3 5 Lab Activity SE Plant Cell and Animal Cell

Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date:________________
Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

Plant Cells vs Animal Cells
Background Information:
Robert Hooke’s discovery of cells left a huge impact on both science and society. The cell theory states that
cells are the basic structural, functional, and organizational unit of all living organisms. They can be classified
by the presence of the nucleus. A prokaryotic cell doesn’t have one, but a eukaryotic cell does. Some examples
of eukaryotes are protozoa, fungi, plants, and animals. These types of cells can be classified according to the
organelles that they have, and each of these organelles has a role to perform. Plant and animal cells have
similar organelles, while other organelles are unique to each of them.
In this lab investigation, you will compare the structure of a plant cell using an onion, an Elodea leaf, and an
animal cell using a human cheek cell.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this laboratory activity, students are expected to:
 Compare the structure of plant cells (onion) and animal cells (cheek cell).
 Cite the similarities and differences between plants and animal cells.
Laboratory Proper:
Materials:
 Microscope  Water
 Coverslips  Dropper
 Slides  Iodine
 Lens paper  Methylene blue
 Onion  Toothpicks
 Cheek cells  Forceps
 Elodea – an aquatic plant found in aquariums  Colored pencils
Copyright © iTeachly.com 1
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date:________________

Procedure:
1. Make wet-mount slides for the available cell types.

 Try to look around while on low power. When you find something, you can go up to medium or high.
 To see one layer of cells, try to adjust to fine focus.
 Draw what you can see, try to recognize the structures found and label them.
2. For the onion:
 Remove a scale from the onion.
 Peel a thin layer of onion from its inner surface.
 Make a wet-mount slide of the onion tissue, then add 2-3
drops of water.
 Put on a coverslip, then stain with iodine.
 Observe, draw what you can see, and label what you can
recognize.
3. For the Elodea:
 Get one young leaf from the tip of the plant.
 Make a wet-mount slide of this leaf.
 Put on a coverslip, and don’t stain.
 Elodea leaves are two cells thick so you need to focus carefully
using fine focus.
 Observe, draw what you can see, and label what you can recognize.
4. For the cheek:
 Gently scrape the inside of your mouth using a flat clean
toothpick. Don’t worry if you can’t see anything. You can actually
pick up any cheek cell when you scrape.
 Smear the toothpick on the slide to spread the saliva and cells.
You may add a tiny drop of water if the sample is too dry.
 Put on a coverslip, and stain with methylene blue.
 Observe, draw what you can see, and label what you can recognize.
5. Draw what you can see on the attached RESULT SHEET.
6. Answer the discussion questions that follow.
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date:________________

Plant Cells vs Animal Cells – RESULT SHEET
Observations under the microscope: While investigating and observing the cell samples under the microscope, draw
what you see. Label all cell parts that are visible for each magnification. Use colored pencils as you draw.
ONION
Magnification: 40x Magnification: 100x
Magnification: 400x
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date:________________

ELODEA
Magnification: 400x
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date:________________

CHEEK
Magnification: 400x
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date:________________

OBSERVATIONS: Complete the table with the structures that are visible during your investigation.
Cell Type Structures Observed
Onion Cell
Elodea
Cheek Cell
Discuss the following questions and answer as a group.
1. Use the Venn diagram below to cite the similarities and differences between a plant cell and an animal cell.
Name: _________________________________________________ Period: ___________ Date:________________

2. Why are stains used when observing cells under the microscope?
______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Why is a wet-mount preparation better than a dry-mount preparation in observing living cells?
______________________________________________________________________________________
4. How would you determine if a given cell sample is that of an animal or a plant cell when observed under a
microscope?
______________________________________________________________________________________

3 5 Lab Activity SE Plant Cell and Animal Cell

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

3 5 Lab Activity SE Plant Cell and Animal Cell

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

3 5 Lab Activity SE Plant Cell and Animal Cell

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Name: ___________________________________________ Period: _ Date:____________

Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

At the end of this laboratory activity, students are expected to:

Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

1. Make wet-mount slides for the available cell types.

Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

Magnification: 40x Magnification: 100x

Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

Magnification: 40x Magnification: 100x

Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

Magnification: 40x Magnification: 100x

Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

Cell Type Structures Observed

Discuss the following questions and answer as a group.

Plant Cell and Animal Cell Lab Activity – Teacher Edition

You might also like