A study guide to the structure of plant and animal cells: what each organelle does, which structures only plant cells have, and why not every plant cell is green. It also explains the parts of a light microscope, how to calculate total magnification and how to focus safely, with check-yourself questions and answers.
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Curriculum: Texas grade levels (TEKS). We show specific outcome codes only where they have been verified against the official curriculum document.
Completed: Plant and Animal Cells and the Light Microscope
8th Grade students (typically ages 13–14) working on cells & classification. It is pitched at level 2 · standard.
This is a study guide, so there is no separate answer sheet; the 'Check yourself' questions include answers.
About 25 minutes. Short, regular sessions work best: two or three a week beats one long one.
No. Click Download Free PDF and it opens immediately. It is free for personal, classroom and homeschool use.
Try Specialized Cells, Tissues and Organs.
Success TutoringWorksheets8th Grade · Science · Cells & ClassificationThe cell is the basic unit of life: every living thing is made of one or more cells. Some organisms, such as bacteria, are a single cell. Your body is made of trillions of cells of many different types. Most cells are far too small to see without a microscope.
Inside a cell are smaller structures called organelles, each with its own job. Plant and animal cells share many organelles, but plant cells have some extra ones.
| Structure | Found in | Function |
|---|---|---|
| Cell membrane | Plant and animal cells | A thin, flexible layer that controls what enters and leaves the cell |
| Cytoplasm | Plant and animal cells | Jelly-like fluid where many of the cell's chemical reactions take place |
| Nucleus | Plant and animal cells | Contains the genetic material (DNA) and controls the cell's activities |
| Mitochondria | Plant and animal cells | Carry out cellular respiration, releasing energy from glucose |
| Ribosomes | Plant and animal cells | Make proteins (too small to see with a school light microscope) |
| Cell wall | Plant cells only | A rigid layer made of cellulose, outside the membrane, that supports the cell and gives it shape |
| Chloroplasts | Plant cells only (green parts) | Contain the green pigment chlorophyll and carry out photosynthesis |
| Large permanent vacuole | Plant cells only | Filled with cell sap; keeps the cell firm. Animal cells have only small, temporary vacuoles, if any |
Quick comparison. Both plant and animal cells have a cell membrane, cytoplasm, a nucleus, mitochondria and ribosomes. Only plant cells have a cell wall, chloroplasts and a large permanent vacuole. Animal cells are often rounded or irregular in shape, while plant cells are usually more regular, box-like shapes because of the cell wall.
| Part | What it does |
|---|---|
| Eyepiece lens | The lens you look through; it magnifies the image (often 10×) |
| Objective lenses | Two to four lenses of different strengths (for example 4×, 10× and 40×) that you rotate into place |
| Stage and clips | The flat platform that holds the slide; the clips keep it still |
| Light source or mirror | Shines light up through the specimen |
| Coarse focus knob | Moves the stage or lens a long way, for first focusing at low power |
| Fine focus knob | Makes small adjustments to sharpen the image |
Calculating total magnification
Answers: 1. Cell wall, chloroplasts and a large permanent vacuole. 2. The mitochondria (mitochondrion is the singular). 3. It controls what enters and leaves the cell. 4. 10 × 40 = 400×. 5. 100 ÷ 10 = 10×. 6. Roots are underground with no light, so they cannot carry out photosynthesis; chloroplasts would have no job there. 7. A plant, because animal cells never have a cell wall. It may be a root cell, which explains the missing chloroplasts. 8. It shows a wider area, so it is easier to find and focus on the specimen before zooming in.
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