This study is an analysis of the effectiveness of a faculty-designed laboratory experience about a difficult topic, cellular respiration. The activity involves a hands-on model of the cellular-respiration process, making use of wooden ball-and-stick chemistry models and small toy trucks on a table top model of the mitochondrion. Students physically construct, break apart, and move around the glucose and ATP molecules, and transport the electron "sticks" using small trucks. They work through the actions of cellular respiration at their own pace, in the process experiencing opportunities for kinesthetic and group learning. (Contains 4 tables and 3 figures.)