The Giant Cell

Abstract

Do you remember how difficult it was to truly understand how the parts of the cell related to one another? As your teacher repeatedly discussed the cell and its parts with you, trying to introduce you to an understanding of the relationship of the parts to one another, it was as though he or she had been there on a fantastic joumey and was trying to help you what he or she had seen. Frequently in situations like this words fail both the student and the teacher. This paper presents a method for the teacher to take students inside a cell. One of the more difficult tasks for a teacher is to convey a concept or mental image just using words to accomplish the task. Biology students at Asheville High School are learning about the cell by visiting a cell, going inside it, looking at it, and touching its various parts to see how they relate to each other and work together so the whole cell can function and survive. In two and a half weeks students construct a cell 20 feet long, 10 feet tall, and 10 feet wide, complete with all organelles. Students of all abilities can complete the project in this amount of time. Materials used include ordinary household items and an extremely large sheet of thick garbage bag plastic. All organelles are accurately shaped and proportionally sized. They are hung from the top of the cell by invisible monofilament line. The cell constructed is generic in nature. Without chloroplasts it is an animal cell with cell membrane. When the chloroplasts are inserted, it becomes a plant cell. Student guides point out to visitors that the rigid cellulose cell wall is missing. When the cell is inflated (by a window fan, see Figure 1) the students go inside, sit on the floor, walk around, discuss all the parts, see relationships, and touch organelles in order to better