Jennifer Tripp

Dr. Schindel
Lesson 2- Plant and Animal Cells

Age/Grade Level: 6th grade

Time: 45 minutes
Instructional Objectives/Goals:

Students will make microscope slide observations of plant and animal cells and note their
characteristics, as demonstrated by their observation handout and verbal responses.
Students will compare and contrast plant and animal cells, as measured by their Venn diagram
completions and verbal responses to questions.
Students will determine if characteristics and images belong to plant or animal cells (or both)
and justify their responses with explanations, as noted by their verbal responses and line step
review at the end of class.

Essential Question:

How do cells differ among plants and animals?

How are cells structured to ensure efficiency and survival?

Next Generation Science Standards:

MS-LS1-1. Conduct an investigation to provide evidence that living things are made of cells; either one
cell or many different numbers and types of cells.
NY State Standards:
Key Idea 1: Living things are both similar to and different from each other and from nonliving things.
Introduction: Living things are similar to each other yet different from nonliving things. The cell is a basic
unit of structure and function of living things (cell theory). For all living things, life activities are
accomplished at the cellular level.
Compare and contrast the parts of animals and plants.
Major Understandings:
1.1a Living things are composed of cells. Cells provide structure and carry on major functions to sustain
life. Cells are usually microscopic in size.
1.1c. Most cells have cell membranes, genetic material, and cytoplasm. Some cells have a cell wall
and/or chloroplasts. Many cells have a nucleus.
Materials:

plant and animal cells PPT, modified from:

https://mrsimonporter.wikispaces.com/file/detail/Year+7+Plant+and+animal+cells.ppt
plant and animal cells observation handouts (print and digital copy)
plant and animal cells Venn diagram handouts (print and digital copy)
model cell diagrams handouts
station direction handouts
onion
toothpicks
blank slides
cover slips
iodine
methylene blue
water
forceps
paper towel
microscopes
science notebooks
projector
computer
whiteboard
marker

Learning Activities:
1. Review students microscopic images in a game from the previous days homework. (5 minutes)
a. Ask students to choose one of their microscopic images to share in a guessing game
with peers at their tables. Explain, After your peers share their images, try to guess if
the image is living or non-living and state why.
b. Circulate the room and observe students, asking questions, such as
i. How do you know?
ii. What is the shape, grouping, shape structure like?
c. Reconvene as a whole group. Ask each group to choose one person to share his or her
microscopic image with the rest of the class. Students from the other groups then try to
guess and explain why.
d. Collect students homework (images and image description).
2. Transition into the next phase of the lesson: Today were going to focus on exploring living
things. We learned from the PPT and video yesterday, and looking at all of the microscopic
images, that all living things are composed of..what? Students should respond with cells. Say:
Were going to look at plant and animal cells, specifically their similarities and differences 18
minutes total (2 minutes for modeling & explaining cell stations, 8 minutes for plant cell
station, 8 minutes for animal cell station).

