Plant Cell Structures
By
Judy Shaw
What is a plant cell?
The Cell Wall
• The cell wall is a rigid structure outside of
the cell membrane, composed mainly of the
polysaccharide cellulose, the cell wall gives
the plant cell a defined shape which helps
support the individual parts of the plant.
The Cell Membrane
• All cells have a 'skin', called the plasma
membrane, protecting it from the outside
environment. The cell membrane regulates
the movement of water, nutrients and
wastes into and out of the cell. Inside of the
cell membrane are the working parts of the
cell.
The Cytoplasm
• This is the jelly-like substance that fills the
cell and which the rest of the cell structures
float in inside the cell.
The Chloroplast
• This is a disk-shaped organelle that contains
chlorophyll. It manufactures sugar and
oxygen out of carbon dioxide and sunlight,
using the process of photosynthesis.
The Nucleus
• Think of this as an egg inside the cell. This
is a sphere-shaped structure contained by
the nuclear membrane. It holds the
nucleolus(think of this as the yolk) and
controls most of the cell functions. It is in
charge of protein photosynthesis and
contains the plant's DNA.
The Vacuole
• Vacuoles are membrane-bound cavities
filled with cell sap, which is made up
mostly of water containing various
dissolved sugars, salts, and other chemicals.
Plant Cell Vocabulary
• cell membrane – regulates what enters and
exits cell.
• cell wall – rigid structure which shapes the
cell.
• chloroplast – where the process of
photosynthesis takes place.
Vocabulary Continued
• Cytoplasm – fluid that fills the cell.
• Nucleus - houses the nucleolus and
controls cell function.
• Vacuole – cavity where water and dissolved
minerals are kept.
The Plant Cell
• This website will allow students to choose a
cell structure and read that structures
function.
• Interactive Plant Cell Game
Resources
•
http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_model.htm
•
http://web.jjay.cuny.edu/~acarpi/NSC/13-cells.htm
•
http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_cytoplasm.html
•
http://www.life123.com/parenting/education/botany/parts-of-a-plant-cell.shtml
•
http://kidsresearchexpress.blogspot.com/2008/07/plant-cell-structure-and-fuction.html