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Name: ____________________________________________ Grade & Section: ______________

Name of Teacher:___________________________________

PASAY- BIO1-Q1-W1-D2
MODULE IN GENERAL BIOLOGY 1
First Quarter/ Week 1/ Day 2

Shelly is my name.
I. OBJECTIVES: Yes! it’s me again.
Explain the postulates of cell theory. (STEM_BIO11/12Ia-c-1) Today let’s find a way
for you to learn and gain!
Specific Objectives:
1. explain the postulates of cell theory;
2. relate microscopy and cell theory development;
3. tabulate the important contributions of scientists in cytology;

This module discusses the development of cell theory. The proceeding

activities will lead you to the understanding of its postulates. The linkage
between microscopy and cell theory will also be discussed on the latter part.
THE HISTORY OF CELL BIOLOGY

Discovery of cells was made possible by the development of microscope in the 17th
century. In 1665, the English scientist Robert Hooke used a microscope to examine a thin slice
of cork. Hooke described it as consisting of “a great many little boxes.” These “little boxes”
reminded him of the cubicles or “cells” in which monks lived, so he called them cells. What Hooke
had observed were actually the remains of dead plant cells.
The first person to observe living cells was a Dutch trader, Anton van Leeuwenhoek.
Although van Leeuwenhoek’s microscope was rather simple, in 1673 it was powerful enough to
enable him to view the world of microscopic organisms which had never before been seen.
About 150 years passed before scientists began to organize the observations begun by
Hooke and van Leeuwenhoek into a unified theory known as the cell theory. This theory has
three parts:
 All living things are composed of one or more cells.
 Cells are the basic units of structure and function in an organism.
 Cells come only from the reproduction of existing cells.

Early evidence for the cell theory was provided by German scientists. In 1838, the botanist
Matthias Schleiden concluded that all plants are composed of cells. A year later, the zoologist
Theodor Schwann came to the same conclusion about animals. In 1855, Rudolf Virchow, a
physician who had been studying how disease affects living things, reasoned that cells come
only from other cells. Over the years, modern scientists have gathered much additional evidence
that strongly supports the cell theory.
The cell is actually too small to see with the unaided eye. It is visible here in such detail
because it is being viewed with a very powerful microscope. Cells may be small in size, but they
are extremely important for life. Like all other living things, you are made of cells. Cells are the
basis of life, and without cells, life as we know it would not exist.
If you look at a living matter with a microscope — even a simple light microscope — you
will see that it consists of cells. Knowing the structure of cells and the processes they carry out
is necessary to understanding life itself (Grewal & Walim, 2020).

Accomplish the tasks and log your progress on this table.

ACTIVITIES
STARTED FINISHED
I. CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING
II. ORGANIZING FACTS
III. FACTS AND COLORS
IV. MATCH-IT-UP
V. EXIT TICKETS
VI. EVALUATION
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Name: ____________________________________________ Grade & Section: ______________
Name of Teacher:___________________________________

CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING. Read the discussions on page 1 then, answer these

N
I.
guide questions.

1. What caused scientists to discover the existence of cells?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

2. What did Hooke observe in the cork slice?

____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. What discovery is Antoine Van Leeuwenhoek noted for?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. What are the three parts of the cell theory?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. What powerful tool was used by several scientists in discovering matters about cells? Why is it
necessary?___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

ORGANIZING FACTS. The figure below indicates events that led up to the cell theory.
II. Complete the table by filling in the blank spaces.

Date Scientist Discovery

1665 1. - observed the remains of dead plant cells

2. Anton van Leeuwenhoek 3.

1838 Matthias Schleiden 4.

5. 6. - stated that all animals are made of cells

1855 7. 8.

