Cell Structure and Function
Project: Create a Model of a Cell Membrane
How can you construct a 3-D model of a cell membrane?
Teacher Note
This project can be used as a formative or summative assessment. It is an extension of the lab in which students created a model of the atom. This should be used as a basis for class discussion of the cell membrane.
In this activity, you will create a 3-D model of a cell membraneglossary term (opens in a new window) using household materials. The cell membrane needs to include the phospholipid bilayer, an integral protein, a peripheral protein, an ion channelglossary term (opens in a new window), and an ion pumpglossary term (opens in a new window). As you are constructing your model, write down what each material represents and the purpose for it. For example, if you are using cotton swabs to represent the phospholipid bilayer, you might say that each cotton bud is a hydrophilic head and the stick is the hydrophobic tail.
