Lesson 4 of 5 · Cells
Experiment⭐ 30 XP🌿 Wild JunglePlant Cells Versus Animal Cells
Plant Cells Versus Animal Cells.
🎯 Your mission
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
⚡ The twist
Living things break the rules of non-living things — find the rule they break.
Mind = Blown
🌳 Trees can talk to each other through underground fungus networks.
Make a hypothesis first
Predict: what will happen to the plant if you change the water?
What You'll Learn
Both have a nucleus, cytoplasm, cell membrane and mitochondria. Plant cells add three things animal cells lack: a rigid cellulose wall, a large central vacuole, and chloroplasts for photosynthesis.
Key Words
Tap a word to see its definition.
Materials Needed
- microscope or hand lens
- slides
- onion
- iodine stain
- cotton bud
Safety First
- Iodine stains skin and clothing and is harmful if swallowed — wear goggles and gloves.
- Use a fresh cotton bud per person and dispose of it immediately; never share.
Steps
Read the explanation above and note the two key terms before you start.
Mount a thin onion epidermis peel and a cheek smear on separate slides and compare under a microscope or strong hand lens. Draw both and label every structure you can identify.
Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.
Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.
Check Your Understanding
Question 1
1 of 2Which structure is found in plant cells but not animal cells?
Where you see this in real life
This is why plants grow toward windows and why scabs form.
Stretch Challenge
Try this in real life this week.
Watch a plant or pet for 5 minutes today and write down what you noticed.
For the dinner table
“Tell me something you noticed about your own body today.”
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Plant Cells Versus Animal Cells
Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).
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