Unit 4: Cells
Test Date:
Cell Project Due:
Essential Concepts and Skills
Readings
1. Explain why cells are called the basic units of life.
a. All living things are made of one or more cells.
b. All cells come from pre-existing cells.
c. Cells are very small to make it easy for nutrients to enter the cell and
for waste to exit the cell.
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2. Describe specific examples that illustrate the relationship between
cell structure and cell function.
a. The shape of the cell is related to the job of the cell.
b. Red blood cells are smooth and round so the can easily slip through
very small blood vessels (capillaries).
c. Muscle cells are long and elastic so they can contract and move an
organism.
d. Paramecia are covered with cilia and shaped like a torpedo so they
can swim.
e. Paramecia are microscopic, unicellular organisms that belong to the
Kingdom Protista.
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3. Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
a. Prokaryotes are much simpler and usually smaller cells (no nucleus).
b. Eukaryotes have a membrane bound nucleus in their cells.
c. Members of the Kingdom Archaebacteria and Eubacteria are
prokaryotes; members of the protist, fungi, plant and animal
kingdoms are eukaryotes.
d. Be able to identify diagrams of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.
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4. Describe the difference between plant and animal cells.
a. Plant cells have a cell membrane and a cell wall, while animal cells
only have a cell membrane.
b. Plant cells have mitochondria and chloroplasts, while animal cells
have only mitochondria.
c. Plant cells have a single, large vacuole while animal cells have many,
small vacuoles.
d. Animal cells have centrioles that assist in cell division while plants
do not.
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5. Identify in a diagram and describe the functions of cellular
organelles.
a. Nucleus: controls the cell’s activities and contains DNA.
b. Nucleolus: located inside the nucleus, makes the ribosomes for the
cell.
c. Nuclear Membrane: bilipid layer that surrounds the nucleus.
d. Ribosomes: make proteins.
e. Mitochondria: turns food into energy (cellular respiration).
f. Endoplasmic reticulum: holds ribosomes and transports proteins
within the cell. Found as rough and smooth.
g. Golgi body: packages and sends proteins out of the cell.
h. Lysosomes: (suicide packs) contain digestive enzymes.
i. Cell membrane: (also called plasma membrane) controls what
materials enter and leave the cell because of diffusion or transport
(homeostasis). This membrane is flexible.
j. Cilia/flagella: hair-like structures that help in movement of the
organism (cilia are many small “hair-like” structures around the
organism and flagella is one long “whip-like” structure).
k. Microtubules and cytoskeleton: internal structures that give the cell
support and structure.
l. Vacuoles: serves for storage of many substances for the cell. A plant
has one and animals have many.
m. Centrioles: specialized microtubules that aide in reproduction of
animal cells only.
n. Cell wall: gives support to plant cells because cellulose is rigid.
o. Chloroplast: contain the pigment chlorophyll and use the sun’s
energy to make food.
Assessments:
 Cells Alive!
 Onion Root tip Lab
 Faces of cancer
 Tons of worksheets!
 Cell-ebrity Magazine
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diagram
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