FACTS & COLORS. Read the paragraph on page 4 and color these images
III. based on the given instructions.
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Name: ____________________________________________ Grade & Section: ______________
Name of Teacher:___________________________________

One of the most important general principles in
biology is the CELL THEORY. Scientists use the
term “theory” to indicate something that is more than
just a hypothesis. A theory is a statement that has
been proven true after many experiments. The cell
theory was developed over many centuries by
hundreds of scientists. It has been proven true so
many times that some scientists call it a concept.
The term “cell” was first used by English
scientist Robert Hooke as he observed thin slices of
cork under the microscope. He used the word cell
because the compartments he saw in the cork
reminded him of small rooms, called cells, used in
monasteries and jails. The compartments in the cork
were empty because the cells had died and
disintegrated, but he also described cells in living
plant tissues, which were filled with fluids.
Color the title “Cell Theory” black and the title
“First Observed Cells” brown. Now color the title
“Cork Cells” and the pictures labeled “A” with light
brown. This is how Robert Hooke drew the first cells
he saw under a microscope.
In 1675 the Dutch scientist Antoine van
Leeuwenhoek discovered microscopic animals in
water. He also discovered bacteria, which were not
reported by anyone else for another 200 years.
Color the title “Microscopic Animals” and the
small animals labeled “B” yellow. This is a
reproduction of van Leeuwenhoek’s drawings.
Numerous scientists contributed various bits,
large and small, to the final cell theory. However, the
credit for pulling it all together usually goes to a pair
of German scientists.
In 1838 and 1839 the botanist, Matthias Schleiden and
the zoologist Theodor Schwann proposed a
hypothesis that all living organisms are made up of one
or more cells and that those cells are the smallest thing
that is alive. Since that time, thousands of scientists
have examined millions of living organisms and have
never found a single thing smaller than a cell that can
function completely on its own.
Color the title “All Living Things Are Made Up of
One or More Cells” and the three cells labeled “C” with
green.
The idea that the cell is the basic unit of life was
derived from the observation that the smallest thing
that has all of the properties of life is a single cell. If the
cell is broken open, the life processes stop.
Color the title “The Cell is the Basic Unit of Life”
and the cell labeled “D” blue.
In 1858 the German biologist Rudolf Virchow
supplied the third part of the cell theory when he stated
that all cells come from the division of preexisting cells.
Although most scientists believe that the first cells
spontaneously arose from chemical reactions when
the earth was first formed, that occurred under very
different conditions than those existing today and took
a very large amount of time. Today we never see a cell
produced except by division of a preexisting cell.
Color the title “All Cells Come From Preexisting
Cells” and the picture labeled “E” purple.

MATCH-IT-UP. Match the scientist with the correct letter stating his contribution
IV. to cell discovery.

1. Zacharias Janssen A German histologist that concluded all cells come from
other cells
2. Rudolf Virchow B German physiologist that concluded all animals are made
of cells
3. Robert Hooke C Came up with the word "cell" after studying cork
under the microscope
4. Theodor Schwann D German botanist who concluded that all plants are made
of cells
5. Anton Von Leeuwenhoek E Dutch tradesman who made the first simple microscope
6. Matthias Schleiden F Dutch scientist that built a compound microscope with his
father.

EXIT TICKETS. Answer the questions attached on each ticket. Think critically
V. to gain an advantage. You are one step away from the final activity.

1. What had been the vital instrument used by the previously cited scientists which
aid them in their discoveries? Explain why.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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Name: ____________________________________________ Grade & Section: ______________
Name of Teacher:___________________________________

2. What do you think may happen in the field of cytology if cell theory wasn’t
established?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

The cell theory is so established today that it forms one of the unifying
principles of biology. It states that:
 cells are the basic unit of life;
 all biological organisms are composed of cells;
 all cells come from pre- existing cells.
(Feher, 2017).

