Cell Game

''Cell City Mystery'' By Natalie Duerr and Maariyah Mustafa [[Begin!]] <img src="http://i.imgur.com/p28Vtxj.jpg" height="188" width="674" alt="Together"> Produced by Readorium (link:"www.readorium.com")[(gotoURL:"http://www.readorium.com/")]

(set: $C to 0) (set: $M to 0) (set: $R to 0) "Welcome to Cell City! I'm the the sheriff in town. It has been reported that the cell isn't running as efficiently as before. Would you like to help me?" [[Yes!]] [[No...]] <img src="http://i.imgur.com/AI6gqsj.jpg" height="325" width="290" alt="Nucleus">

"Thanks for helping!" Sheriff Nucleus says, "I've narrowed it down to three suspect organelles, the ''Mitochondria'', the ''Ribosomes'', and the ''Cell Membrane''. Why don't you go talk to each of them and see what they've been up to?" [[Go talk to the Mitochondria|Go talk to Mitochondria]] [[Go talk to the Ribosomes|Go talk to Ribosomes]] [[Go talk to the Cell Membrane|Go talk to Cell Membrane]]

"Well that's too bad, we need your help," Sheriff Nucleus says, "Would you reconsider? You are our only hope!" [[Agree to help]]

(set: $M to 1) As you travel towards the Mitochondria, you pass an organelle that looks like a stack of pancakes. He introduces himself as the Golgi Apparatus. He works as a postal worker in Cell City. He explains that he packages molecules and turns them into vesicles (sacks filled with liquid) which he then sends throughout the cell. [[Say goodbye and continue to the Mitochondria|Continue to Mitochondria]] <img src="http://i.imgur.com/EWNC1og.jpg" height="274" width="283" alt="Golgi Appartus">

(set: $R to 1) "Howdy y'all! I'm a ''Ribosome''!" [[How are you doing today, Ribosome?]] [[What's your job here in Cell City?]] <img src="http://i.imgur.com/HgC5265.jpg" height="331" width="238" alt="Ribosomes">

(set: $C to 1) "Welcome! I'm part of the ''Cell Membrane''. How can I help you?" [[Tell me what you do here.]] [[How is everything running?]] <img src="http://i.imgur.com/yH9r6Kb.jpg" alt="Cell Membrane">

"Great!" Sheriff Nucleus exclaims, "I've narrowed it down to three suspect organelles, the ''Mitochondria'', the ''Ribosomes'', and the ''Cell Membrane''. Why don't you go talk to each one of them and see what they've been up to!" [[Go talk to the Mitochondria|Go talk to Mitochondria]] [[Go talk to the Ribosomes|Go talk to Ribosomes]] [[Go talk to the Cell Membrane|Go talk to Cell Membrane]]

"I'm doin' great, thanks! I just got back from constructing some proteins using amino acids. I've been working so hard recently. I think I've been keeping up with all of the work. What brings you down to town?" [[I'm here to investigate why Cell City isn't as efficient as usual.]] [[Just checking in, have a nice day!]]

"Oh wow. I heard rumors that one of the Mitochondria has been missing work recently. Maybe you should go talk to her next, she should be at the Power House right now." [[Thanks for the information, I will head go talk to that Mitochondrion!|Go talk to Mitochondria]] [[Thanks, but I'm going to head to the Cell Membrane next!|Go talk to Cell Membrane]] (if: $R is 1 and $M is 1 and $C is 1)[ [[I have talked to everyone, let's report back to Sheriff Nucleus!]]]

"So long partner! Have a nice day! Before you go, I actually heard rumors that one of the Mitochondria has been missing work recently. Maybe you should go talk to her next, she should be at the Power House right now." [[Thanks, I'll go talk to that Mitochondrion|Go talk to Mitochondria]] [[I think I'll talk to the Cell Membrane instead|Go talk to Cell Membrane]] (if: $R is 1 and $M is 1 and $C is 1)[ [[I have talked to everyone, let's report back to Sheriff Nucleus!]]]

"Heyyy~" one of the Mitochondria begins , "I'm a ''Mitochondrion'' and I'm, like, totally the power supplier of the cell and work at the Power House! I, like, make the energy that allows this cell to function." [[How has work been recently?]] [[Do you know anything about Cell City not running as well recently?]] <img src="http://i.imgur.com/Whp4euT.jpg" height="311" width="269" alt="Mitochondria">

"I actually just like got back from vacation... But no worries, there were many other Mitochondria to fill my place! Now I'm back at work and I am working super hard!" [[Have you heard anything about Cell City not running well recently?|Do you know anything about Cell City not running as well recently?]]

"Oh yeah! Actually, I recently noticed that there wasn't as much glucose (sugar) for me to break down so it's been a little slow. I heard that, like, the Cell Membrane was being really strict with what he was letting in recently. Maybe he isn't letting in enough glucose!" [[Thanks, I'll go to talk to him!|Go talk to Cell Membrane]] [[Thanks, but I think I'll go talk to the Ribosomes first!|Go talk to Ribosomes]] (if: $R is 1 and $M is 1 and $C is 1)[ [[I have talked to everyone, let's report back to Sheriff Nucleus!]]]

