The nucleus is the largest organelle in a cell. The nucleus directs all activity in the cell. It also controls the growth and reproduction of the cell. The nucleus could be compared to a manager of a company, they both control activity in there facility.

The nucleus is surrounded by a nuclear membrane that protects it from other parts of the cell. It also contains a nucleolus, which is a secondary organelle.
It also contains the blueprints of the cell in the chromatin inside the nucleus. The chromatin is like long strands in the nucleus that carry DNA and proteins.

So...

This was an excellent, standard definition of a nucleus of a cell.  Let's compare that to our First Object, "To form a nucleus of the Universal Brotherhood of Humanity, without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste, or color." 

"The nucleus directs all activity within a cell."

"It also controls the growth and reproduction of a cell."

"It also contains the blueprints of the cell in the chromatin inside the nucleus."

The nucleus is responsible for everything.  It controls the activity.  It maintains order and is responsible for things being done when they need to be done.  So the first function is order.  Without order, you have dissolution.  Everything and everyone is off on their own and nothing gets done.

Secondly, there is the control of the growth and the reproduction of the cell.  These are also a function of order.  Unbridled growth among cells has a name that most of us do not like to hear.  We call it cancer.  On the other side of that coin, if there are no mechanisms to allow for growth, then the cell dies, end of story. 

We also have to think about the nucleus controlling reproduction.  That is some interesting food for thought. You have the same situation as you do with growth, but from a different point of view.  Too much and too little have equal, but diametrically opposite bad consequences.

Finally we have the blueprint.  Behind everything we see there is design.  How the design happens is an entire volume in and of itself.  Nonetheless to say we have a template for all future generations that come from this cell. 

This brings up another point of view.  There are two completely different but related ideas going on here.  The first is control and the second is design.  They need each other.  In fact one could argue that without one, the other, for all practical purposes does not exist.

So, thanks for reading this nice, simple piece at the top of the page by a sixth grader about our First Object.

Courtesy of the Oracle Think Quest Foundation