Student Resource Sheet CB-4
CELL DETECTIVES
A barking labrador retriever, a giant sunflower growing in your garden, and the mushrooms
around an oak tree. What do all of these organisms have in common? You might say they are
all living things. What makes these living things alike? If you say they are all made of cells, you
are correct. Cells are the basic units of structure and function in living things. Just as bricks are
the building blocks of your school, cells are the building blocks of life. When scientists first
started to investigate cells they discovered two types, plant and animal. Advancements in the
microscope helped scientists study the cells. Like detectives studying facts at a crime, you will
study components of a cell in order to classify cells as plant or animal.
Objective
When you have completed the investigation, you should be able to
1. analyze plant and animal cells in order to describe the major differences in structure and
function.
Materials
Prentice Hall Explorer: Cells and Heredity pages 24-30
prepared animal cell slide
microscope
coverslip
microscope slide
water
dropper
forceps
Elodea plant
transparent microscope ruler
Procedures
Activity 1
1.
Examine diagram on pages 26-27 in Prentice Hall: Science Explorer, Cells and Heredity.
2.
Compare the structures of the plant cell and the animal cell by completing the Venn
diagram.
Plant Cell
Animal Cell
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Student Resource Sheet CB-4
3. Predict how the difference in the structures of the plant and animal cell affect the way each
obtains energy.
Activity 2:
Small structures inside cells called organelles carry out certain cell functions necessary for all
life. These cell functions include obtaining and using energy, excretion, transport, and cell
division.
4. Read pages 24-30 in Prentice Hall: Science Explorer, Cells and Heredity in order to gain
information on the structure, function in cell, and cell function of organelles.
5. Complete Chart 1, “Organelles and Their Role in Cell Function,” using information from
reading.
Chart 1
Organelles and Their Role in Cell Function
Organelle
Job(s) of Organelle
Plant/Animal or
Both
Cell Wall
Cell Membrane
Cytoplasm
Nucleus
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Cell Function
Student Resource Sheet CB-4
Organelle
Function in Cell
Plant/Animal or
Both
Ribosome
Golgi Bodies
Vacuole
Mitochondria
Chloroplast
Endoplasmic
Reticulum
Lysosome
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Cell Function
Student Resource Sheet CB-4
6. Label the Cells in Figure 1 as Plant or Animal.
7. Label the organelles in each cell depicted in Figure 1.
Figure 1
8. Review your prediction concerning how plant and animal cells obtain energy. Modify your
prediction based on information from the investigation.
Activity 3: Let’s Take a Closer Look
9.
Read “Prepared Animal Slide Procedure.”
Prepared Animal Slide Procedure
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
Obtain a prepared slide from your teacher.
Locate the cells using low power objective.
Switch to high power objective using proper microscope techniques.
Observe the shape of one cell.
Locate and observe the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus.
Draw the field of view observed in the space provided on Resource Sheet 1.
Label the cell organelles observed in the space provided on Resource Sheet 1.
Measure and record the length of one cell.
Return to low power and remove the slide.
10. Reread and highlight the verbs.
11. Conduct the investigation.
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Student Resource Sheet CB-4
12. Read, “Elodea Slide Procedures.”
Elodea Slide Procedures
A. Using forceps, obtain one leaf from the tip of the Elodea plant.
B. Prepare a wet mount slide using the Elodea leaf.
C. Observe the slide on low power.
D. Identify shape of one cell.
E. Focus on the top layer of cells.
F. Focus down through the other layers of cells.
G. Switch to high power using proper microscope techniques.
H. Locate the cell wall, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, central vacuole, and the nucleus.
I. Draw the field of view observed in the space provided on Resource Sheet 1.
J. Label the cell organelles observed in the space provided on Resource Sheet 1.
K. Measure and record the length of one cell.
L. Return to low power and remove the slide.
M. Return to low power and remove the slide.
13. Reread and highlight the verbs.
14. Conduct the investigation.
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Student Resource Sheet CB-4
Analysis
1. In a short essay, describe the major differences in structure and function between a plant and
an animal cell. Your essay must include:
 the basic shape and size of each type of cell
 the organelles in each type of cell
 the similarities in cell functions between each type of cell
 the differences in cell functions between each type of cell
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Student Resource Sheet CB-4
RESOURCE SHEET 1
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