For the past couple of weeks, members of the Swain sixth grade science classes have been researching and making jumbo replicas of animal cell organelles to create a cell installation in the science room.

Our sixth grade scientists were tasked with choosing an organelle, researching the organelle's appearance and function, and making both a large replica of that organelle and an informational brochure.  

Students worked in groups to create 3D models of all the organelles of an animal cell. They sewed, glued, stuffed, cut, painted, and sprayed their organelles. The final task was to work as a class to install their organelles and produce a classroom size animal cell.  

Organelles Represented Include:

• 1 Nucleus & Nucleolus
• 1 Golgi Body
• 1 Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum
• 1 Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum
• 6 Vacuoles
• 6 Mitochondria
• 2 Centrioles 
• 6 Lysosomes
• 15 Ribosomes
• 6 Cytoskeletons 

Once the Room Cell Project was complete, all grade levels were invited to experience the cell. They were able to walk around the sixth grade science room and learn about each organelle via a QR code that linked to a brief video tour about each.