■ Performance Task: Cell City Blueprint
Objective:
Students will create a visual analogy comparing a cell (and its organelles) to a functioning city, labeling
each organelle with its city equivalent and briefly explaining its function.
Materials Needed:
• Cartolina or bond paper
• Coloring materials (markers, crayons, or colored pencils)
• Ruler (optional, for neat lines)
• Digital tool (optional: Google Drawings, Canva, etc.)
• Notebook/pen for drafting ideas
Instructions:
• Imagine a cell as a city where each organelle is a part of that city (e.g., nucleus = city hall,
mitochondria = power plant).
• Draw a city map on a blank sheet of cartolina/bond paper or use a digital tool (Google Drawings,
Canva).
• Include at least these organelles: Nucleus, Cell membrane, Mitochondria, Ribosomes,
Endoplasmic Reticulum (smooth and rough), Golgi apparatus, Vacuole, Lysosome, Cytoplasm.
• Label each organelle with its name and city analogy.
• Write 1 short sentence per organelle explaining its function using the analogy.
Bonus (Optional):
• Add a short note about how cell theory applies to all cells in the city.
• Indicate whether your city is more like a plant cell or an animal cell and justify your choice.
■■ Time Limit: 45–50 minutes (with 10 minutes for sharing or a gallery walk if time permits)
■ Rubric (Sample for Quick Grading):
• Includes all required organelles — 10 points
• Accurate analogies — 10 points
• Clear, brief function statements — 10 points
• Creativity and neatness — 10 points
• Bonus: Cell theory/plant vs animal cell — +5 points
