Listen close to the story I tell
It's the rapping story of the living cell
It's a happy tune that's sort of cheery
About a real tough topic called the cell theory
All animals, plants and protists too
Are made of cells with different jobs to do
They're the basic units of all organisms
And I hope by now you've got the rhythm
It all started with one dude named Hooke
Who at some cork cells took a look
He used a scope and took his time
'Cause a cell is small and thinner than a dime
Say 1, 2, 3, 4
Are ready for some more
The animal cell has many parts
And you must know each one by heart
Like the farmer in the dell
The nucleus controls the cell
It gives the orders - kind of like a brain
And it's protected by a nuclear membrane
Around the cell, you'll find another "skin"
The plasma membrane holds the whole cell in
But its job isn't simple, there's no doubt
It lets some particles go in and some go out
Now please don't lose your science enthusiasm
Listen to the story of the cytoplasm
All around the cell this thick fluid does go
But in the nucleus it will not flow
And don't forget those ribosomes
This is where proteins come from
These protein factories are so small, you'll agree
You need an electron microscope to see
Just when you thought you weren't having any fun
Along comes the endoplasmic reticulum
These tube like structures serve as a track
To carry stuff to the membrane and back
Now have you seen any doughnuts without holes
In a cell they're called vacuoles
They're filled with stuff like H2O
And they carry food so the cell can grow
Last of all, but not the very least
Mitochondria - mighty cellular beasts
Since they turn sugars into energy so well
We call them the powerhouse of the cell
Now my friend, you know it well
The unforgettable story of the living cell
"Science World"
10-5-90