Activity #1:

"Levels of organization" for function are less obvious than those for structure, but are very important for living organisms.

Structure:
Think about the levels of organization in your school building. Schools have many different structures. For example:

• an outside wall around the entire building (like a membrane outside a cell)
• floors in your building, each organized into rooms and maybe the room is organized into different centers or tables (like organelles)

1. How are cells and schools alike? 
2. Why might a school building be a bad example?
3. What could you make that would show how a cell is made?

Function:
Cell function is like a soccer team. The coaches teach the players. The player's play the game as well as they can. Schedules are arranged for the times and places of the games. Some people act as referees for the games. Perhaps others act as sponsors, providing money for uniforms and travel. Functions of a cell can be organized in a similar way.

4. Can you identify the various functions associated within a sports league or club you have been involved with? How would you put these functions into various levels of organization? For example, national organization, regional organization, city group, individual player.

5. What are some of the functions of organelles in a cell?