factory Cell

1. Take the six picture cards provided by your teacher and place them in the correct order to show the path a cookie takes through the Keebler factory.

2. Now create a caption for each card using six post-it notes. Stick the post-it next to the card.

3. Do the same process for the cell using the six picture cards and six NEW post-it notes.

Group Activity! – Map the Path of our Product

Keebler Factory Cell

THINK! – If you remove one of the pictures in our chain, is the cell still alive? Why or why not?

Factory Door It regulates what can enter

and exit the factory.

Cell Membrane It regulates what can enter

and exit the cell.

Factories Need Protection

Keebler Factory Cell

Factory Floor It holds all the other parts

of the factory in place.

Cytoplasm It holds all the other cell

parts in place. It’s like Jell-O.

Factories Need Space

Keebler Factory Cell

Generators They create energy so that

the factory can power its baking machines.

Mitochondria These “mighty” organelles

break down glucose (sugar) to create energy which powers the cell.

Factories Need Power

Keebler Factory Cell

Clean-Up Crew They clean the factory by

removing waste, dirt, and debris from the factory floor.

Lysosomes They clean the cell using

powerful chemicals to digest waste, old cell parts, and foreign invaders.

Factories Need to Stay Clean

Keebler Factory Cell

Cell Wall A rigid outer covering for

strength and support

Chloroplast A green organelle that

captures sunlight and turns it into food (glucose) for the plant

Large Vacuole Plant cells only have 1 large

vacuole filled with water

What could this be in our Keebler factory? Bark on hollow tree

bakery Leaves on hollow tree

bakery Water Cooler inside

break room

Plant Cells Have a Few More Parts

Keebler Factory Plant Cell

Group Activity! – Analyze the Cell as a Whole Unit

Small dots

maze

Animal Cell Plant Cell

maze

ER

nucleus

vacuole

Golgi

lysosome

Cell membrane

ribosomes

cytoplasm

mitochondrion

DNA

nucleoluschloroplast

vacuole

mitochondrion

Cell wall

cytoplasm

Cell membrane

ER

nucleolus

DNAnucleus

Visualization – The Inner Life of a Cell is Spectacular!

Now that you know a cell’s job is to make proteins, watch these proteins in action as they work to make the inner life of a cell come alive.

Harvard University selected XVIVO to develop an animation that would take their biology students on a journey through the microscopic world of cells.

ABC Report- Inner Life of Cell