4th Grade Art & Science Projects — Design and Discover — Engineering and Art Challenges
Students will build a model of an animal cell and learn about the parts of a cell, understanding that God designed these tiny building blocks of life.
Every living thing is made of tiny units called cells. Cells are so small that you need a microscope to see them. God designed each cell with incredible detail and purpose — they are the basic building blocks of all life.
An animal cell has many important parts called organelles. The cell membrane is the outer covering that protects the cell and controls what goes in and out. The nucleus is the control center that holds the cell's instructions, called DNA.
Mitochondria are the power plants of the cell — they make energy for the cell to use. The cytoplasm is the jelly-like fluid that fills the cell and holds all the organelles in place. Ribosomes are tiny factories that build proteins the cell needs.
The complexity of a single cell is truly amazing. Each cell is like a tiny city with power plants, factories, a control center, and protective walls. This incredible design points to our Creator God, who made everything with wisdom and purpose.
Build a 3D model of an animal cell using a clear plastic bag for the cell membrane, gelatin or hair gel for the cytoplasm, a large gumball for the nucleus, small candies for mitochondria, and sprinkles for ribosomes. Label each part with small flags made from toothpicks and paper.