Edible Cells ~ A Science Project

Making an Edible Cell Science Experiment couldn’t’ be easier! Here is a step by step instructions on how to create your very own Edible Cell at home with your kids for an at-home Science Experiment. This is the perfect first Science Project to conduct at home for homeschooling.

How to Make an Edible Cell Science Project

This Science Project goes along with Lesson One in Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology. I have other supplements as well if you are interested and they are over here and here.

Lesson One in Apologia’s Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology taught all about cells. learned a lot about cells. An Edible Cell Science Project will ensure that nothing is forgotten from this chapter. Mke an edible Jell-O cell to help remember the different parts of a cell. Candy will be used for this science project to represent your organelles. Options are given below for some of the organelles. Choose whichever kind of candy you would like to use.

We’ve finally started on our Science Experiments for the year and the kids are loving the experiments.

Last year we left off at Kit 13 from the Young Scientist Kits and the kiddos are ready to get going on our packets for this year. I did not order the Young Scientist Kits again this year because we really didn't have great luck with the experiments last year. I loved the pre-packaged complete kits and how they were laid out and how well they explained everything. What I didn't like was that I think the actual products were very old and they rarely worked {unless I would use new materials from our home}.

Because of this, I ordered our science experiment kits from Apologia this year. We are using the Apologia Exploring Creation with Human Anatomy and Physiology text this year and the Apologia Anatomy and Physiology Lab Kit will work great for us.

This kit has everything pre-packaged and is well laid out as well. The kit is to be used with the book where the hands-on experiments actually are located. The kit includes all the supplies needed for the experiments in labeled bags for each lesson.

I only ordered one science kit box and I have three children so I know I will be doing some searching this year to make sure that each child will have an opportunity to conduct their own science. We will have to share some experiments, but I think this kit will work out well.

I will likely order a couple of the Young Scientist Kits to use with the Apologia Anatomy lab, but I will only order the kits that are anatomy related.

This past week we created an Edible Cell as we were covering why we need cells in our bodies. The kiddos were able to create an “edible cell” using jello and a variety of candies.

HOW TO MAKE AN EDIBLE CELL AT HOME

SUPPLIES NEEDED: 

•  A sharp steak knife and a parent to use it

•  A spoon

•  A plate

•  A glass or ceramic cereal bowl (You’ll need one for each cell you intend to make.)

•  Cooking spray, like Pam

•  A box of yellow-colored Jell-O (This will be the cytoplasm.)

•  A box of unflavored Knox Gelatin (This will be used to keep your cell together as you add organelles.)

•  A jelly bean or a peanut M&M candy (This will represent a mitochondrion, which is the singular of mitochondria.)

•  Several Skittles, Everlasting Gobstoppers or M&M candies (These will be the lysosomes.)

•  A Starburst Gummiburst or several Smarties (These will make the Golgi body.)

•  A Fruit Roll Up (This will be the endoplasmic reticulum.)

•  Nerds or cake sprinkles (These will be the ribosomes.)

•  Tubular cake sprinkles or Twizzler Pull and Peels (These will be the centrioles.)

•  A large gumdrop, jawbreaker, or round chocolate truffle (This will be the nucleus.)

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Mix the Jell-O according to the package directions, but add one package from the Knox gelatin box and one extra cup of cold water.

2.   Spray cooking spray on the inside surface of your bowl.

3.   Pour your Jell-O/Knox mixture into your bowl. If there is any leftover, do whatever you want with it. Remember, you could make more cells.

4.   Let the Jell-O/Knox mixture (the cytoplasm) harden for several hours (overnight is preferred).

5.   Once the cytoplasm is hardened, use a sharp steak knife to cut out small segments of the Jell-O, where each organelle will be placed.  Be certain not to cut all the way through. Try to make your cut and match the size of the organelle you will place in the cytoplasm.

6.   Once you have finished placing your organelles into the cytoplasm, carefully turn the bowl over onto a plate. You’ve just made an edible cell!

7.   Take some photographs of your cell for your notebook. Eat and enjoy!

Edible Cells ~ A Science Project

We mixed our jello with extra gelatin (all supplied), and poured it into bowls to set. Each child had their own bowl and had to wait for the jello to set. My little one didn't want to wait and placed all her candy in right away. The candy did bleed a bit in the unset jello, but it was fine. After the Cytoplasm {aka: jello} set, we made slits in it to add the cell parts.  We used the following cady in our Edible Cell:

A gumball / Chocolate Truffle = the Nucleus

Jelly Beans = a Mitochondrion

Several Skittles & M&Ms = the Lysosomes

Several  Smarties = the Golgi body

A Fruit Roll up (cut into slices) = the Endoplasmic Reticulum {ER}

Nerds = the Ribosomes

 Licorice = the Centrioles

Edible Cells ~ A Science Project

None of the kiddos wanted to eat the edible cell. My kiddos don't much care for the jello to eat on a normal day and I thought they would eat their edible cell filled with candy. But it was a no go. However, making their very own edible cell was fun and it helps to memorize the names of the parts of the cell.

How to Make an Edible Cell Science Project
How to Make an Edible Cell Science Project