a. Explain to students that they will work at different stations. There are 4 stations, 2
stations with the onion cells and 2 stations with cheek cells.
i. 2 onion cell stations, each containing: 1 prepared onion cell slide, on microscope
and focused; directions and onion cell materials for slide preparation and
microscope for viewing
ii. 2 cheek cell stations, each containing: 1 prepared cheek cell slide, on
microscope and focused; materials and directions for slide preparation and
microscope for viewing
b. Model for students what they will be doing at each station. Point out that directions and
handouts are at each station.
i. Say, At the onion stations, you will prepare an onion slide.(as delineated on
station direction handouts). The prepared slide is there for reference or another
perspective/view. Model for students how to complete handouts. Emphasize
safety and clean-up. Ask students if they have questions.
ii. Repeat 2bi with cheek cell slide.
iii. Have students split into 4 groups by counting off. Tell them to which station
they will go.
iv. While students are at their stations, circulate, observe, and assist students with
slide preparation. Ask questions such as, What do you notice?
v. Tells students to switch to the next station after about 8 minutes at each
station.
3. Summarize observations of what students saw. Transition into next phase of the lesson: Were
now going to look at model diagrams of plant and animal cells. Note youll see a lot more parts
(use language students used) in them than you did in your microscope slides theyre cell
models. They are also about 300,000X the size of the actual cell! (7 minutes)
a. Explain that students will work in groups. They will observe pictures of animal and plant
cell models. They will look the similarities and differences in the structure of these cells.
Ask students if they have any questions.
b. Give cell model diagram handouts (unlabeled) first. Students look at handouts and
discuss in groups. Circulate the room, monitor students discussions.
c. Reconvene as a whole class after 1 minute. Call on some students to share their
findings.
d. Give students the cell model diagram handouts (labeled). Tell students, These have the
names of those parts, and theyre called organelles. Write organelles on the board.
e. Give students Venn diagram handouts, and tell students they will complete these as
they look at the cell model diagrams to compare the plant and animal cells.
i. Students look at labeled diagrams and complete Venn diagram.
ii. Circulate and observe student discussions and Venn diagram responses.
iii. Reconvene as a whole class and ask questions such as,
1. What do both plant and animal cells have in common?
2. What do plant cells have that animal cells dont have and vice versa?

3. Did you recognize any of these structures in the cells you looked at
them under the microscope? and If so, which ones?
4. Transition into next activity: Were now going to review what we have learned so far and
explore these differences more closely. (10 minutes)
a. Ask groups to share what students wrote in their Venn diagrams. Type those statements
onto the Venn diagram digital version, as students from each group share their
thoughts. Tell students that they will explore the organelles and their functions more
closely tomorrow.
b. Take students through PPT. Students take notes in their science notebooks. Remind
students that the PPT is also posted to the class website for later viewing. Describe what
are on the slides. Say the following and ask questions such as,
i. Is this from the onion cell or cheek cell? How do you know?
ii. Why do you need to stain the cells?
iii. What do you notice in the onion cell? Any organelles?
iv. Look at the elodea cells after salt is added. Its much easier to see the cell
membrane and the cell wall.
v. Why might you see chloroplasts in elodea cells but not onion cells?
vi. What do you notice about the cheek cells? The blue dots are bacteria! Its
natural. Some bacteria are good for us, etc.
vii. Show the potato cells and ask: Do you think these are plant or animal cells?
Why? In case you thought all plant cells are rectangular. Look again. These are
plant cells. Guess what kind! These are potato cells. The inside parts are starch
grains.
viii. What are the similarities and differences between plant and animal cells?
ix. What did you see in all of the cells you looked at under the microscope?
1. Students may respond, the cell membrane or nucleus. Ask students
why they think it was in each one. Students may say things like, Its
important, the cell cant survive without it, etc.
5. Closure activity review. Direct students to stand on a taped line along the floor in the back of the
room: Youll see some words and pictures appear on the PPT. If you think the answer is plant
cell, then you will move one step in front of the line. If you think the answer is animal cell,
then you will move one step back, behind the line. If you think the answer is both plant and
animal cells, remain standing where you are. (5 minutes)
a. Model for students. Ask if they have any questions. When students make a decision, call
on a student to justify why or why not. The terms/pictures are on the PPT, and the
answers are in parentheses, below.
i. Nucleus (Both)
ii. Centriole (Animal)
iii. Onion Cells (Plant)
iv. Cell membrane (Both)
v. Chloroplast (Plant)
vi. Cheek Cells (Animal)

vii.
viii.
ix.
x.

Large vacuole (Plant)

Cell wall (Plant)
Cytoplasm (Both)
Potato Cells (Plant)

Assessments:
Formative:

observation of student notes (drawings, Venn diagrams)

students responses to questions
small group and whole group discussion
participation in line step response

Record notable observations in journal.