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

cell
nucleus
DNA

Materials Needed

scissors
microscope (or magnifying glass)
slides
onion skin

Safety First

Adult supervision recommended.
Do not taste any materials.

Steps

Step 1 — Read

Read about Heredity 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?