Cells: The Building Blocks of Life (Part 3)

What You'll Learn

Cells are the basic units of life. All living things are made of one or more cells. Plant cells have cell walls and chloroplasts that animal cells lack.

Key Words

trait
inherit
gene

Materials Needed

index cards
markers
ruler
scissors
microscope (or magnifying glass)

Safety First

Tie back long hair before starting the experiment.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read about Inheritance and Traits and write down three key facts.

Step 2 — Do

Prepare a wet-mount slide of an onion skin and observe it under a microscope (or magnifying glass). Draw and label the cell wall, cell membrane, and nucleus.

Step 3 — Observe

Observe what happens and describe it in detail.

Step 4 — Record

Record your observations in your science journal with measurements and descriptions.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is the basic unit of life?