"I work as the gate keeper and skin of the cell. I hold the cell together, and I also monitor what comes in and out of Cell City. Recently, I've been really strict with what has been coming in because there have been a lot of viruses trying to attack neighboring cells." [[Hmm, do you think you're not letting vital materials into the cell?]] [[Interesting... what materials have you not been letting in?|Hmm, do you think you're not letting vital materials into the cell?]]

"I hold the cell together and also work as the gate keeper. I monitor what comes in and out of Cell City. Recently, I've been super strict with what has been coming in because there have been a lot of viruses trying to attack neighboring cells." [[Hmm, do you think you're not letting vital materials into the cell?]] [[Interesting... what materials have you not been letting in?|Hmm, do you think you're not letting vital materials into the cell?]]

"I haven't been letting in as much glucose (sugar) recently. I think I'm letting in just enough though. If you're looking for something wrong, you should go see the Ribosomes, I heard one of them was goofing off lately." [[Thanks, I'll go see the Ribosomes now!|Go talk to Ribosomes]] [[I'm actually going to visit the Mitochondria now. Thanks for the information!|Go talk to Mitochondria]] (if: $R is 1 and $M is 1 and $C is 1)[ [[I have talked to everyone, let's report back to Sheriff Nucleus!]]]

"Nice to see you again! Did you talk to the Ribosomes, Mitochondria, and Cell Membrane?" [[Yes, of course!]] [[No.]] <img src="http://i.imgur.com/AI6gqsj.jpg" height="325" width="290" alt="Nucleus">

"You should talk to everyone before trying to solve this mystery. Who did you not speak to?" [[Ribosomes|Go talk to Ribosomes]] [[Mitochondria|Go talk to Mitochondria]] [[Cell Membrane|Go talk to Cell Membrane]] [[Actually, I made a mistake, I did speake to everyone!|Yes, of course!]]

"That's great. So who do you think is causing the problem?" I believe it is... [[Ribosomes!|Try Again]] [[Mitochondria!|TAM]] [[Cell Membrane!|Correct]]

"Hmm are you sure? We just had a source confirm it's not them: there doesn't seem to be a problem with any of the proteins. Try again!" I believe it is... [[Ribosomes!|Try Again]] [[Mitochondria!|TAM]] [[Cell Membrane!|Correct]]

"Do you know why the cell membrane is causing Cell City to not be as efficient?" [[The membrane was limiting the amount of glucose that could enter so the Mitochondria didn't have enough to break down for energy.|Correct Answer]] [[The membrane letting too much glucose in and the Mitochondria was overwhelmed with work!|Wrong]]

"Actually, I heard from a source that Mitochondria didn't have //enough// glucose, do you think that could be the problem? Or do you want to go back and talk to the suspects again?" [[Now that I think about it, that was the problem!|Correct Answer]] [[Go talk to Ribosomes|Go talk to Ribosomes]] [[Go talk to Mitochondria|Go talk to Mitochondria]] [[Go talk to Cell Membrane|Go talk to Cell Membrane]]

"Now everything makes sense! Thanks so much for your hard work on this case, you made a huge difference!" Thanks for playing, you helped save Cell City! [[Review what you learned|Review]] [[Play again|Introduction]]

Today we talked to three important organelles: Ribosomes, Mitochondria, Cell Membrane and even got to meet the Golgi Apparatus! The ''Ribosomes'' are like construction workers. They construct proteins from amino acids. The ''Mitochondria'' are the power houses of the cell. They break down glucose (type of sugar) to make energy. The ''Cell Membrane'' is like the skin of the cell, holding it together. It also monitors what comes in and out of the cell. The ''Golgi Apparatus'' is like the postal worker in Cell City. It packages molecules and turns them into vesicles which it then sends throughout the cell! <img src="http://i.imgur.com/p28Vtxj.jpg" height="188" width="674" alt="Together"> ''Credits'' Writing and Art by By Natalie Duerr and Maariyah Mustafa Edited by Sharang Biswas Produced by Readorium Readorium is a reading comprehension software focusing on scientific texts for kids from grades 3-8. Readorium's mission is to increase non-fiction reading competency in English so students become self-actualized learners and strategic thinkers. Check out Readorium here: (link:"www.readorium.com")[(gotoURL:"http://www.readorium.com/")] And follow us! (link:"Twitter")[(gotoURL:"https://twitter.com/Readorium")] (link:"Facebook")[(gotoURL:"https://www.facebook.com/readorium")] [[Do you want to play again?|Introduction]]

"I'm a construction worker. I just got back from constructing some proteins using amino acids. I've been working hard recently and am keeping up with all of the work. What brings you downtown?" [[I'm here to investigate why Cell City isn't as efficient as usual.]] [[Just checking in, have a nice day!]]

"Hmm are you sure? We just had a source confirm it's not them. The source explained that while the Mitochondria are not making enough energy, it's only because they weren't getting enough glucose. Try again!" [[Ribosomes!|Try Again]] [[Cell Membrane!|Correct]]