Name________________________________________
Class_____________
Fungi, Plant, and Animal LAB
Background:
All living things are made up of cells. Cells are the basic units of structure and function of living things.
There are many types of cells. Whether they are plant, animal, or fungi cells, most cells share certain
characteristics.
In this investigation you will compare the structures of a typical mushroom cell (hyphae) plant cell
(Anachuris) and a typical animal cell (human cheek cell). Pay careful attention to how fungi, plant and animal
cells are alike and how they are different.
Using a hand lens (magnifying glass) sketch a picture of what the fungi, animal, and plant cells look like.
Fungi cells
Plant cells
Animal cells
PREDICTION:
What do you think the fungi, plant and animal cells will look like under the highest objective lens? (400X)
Fungi cells
Plant cells
Animal cells
Materials you will need for this lab
Fungi Lab
Forceps
One Mushroom Stem
Plant and Animal Lab
Microscope /Computer
Microscope Slide/Coverslip
Beaker of water
Medicine Dropper
Animal Lab
toothpick
Methylene blue stain
Paper towel
Procedure:
Part A: Examining Plant Cells
1. Put a drop of water in the center of the clean slide.
2. With the forcepts (tweezers), remove a leaf from the Anachuris plant and place it on the slide.
Make sure that the leaf is flat. If it is folded, straighten it with the forceps.
3. Carefully place a coverslip over the drop of water and Anachuris leaf.
4. Place the slide on the stage of the microscope with the leaf directly over the opening in the stage.
5. Using the low-power objective lens, locate the leaf under the microscope. Turn the coarse
adjustment knob until the leaf comes into focus. Have the teacher check your leaf.
6. Move to the next power object lens (10x). Focus on the leaf using coarse adjustment as needed
and more in focus using the fine adjustment focus. Once in focus move to the high-power
objective lens (40x). Caution: Look at the objective lens from the side of the microscope so that
the objective lens does not hit or damage the slide.
7. Observe the cells of the leaf. Record observations in the space provided in Plate 1. Use your
Descriptive Word Bank. Draw and label what you see in Plate 1.
8. Carefully clean and dry your slide and coverslip. Place on the tray provided.
PART B: Examining Animals Cells
1. Put a drop of water on the center of a clean slide.
2. Using the flat end of a toothpick, gently scrape the inside of your cheek. CAUTION: Do not use
force when scraping the inside of your cheek.
3. Stir the water on the slide with the end of the
toothpick to mix the cheek cells with the water.
See Figure 1 to the right. Discard the toothpick
when you are done.
4. Put one drop of methylene blue stain directly on
top of the drop of water containing the cheek
cells.
5. Wait one minute, then carefully place a coverslip
over the stained cheek cells.
6. To remove the stain from under the coverslip and replace it with clear water, place a piece of
paper towel at the edge of one side of the coverslip.
7. Then place a drop of water at the edge of the coverslip on the other side. See Figure 2 below.
The stained water under the coverslip will be absorbed by the paper towel. As the stain is
removed, the clear water next to the coverslip on the opposite side will be drawn under the
coverslip.
8. Place the slide on the stage of the microscope with the center of the coverslip directly over the
opening in the stage.
9. Using the low-power objective lens, locate the cheek cell under the microscope. Turn the coarse
adjustment knob until the cheek cell comes into focus. Have the teacher check the cell.
10. Move to the next power object lens (10x). Focus on the cell using coarse adjustment as needed
and more in focus using the fine adjustment focus. Once in focus move to the high-power
objective lens (40x). Caution: Look at the objective lens from the side of the microscope so that
the objective lens does not hit or damage the slide.
11. Observe the cheek cells. Record observations in the space provided in Plate 2. Use your
Descriptive Word Bank. Draw and label what you see in Plate 2.
12. Place the slide and coverslip in the box provided by the teacher.
OBSERVATIONS:
Draw, color, and label your observations of what you see under the microscope using the HIGHEST
power objective lens. Written observations should be using complete sentences and should include the
significant things you notice. Include an estimate of NUMBER of CELLS, COLOR, and SHAPE of
what you observed. Is the SHAPE variable or uniform?
FUNGI HYPHAE CELLS
Plate 1
Total Magnification: ____________
OBSERVATIONS: _________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Label: cell wall, cell membrane, and nucleus (if seen)
Plate 2
CELLS
ANACHURIS PLANT
Total Magnification: ____________
OBSERVATIONS: _________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Label: cell wall, cell membrane, chloroplasts, and nucleus (if seen)
Plate 3
ANIMAL
CHEEK CELLS
Total Magnification: ____________
OBSERVATIONS: _________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Label: cell membrane and nucleus
Data Analysis:
PART 1: Based on your observations fill in the following chart by checking off which organelles/ cell
parts you saw under the microscope. Mark a “P” for organelles that were present, but you were not able
to observe.
Organelles/ Cell
Parts
Fungi cell
organelles viewed
Anachuris cell
organelles
viewed
Cheek cell
organelles
viewed
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
Chloroplast
Cell wall
Cell membrane
Analysis and Conclusion Questions:
Type your to answers to these questions on a separate piece
of paper.
**You can download a copy of this sheet from Moodle before
you type.**
1. Based on your observation, describe the differences of the shape and color of the
plant, animal, and fungi cells.
2. Based on your observations, identify two ways that plant and animal cells are different
in structure (include at least two organelles in your answer).
3. Make inferences as to why some of the cells you observed have a cell wall and the
other does not (be sure to include which ones have the cell wall: animal, fungi, or plants)
4. Do you think fungi share more in common with plants or animals? Explain your
reasoning. (include organelles- cell parts – to explain your answer)
5. Imagine that students sketched these mystery cells below after observations under
the microscope. Use the information you have gathered from this lab to answer the
questions about each mystery cell.
Mystery Cell #1: A student sketched this cell at a Total Magnification of
1000X.
The sketch includes more organelles (cell parts) than those we have studied and
observed so far. Based on the organelles you DO know, does this cell come from
a plant, animal, or fungus? Justify your reasoning with at least two pieces of
evidence.
Mystery Cell #2: A student sketched this cell at a Total Magnification of
1200X
This sketch also includes more organelles than those that we have studied
and observed so far. Based on the organelles you DO know, does this cell
come from a plant, animal, or fungus? Justify your reasoning with at least
two pieces of evidence.