Cell Theory & Timeline
6th Grade Science
Kyrene Middle School
Students Will:
Summarize the contributions scientists
have made toward the cell theory
Understand Cell Theory.
Cell Theory
1. All living things are made of cells.
2. Cells are the basic units of structure and function
in living things. (structure = form; function = purpose)
3. Living cells only come from other living cells.
Early Scientists’ Contributions
Cell Timeline #1
334 B.C.E.
Aristotle observed nature directly. He classified
all known organisms as either plants or animals.
B.C.E.= Before Common Era
Cell Timeline #2
1590
Hans & Zacharias Janssen produced the first
compound microscope by lining up 2 lenses.
Cell Timeline #3
1665
Robert Hooke observed lining matter (cork cells)
through a compound microscope, which reveals empty
cells.
He is the first to call the spaces in the cork “cells” which
means little rooms.
Cell Timeline #4
1680s
Anton van Leeuwenhoek observed lining cells through
a simple microscope.
Cell Timeline #5
1838
Matthias Schleiden discovered that plants were made of
cells.
Cell Timeline #6
1839
Theodor Schwann states “all animals are made of
cells.”
Cell Timeline #7
1856
William Henry Perkin develops an intense purple dye,
which is used to stain slides.
Cell Timeline #8
1858
Rudolph Virchow states, “Cells are
the last link in a great chain that
forms tissues, organs, systems,
and individuals. Where a cell
exists, there must have been a
preexisting cell.”
Cells can only arise from preexisting cells
Create a Cell Timeline
Label the timeline with the dates, scientist names, and details of the
important discoveries.
The earliest date should be on the left and the most recent on the
right.
Show a reasonable amount of elapsed time between dates.
8 events & 8 pictures
Graded on neatness, accuracy, and use of color.
List Cell Theory and the 3 parts of the Cell Theory.
Cells
1. The cell is the basic unit of life
2. Technology furthered the development of cell
theory because the invention of the microscope
allowed cells to be discovered.
3. The tiny structures that make up cells are called
organelles which means little organs.