School as a Plant Cell!

The Nucleus
The main office
of a school is like
the nucleus. All
of the schools
activities are
directed in the
office, just like
the nucleus
controls the
cells activities.

Chromosomes
The principals
and office staff
within the office
are like the
chromosomes
within the
nucleus. They
hold the
operating plans
for the entire

The Cell Wall

The fences around the school are
like the cell wall. The fences are
outside of the school, and only
allow certain things to pass through
openings.

The Cell Membrane

The outside
doors of the
school are like
the membrane of
the cell. The
doors serve as
gatekeepers for
the school, just
like the
membrane does

The Cytoplasm
Cytoplasm holds
things in the cell and
allows transport. In
a similar way, the
school hallways
make up a lot of the
school, and people
are transported
through them.

The Mitochondria
In the cell, the
mitochondria is
the powerplant. In the
school, the
furnace/power
room does this,
providing energy
and heat to the
entire school.

Vacuoles
The storage rooms in a school are like
the vacuoles of cells. Cells store water &
nutrients (important for cell function);
while, schools store important items.

Chloroplasts
Classrooms are
learning factories
of schools (a
main role of a
school!). They
are like
chloroplasts,
which are food
factories (a main
role of plant

Ribosomes
Ribosomes make
proteins using
instructions from
the nucleus, just
like the Bistro
creates food
(proteins) for
students to eat.

The E.R.
The E.R. transports proteins around
the cell. The trays in the lunchroom
are used to transport the food
around.

The Golgi Apparatus

Just like the Golgi
apparatus
packages and
ships proteins out
of a cell, buses
pack up students
and carry them
out of the school
yard.

Lysosomes
Custodians clean the school and
remove unwanted material (garbage).
This is like the lysosomes, which
patrol and clean (destroy harmful
things) in the cell.

Create Your Own!

Now it is time to create your own
cell analogy (comparison). It can
either be a plant or an animal cell.
For an animal cell, all 10 parts must
be used. If doing a plant cell, all 12
parts must be used.
Visuals are not required
You may not use a school for your
own.