EVALUATION. Read each item carefully then shade the letter of your answer
VI. on the provided answer sheet. Do not make any unnecessary marks on the
answer sheet because papers will be checked thru scantron.
1. Which of the following was not a major event in the history of the development of cell theory?
A. Schleiden concluding that all plants are comprised of cells
B. Hooke viewing the remains of cells in a slice of cork under a microscope
C. Schwann identifying that bacteria and viruses were single-celled organisms
D. Van Leeuwenhoek viewing living cells from algae and protists under his microscope
2. Which of the following is the correct sequence of events for the development of cell theory?
A. Manufacturing and using simple microscopes → determining that all living organisms are comprised
of cells → determining that plants are comprised of cells → understanding that new cells are
produced by preexisting cells
B. Manufacturing and using simple microscopes → determining that plants are comprised of
cells → determining that all living organisms are comprised of cells → understanding that new
cells are produced by preexisting cells
C. Determining that plants are comprised of cells → determining that all living organisms are comprised
of cells → manufacturing and using simple microscopes → understanding that new cells are
produced by preexisting cells
D. Manufacturing and using simple microscopes → understanding that new cells are produced by
preexisting cells → determining that plants are comprised of cells → determining that all living
organisms are comprised of cells
3. How did Robert Hooke contribute to the development of cell theory?
A. Hooke stated that the new cells in an organism are produced by preexisting cells.
B. Hooke determined that all living organisms are composed of cells.
C. Hooke used lenses to make simple microscopes that could view living organisms under greater than
200x magnification.
D. Hooke used a microscope to view a piece of cork that he determined was made up of small
compartments he called “cells.”
4. How did Antoine van Leeuwenhoek contribute to the development of cell theory?
A. Van Leeuwenhoek determined that all living organisms are composed of cells.
B. Van Leeuwenhoek stated that the new cells in an organism are produced by preexisting cells.
C. Van Leeuwenhoek used a microscope to view a piece of cork that he determined was made up of
small compartments he called “cells.”
D. Van Leeuwenhoek used lenses to make simple microscopes that could view living organisms under
greater than 200x magnification.
5. How did Matthias Schleiden contribute to the development of cell theory?
A. Schleiden determined that all living organisms are composed of cells.
B. Schleiden studied plant tissues and determined that plants are composed of cells.
C. Schleiden stated that the new cells in an organism are produced by preexisting cells.
D. Schleiden used lenses to make simple microscopes that could view living organisms under greater
than 200x magnification.
6. Which two scientists, involved in the development of cell theory, determined that living organisms are made
up of cells?
A. Virchow and Schwann B. Virchow and Hooke
C. Schleiden and Schwann D. Hooke and Van Leeuwenhoek
7. Which of the following best defines cell theory?
A. It is the scientific theory that states that cells will divide, replicate, and mutate throughout their lifetime.
B. It is the scientific theory that states that cells are the basic unit of life and make up all living organisms.
C. It is the scientific theory that states that all cells are genetically and structurally identical across all
living organisms.
D. It is the scientific theory that states that all living animals are made up of groups of differently
specialized cells.
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Name: ____________________________________________ Grade & Section: ______________
Name of Teacher:___________________________________

8. How did Rudolf Virchow contribute to the development of cell theory?

A. Virchow determined that all living organisms are composed of cells.
B. Virchow studied plant tissues and determined that plants are composed of cells.
C. Virchow stated that the new cells in an organism are produced by preexisting cells.
D. Virchow used a microscope to view a piece of cork that he determined was made up of small
compartments he called “cells.”
9. Which of the following is not a principle that cell theory is based on?
A. All cells are made from preexisting cells.
B. All living organisms are made up of one or more cells.
C. The basic functional unit of all living organisms is the cell.
D. Cells are the smallest structures found within an organism.
10. How did Theodor Schwann contribute to the development of cell theory?
A. Schwann determined that all living organisms are composed of cells.
B. Schwann stated that the new cells in an organism are produced by preexisting cells.
C. Schwann studied plant tissues and determined that plants are composed of cells.
D. Schwann used lenses to make simple microscopes that could view living organisms under
magnification greater than 200x.
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MODULE WRITER: MARY ANN E. GARCIA

PASAY CITY SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL
References:

Feher, J. (2017). The Core Principles of Physiology. Science Direct. Retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com
/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/cell-theory

Grewal, M., Walim, S. (2020). Discovery of Cells and Cell Theory. Biology Liretexts. Retrieved from
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Human_Biology/Book%3A_Human_Biology_(Wakim_and_Grewal)/05%3A_
Cells/5.02%3A_Discovery_of_Cells_and_Cell_Theory

Online Sources retrieved on June 06, 2020:

https://www.nagwa.com/en/worksheets/359171571219/
https://www.henhudschools.org/cms/lib/NY01813707/Centricity/Domain/1390/HW%2012%20-
%20Cell%20Theory%20I.pdf
https://www.gwisd.us/vimages/shared/vnews/stories/4ebbe99bda63a/The%20Cell%20Theory%20Power%20Point%20a
nd%20Coloring%20Activity.pdf