Plant Cells
Name:
Mrs. Strasbaugh/Mrs. Leedy
Date:
Elodea Leaf Cell Lab
Question: What do chloroplasts do? Can they be seen with a microscope?
Research: Answer these Pre-lab Questions using your notebook or textbook:
1. Look up and read chloroplast on page 40 of your text book. Thoroughly, with detail,
describe a chloroplast. (What is in it, shape, location, etc?)
Materials: Elodea leaf
dropper
glass slide
cover slip
water
Procedure: Read through the questions on the back of this paper so you do not miss making
important observations. Carefully, make a wet mount slide of the Elodea leaf by spreading it flat
in a drop of water on a slide. Use a cover slip. Observe cells on low, medium and high power.
On high power, fine focus, very slowly, up and down to observe the thickness of the cell.
Results: Draw a cell on high power only. Remember to record the magnification. Label the
cell parts listed by drawing a line (using a straight edge) from the word to the part in your
drawing.
cell wall
cell membrane
cytoplasm
nucleus
vacuole
chloroplast
Observations:
2. Look for chloroplasts in the cells. Describe what they are doing?
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Plant Cells
Name:
Mrs. Strasbaugh/Mrs. Leedy
Date:
Elodea Leaf Cell Lab
Analysis: Answer the following questions using complete sentences.
3. Why do you think the chloroplasts are doing this?
4. Read pages 62 and 63. Summarizing what you’ve read, describe how a chloroplast makes
food.
5. Why are chloroplasts important to your life (page 65)?
6. Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis in symbols and in sentence form?
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7. Is Elodea a prokaryote or a eukaryote?
8. How do you know, give 3 pieces of evidence?
Proceed to the Photosynthesis Webquest
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