Materials 

*30 cm x 30 cm Aluminum Foil (Cell Wall) 

*4 Gelatin Packets, unflavored 

*2 Resealable Bags (Cell Membrane) 

*Bowl 

*Household items to represent the cell structures

*Warm Water 

 You Must Provide items noted by an *asterisk

Procedure

1. Place four packets of unflavored gelatin in a bowl. Add 4 cups of hot water to the bowl. Do not refrigerate

the mixture yet!

Note: You do not need to heat the water in a microwave. Simply run tap water until it feels warm to the touch.

2. Label each resealable bag as either “Plant Cell” or “Animal Cell”. These will serve as the cell membrane.

3. Construct a cell wall using the aluminum foil. This should be large enough to fit the resealable bag when filled with half of the gelatin and some of the cell structures.

Hint: It is helpful to make this square-shaped.

4. Using your knowledge of the cell structures (rought component of endoplasmic reticulum and free ribosomes, nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi bodies, chloroplasts) think of  household items which

can represent these structures. Find and collect these items for use in this experiment.

Hint: Colored paper may bleed when placed in gelatin.

5. Open the resealable bag labeled “Plant Cell” and pour half of the liquid gelatin into it.7. Add the items which represent plant cell structures (you must determine which items!) into the gelatin and tightly close the bag. If there is an “organelle” present in both plant and animal cells make sure to leave enough to be included in the animal cell.

6. Place the bag in the aluminum foil cell wall.

7. Open the resealable bag labeled “Animal Cell” and pour the remainder of the gelatin into it.

8. Add the items which represent animal cell structures (you must determine which items!) into the gelatin and tightly close the bag.

9. Place both “cells” into the refrigerator for 24 hours.

10. Return after 24 hours and observe the “cells” you have made. Notice the difference between the animal cell and the plant cell.