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Original poster

Help - making a cake to look like a pollen cell

22 replies

twosoups1972 · 20/01/2019 11:01

11 year old dd has been set this delightful (!) task to make a 3D model of a cell. She has chosen to make a cake pollen cell.

She has a rough idea of what she's doing - I have a hemispherical cake tin in which we'll make 2 cakes and put them together to make a sphere. Then she said to cut out a segment showing the inside. And she said something about icing.

Does anyone have any ideas how to show the different parts of the cell?

Dd is ASD and I'm already feeling the stress Hmm

OP posts:
sackrifice · 20/01/2019 11:04

My first thought is that will never make it to class.

Can she make it and then take loads of photos and print out the photos so that when it ends up a sodden mess she still has something to show for it?

Also does it have to be an edible cake? Can she use something non edible [and non-slideaboutable] to demonstrate whatever it is she wants to demonstrate?

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 20/01/2019 11:05

She's already decided that's what she wants to do. Don't think I can persuade her out of it.

OP posts:
greenelephantscarf · 20/01/2019 11:05

writing icing?

tbh looking at this - I would just make a round cake.
butter icing on top. green icing sleeve. writing icing for details.

Help - making a cake to look like a pollen cell

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TheCrowFromBelow · 20/01/2019 11:06

Google pollen cell diagram as you will need this to refer to.

If you make cake pops it could work but a hemisphere might would be easier with icing on top.

DS1 used pipe cleaners and fluffy balls for his cell. DS2 has s different science teacher (thank goodness!)

Disfordarkchocolate · 20/01/2019 11:08

We thought about cake briefly for a similar assignment, quickly changed to using lego. It worked really well and was kept at the school as an example as it was robust. Good luck, at the very least you get to eat any test cake.

JamAtkins · 20/01/2019 11:12

I would just do one hemisphere. Doing 2 and cutting a segment will be structurally much more difficult. Cover the flat side with one colour of fondent for the cytoplasm. And the curved side in another for the cell wall. Make the organelles (no idea what a pollen cell has) out of different colour fondent and if she can be arsed do 2 of them all to do a ‘key’ that can go on the board/tray.

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 20/01/2019 11:13

What's the point of this useless project anyway??

OP posts:
BornInAThunderstorm · 20/01/2019 11:16

Cake makers often use marshmallow rice crispie cakes to make a more sturdy shape, covered with fondant it looks the same.

If she is determined to do cake you could do the bottom hemisphere with crispies for strength and cake for the top, which you could cut into for the segment

WinkyisbackontheButterBeer · 20/01/2019 11:19

These aren’t pollen cells but could something similar work?

Help - making a cake to look like a pollen cell
Help - making a cake to look like a pollen cell
Help - making a cake to look like a pollen cell
AnnaFang · 20/01/2019 11:41

It was pretty pointless! The amount of effort just wasn't worth it and a waste of food too. The kids at school didn't get to eat it, and I wouldn't have wanted to after it had been sitting in a classroom or lab for a week. As I remember one of mine did jelly with sweets, raisins etc for the nucleus and other bits inside the cell, the other made a stuffed felt cell with buttons, beads etc stitched on.

Perfectly1mperfect · 20/01/2019 11:54

What's the point of this useless project anyway??

Labelling/questions on an animal/plant cells will be on most biology test papers she sits for the next 5 years so I think the teachers think it's a good way of getting the kids to remember the different parts and their functions. I think it's quite a common homework.

Rowgtfc72 · 20/01/2019 17:55

We've just done 3d model of a cell last week. Dd made it in a shoe box out of craft stuff that was knocking about.

peridito · 20/01/2019 18:18

oh thank the heavens I'm beyond all this Smile

Mulberry72 · 20/01/2019 19:21

We made ours out of a polystyrene sphere and cut out a cross section and painted and labelled that.

Cake crossed my mind for about 10 seconds.....

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 21/01/2019 12:21

We've done it. Sick of faffing around with icing.

I think the teachers think it's a good way of getting the kids to remember the different parts and their functions

No it's a terrible way. Dd doesn't know anything more about a pollen cell than she did before from looking at a diagram in her book Angry

OP posts:
Perfectly1mperfect · 21/01/2019 12:30

No it's a terrible way. Dd doesn't know anything more about a pollen cell than she did before from looking at a diagram in her book angry

I think the teachers just hope that the kids remember it, it will help some kids. Did she have to bake a cake? My son and nephew at different schools, just had to make a cell, so it could be anything. Both just did them out of a shoe box with craft materials so didn't take up much time. Maybe get your daughter to have a read on bbc bitesize so she knows the functions of each part of different cells.

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 21/01/2019 12:43

For kids who aren't too bothered about what they make or the end results it's ok. For ASD kids like mine, who wants it to be a certain way, it's a terrible idea Angry

OP posts:
Perfectly1mperfect · 21/01/2019 13:01

Maybe have a word with the school in readiness for future homeworks....we've had a few like these. 😬 Hope your daughter was happy with in the end.

BringOnTheScience · 21/01/2019 13:07

DC1 did a junk model inside a shoebox.

DC2 did a pic with Hama beads, stuck inside a shallow box lid The hama bead one was quick to do, easy to transport and stayed on the classroom wall for 3 years!

howtobehuman · 21/01/2019 17:43

Christ is what I've got to look forward to?! 5 year old homework is enough of a chore

Original poster
twosoups1972 · 22/01/2019 11:16

Brace yourself howto Grin

As dd couldn't take it in on the bus this morning, I now have the lovely job of driving up to school at lunchtime and will hand it over to dd Hmm

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