Introduction: Parts of an Animal Cell

Every year I have my student design and label an animal cell for Science. This year I decided to take it a step further by introducing my students to Tinkercad. They all did an amazing job! However, I had several students that went even further by creating this instructables lesson so that any teacher could use this lesson with their students. I would like to give all the credit for this lesson to Stephan D. and Jacob C.


Supplies

https://www.tinkercad.com/

3D printer (optional)- Cell can be printed after cell design is complete

Step 1: Getting Started With Tinkercad

  1. The first step is to create a teacher account in Tinkercad.
  2. The next step is to create classes in your account.
  3. You can easily import your students from Google Classroom.
  4. Next, your students will log in with their Google accounts and they will enter your class code.

Step 2: Start Tinkering

  1. Have the students start by selecting "3D Designs" and then click on "Create new design."
  2. Have the students start with the sphere. Click and drop the sphere on the desktop.
  3. Resize it by pulling and matching the corners and sides.


Step 3: Resize Your Sphere

  1. It is much easier to work on your cell if you resize your sphere.
  2. At the right of the body of the screen, switch snapgrid from mm to inches.
  3. Then click on the corner square to show the dimensions of the sphere. 
  4. Change the length to 9”, the width to 9”, and the height to 9”.
  5. To create the cellmembrane, drag and drop another sphere onto the build plate. Change the length to 8.5”, the width to 8.5”, and the height to 8.5”. 
  6. Next, try to center the smaller sphere inside of the larger sphere.  


TIP: To center the two spheres, you can make the outer sphere a transparent color by clicking on the transparent option within the solid menu. Then try to align the center sphere by looking around the sides of the outer transparent sphere.


Step 4: Create the Cross Section of the Cell

  1. Once you have centered the smaller sphere inside of the larger sphere, draw a box around the spheres and lock them.
  2. To create the cross-section, drag and drop a box onto the grid.
  3. Change the height to 4”, the width to 11”, and the length to 6”.
  4. Then change the box to a “hole box by selecting the hole button in the top right corner.
  5. Next, align the box the same way as shown in the photo above.
  6. Next select the small sphere, large sphere, draw a box around them, then group them.
  7. You should have something that looks like the final picture.



Step 5: Add the Nucleus

  1. First, drag and drop a sphere onto the build plate, change the height, width, and length to 2.25”.
  2. Then drag and drop another sphere onto the build plate and change the height, width, and length to 2”.
  3. Then try to center the smaller sphere inside of the larger sphere, once you have centered them, group the two together.
  4. Finally, drag and drop another sphere onto the build plate and change the height, width and length to 0.75” and put it somewhere inside of the other two circles, then group them.



Step 6: Creating the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Mitochondria

Endoplasmic Reticulum

  1. First, drag and drop a scribble onto the build plate and try to draw something that resembles the ER
  2. You may also want to change the color, the color I used was, hex: fbc59a. To enter this color click on the solid button in the top right corner then click on the custom section, then there should be a little box that says “hex” next to it type “fbc59a” into the box.

Mitochondria

  1. First, drag and drop a scribble onto the build plate and try to draw something that resembles the mitochondria.
  2. Then change the height to 0.5”, the width to 0.8”, and the length to 1.8”.
  3. Then drag and drop a cylinder onto the build plate and change the height to






Step 7: Label Your Cell

  1. Finally, label the parts of the cell.
  2. Drag and drop the notes tool over to the part you want to label.
  3. Type in the names of each part.

Step 8: 3D Print Your Cell

Plastic Challenge

Participated in the
Plastic Challenge