Cell Basics The Cell – Need to know Basics Animal and Plant Organelles Compare Animal and Plant cells (Venn Diagram & Questions)

The Cell – Need to know Basics Cells are the “building blocks” of the human body. Every part of your body – bones, skin, nerves, hair, and muscle – is made of cells. Different cells do different jobs and have different shapes and sizes. Cells contain smaller “insides” called organelles – all with different jobs.

Organelles The largest and most important organelle is the nucleus. The nucleus controls everything that happens inside the cell. (Like the cell’s brain.) All cells are surrounded by a protective layer called the cell membrane. The cell membrane is semi-permeable, which means that it lets some substances pass through it, but not others. The material between the cell membrane and the nuclear membrane is called cytoplasm. Cytoplasm is a liquid containing chemicals needed to keep the cell alive as well as hold the floating parts of the cell together.

Animal Cell and Organelles

Plant Cell and Organelles

Venn Comparison of Animal and Plant Cells What are the two main types of cells? What is an organelle? What organelles are common to both types of cells? What are the organelles found only in plant cells? Why do you think that scientists refer to cells as the ‘basic” unit of life?