Plant Cells Versus Animal Cells

Lab Brief #4

🎯 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.

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

cell wall
A rigid outer layer of cellulose found in plant cells but not animal cells.
vacuole
A fluid-filled space that helps keep a plant cell firm.

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: what will happen to the plant if you change the water?

Say your guess out loud — then find out if you were right.

Get ready

🧰 What you need

microscope or hand lens
slides
onion
iodine stain
cotton bud

Get ready

⚠️ 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.

Step 1 of 4 · Read

Think about what you just learned: say what "cell wall" and "vacuole" mean in your own words before you start.

Step 2 of 4 · Do

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.

Step 3 of 4 · Observe

Record what actually happened, including anything that did not match what you expected.

Step 4 of 4 · Record

Write a conclusion that answers the question this lesson opened with, and state your uncertainty.

Question 1 of 2

Which structure is found in plant cells but not animal cells?

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Question 2 of 2

Chloroplasts are needed for:

How sure are you?😐 maybe

Mind = blown

🌳 Trees can talk to each other through underground fungus networks.

Nice work!

You got 0 of 2 right.

Next: Specialised Cells All lessons

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✨ More to explore

🌍 Where you see this in real life: This is why plants grow toward windows and why scabs form.

🏆 Stretch challenge (try it 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

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