Sign up for FREE

Copy of Plant Cells Intro (Oct 2022) (5/28/2026)

Last updated about 3 hours ago

18 questions

Learning Goals

Virtual Tour - Una Selva en Costa Rica

Plant vs. Animal Cells 1

1

1

Function of a Plant Cell

2

Organelles in a Plant Cell

6

Location of Organelles

Plant vs. Animal Cells 2

2

Questions

1

1

1

1

1

Exit Ticket

Required

0

Required

0

Learning Goals:
Identify the organelles in plant cells.
Identify the function of organelles in plant cells.
Identify the location of organelles in plant cells.
Compare and contrast plant and animal cells.

You will now take a virtual tour of a jungle in Costa Rica. As you explore the panoramic image of the terrain, think about where you would find plant and/or animal cells - in which organisms?

In the upper-right of the  panoramic image, below, click the arrows to open the 360 panoramic image to view it fullscreen. When you are finished viewing it, click the escape key.

Two major types of eukaryotic cells are plant and animal cells.

Examine the image below (to zoom on it, click on the image). What are some similarities? What are some differences?

Question 1

1.

Provide a list of three similarities between plant and animals cells from the image.

Question 2

2.

Provide a list of three differences between plant and animals cells from the image.

Function of a Plant Cell
Plants are multicellular organisms made up of eukaryotic cells. In a food web (which we will discuss in a much later unit), plants are known as producers. This name refers to the fact that they are able to make their own food (sugars) using energy from light (usually the sun), water, and carbon dioxide gas. This process is called photosynthesis. 

One of the ways that a plant cell is different from an animal cell is that plant cells have specialized organelles for performing photosynthesis. Animal cells do not make their own food - they must consume (or eat) it. They must rely upon plants and other animals for their energy.

Question 3

3.

What process does a plant cell perform that animal cells cannot? _______ 

What does this process produce? _______ 

Organelles in a Plant Cell
Next, you will watch a video about some organelles in plant cells. As you watch, pay attention to each organelle discussed and their:
general appearance
location with reference to the nucleus, cell membrane, and other organelles.
function of the organelles
You will use the video to perform a question - match the organelles with their function.

Question 4

4.

Draggable item		Corresponding Item

Location of Organelles
Next, you will use an interactive activity to review the location of the organelles within a plant cell. 

Select "Plant Cell" and find the name of each organelle below the cell diagram. Try to locate the organelle within the cell yourself. Then click on the name of the organelle to see its location highlighted in the cell model.

After this interactive, you will have a short five question "quiz" in which you will have to identify some of the organelles in a plant cell. Pay close attention for the following - vacuole, nucleur membrane, chloroplast, cell wall, cell membrane, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and the Golgi apparatus.

3

Question 5

5.

Next, you will watch a video that explores some of the major differences between plant and animal cells. As you watch the video, pay attention to the differences in these cell types, in terms of:
functions
organelle types
shape and structure

1

Question 6

6.

What do you already know about plant cells and how they differ from animal cells?

1

1

1

1

Question 11

11.

Use the information learned from this activity to complete the following table by using the "T" feature to type the needed information in each box.

Question 12

12.

Question 13

13.

Question 14

14.

Question 15

15.

Question 16

16.

Question 17

17.

Question 18

18.

Provide a list of one or two things that you learned from this activity.

Golgi body (apparatus, complex)

Organelle that hold the DNA of the cell.

Ribosome

Has ribosomes embedded on its surface and assists in protein synthesis.

Cell Membrane

Organell that makes lipids for the cell.

Vacuole (central vacuole)

Organelle that assists in cell division (mitosis and meiosis)

Mitochondria

Organelle that packages proteins in vesicles for transport across the cell.

Cell Wall

Stores mostly water in a plant cell to help create turgor pressure within the cell.

Chloroplast

Organelle that converts sugar into usable energy (ATP) for the cell.

Cytoplasm

Primary organelle that performs protein synthesis.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum (smooth ER)

Fluid-like material that fills the space within the cell membrane; contains the organelles and cushions them.

Nucleus

Rigid part of certain cells (plant and fungi) that is on the outside of the cell membrane. Provides extra structure for the cell.

Centrosomes

On the outside of all cells; controls what can enter and leave the cell.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum (rough ER)

Converts energy in light into carbohydrates (sugars)

Identify the following cellular structures in the image on the left.

a. Cell Wall _______ 
b. Cell Membrane _______ 
c. Nuclear Membrane _______ 
d. Mitochondria _______ 
e. Chloroplast _______ 
f. Endoplasmic Reticulum _______ 
g. Golgi Apparatus _______ 

Question 7

7.

Question 8

8.

Question 9

9.

In your own words, explain how plant cells' rigid wall make plants very different from animals.

Question 10

10.

In your own words, explain how plant cells' large central vacuole differs from the vacuoles found in some animal cells.

A plant cell is round in shape.

True

False

Which of the following organelles is found in both the plant and animal cell (select all that apply)?

Cell wall

Cell membrane

Vacuole

Chloroplast

Which of the following organelles is responsible for collecting sunlight and converting it into sugars (food) for the plant cell (select all that apply)?

Ribosome

Chloroplast

Cell wall

Golgi apparatus

Which organelle is responsible for the rigid support for a plant cell?

Cell wall

Cell membrane

Chloroplast

Vacuole

Turgor pressure is caused by the cell wall within the plant cell.

True

False

After having completed this activity, how has your confidence regarding this concept changed?

Significantly increased

Moderately increased

Somewhat increased

Unchanged

Somewhat decreased

Moderately decreased

Moderately decreased

Which of the following is NOT true of lycophytes (select all that apply)?

They reproduce by developing and dispersing spores. 

They use flowers to reproduce. 

They existed before angiosperms.

They exist today. 

Which of the following accurately describes a chief difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells (select all that apply)?

Prokaryotic cells are found in and on plants while eukaryotic cells are found in and on animals. 

Prokaryotic cells are found in and on animals while eukaryotic cells are found in and on plants.

Eukaryotic cells contain a distinct, enclosed nucleus while prokaryotic cells do not.

Prokaryotic cells contain a distinct, enclosed nucleus while eukaryotic cells do not.