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Animal v. Plant Cell Laboratory
PSI Biology
Name____________________________________
Objective
Students will observe the differences between plant and animal cells.
Materials
Forceps
Medicine Droppers or plastic pipets
Elodea plant or similar aquatic plant
Water
Compound Microscope
Glass Slides
Coverslips
Toothpicks
Methylene blue stain
Paper Towels
Lens paper
Time Requirements:
Pre-lab prep (For teachers): approx. 20min
Lab activity: 40-45 min.
Procedure
Part A - Examining Plant Cells
1. Obtain a microscope from the storage cabinet and place it on your lab table.
2. Place a drop of water in the center of a clean glass slide.
3. Using forceps, remove a leaf from the Elodea plant and place it on the drop of water on the slide.
Make sure that the leaf is flat. If it is folded, straighten it with the forceps.
4. Place a coverslip over the drop of water and Elodea leaf. Try not to get any bubbles trapped under
the coverslip.
5. Place the slide on the stage of the microscope with the leaf directly over the opening in the stage.
6. Using the low-power objective lens, locate the leaf under the microscope. Turn the coarse
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adjustment knob until the leaf comes into focus. Center the leaf in the field of view and observe the
cells.
7. Switch to the medium-power objective lens. Locate the leaf using the microscope. Turn the fine
adjustment knob until the leaf comes into focus. Do not turn too far in one direction. Center the leaf in
the field of view.
8. Switch to the high-power objective lens. CAUTION: When turning to the high-power objective lens,
you should always look at the objective from the side of your microscope so that the objective lens does
not hit or damage the slide.
9. Observe the cells of the Elodea leaf. Draw and label what you see in the appropriate place in Data
section. Record the magnification of the microscope.
10. Dispose of the coverslip and Elodea leaf. Wash and dry the glass slide so that it can be reused.
Part B - Examining Animal Cells
1. Place a drop of water in the center of a clean glass slide.
2. Using the flat end of a toothpick, gently scrape the inside of your cheek. CAUTION: Do not use force
when scraping the inside of your cheek. Only a few cells are needed. The end of the toothpick will have
several cheek cells stuck to it even though you may see nothing but a drop of saliva.
3. Stir the water on the slide with the end of the toothpick to mix the cheek cells with the water. Dispose
the toothpick in the trash container.
4. Put one drop of methylene blue stain on top of the drop of water containing the cheek cells.
CAUTION: Use care when working with methylene blue to avoid staining hands and clothing. You may
want to wear gloves and an apron when performing this step
5. Wait one minute, then carefully place a coverslip over the stained cheek cells trying to avoid trapping
any bubbles under it.
6. To remove the stain from under the coverslip and replace it with clear water, place a piece of paper
towel at the edge of one side of the coverslip. Then place a drop of water at the edge of the coverslip
on the opposite side. The stained water under the coverslip will be absorbed by the paper towel. As the
stain is removed, the clear water next to the coverslip on the opposite side will be drawn under the
coverslip. Discard the paper towel after it has absorbed the stained water.
7. Place the slide on the stage of the microscope with the center of the coverslip directly over the
opening in the stage.
8. Using the low-power objective lens, locate a few cheek cells under the microscope. Make sure they
are centered in the field of view. Note: You will need to reduce the amount of light coming through the
slide in order to see the cells more clearly. Adjust the diaphragm as necessary.
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9. Switch to the medium-power objective lens and locate a cell under the microscope. Turn the fine
adjustment knob until the cell comes into focus. Do not turn too far in one direction. Center the cell in
the field of view.
10. Switch to the high-power objective lens. CAUTION: When turning to the high-power objective lens,
you should always look at the objective from the side of your microscope so that the objective lens does
not hit or damage the slide.
11. Observe some cheek cells. Draw and label what you see in the appropriate place in Data section.
Record the magnification of the microscope.
12. Dispose of your coverslip in the trash container. Wash, rinse, and dry your glass slide for reuse.
13. Return your microscope to the storage cabinet. Make sure not to leave any slides on the
microscope stage. Make sure the low-power objective is in place before storing your microscope.
Analysis
Draw your observations of plant and animal cells here. Label each drawing as either a plant cell or
animal cell and include the magnification.
1. What is the shape of an Elodea cell?
2. What is the general location of the nucleus in an Elodea cell?
3. What is the shape of the cheek cell?
4. What is the general location of the nucleus in a cheek cell?
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5. How are plant and animal cells similar in structure?
6. How are plant and animal cells different in structure?
7. Why are stains such as methylene blue used when observing cells under the microscope?
8. In general, the surface of a tree has a harder "feel" than does the surface of your skin. What cell
characteristic of each organism can be used to explain this difference?
8. If you were given a slide containing living cells of an unknown organism, how would you identify the
cells as either plant or animal?
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Teacher notes:
Pre-Lab Prep:
1. Check all the microscopes prior to the lab to ensure that they all work. Remove any slides
that may have been left on the stage from previous use. Instruct the students that they
should always remove any slides from the stage and place the low-power objective into
viewing position before storing their microscope.
2. Have glass slides, cover slips, lens paper and any other supplies in an accessible area for
the students.
3. Instruct the students to only use the fine focus knob when using the high-power objective to
prevent the lens from hitting the slide and potentially damaging the objective lens.
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