CHAPTER 1
Structure of Living Things
Vocabulary
cell the smallest part vacuole a cell part that
of a living thing that holds food, water, and
can carry out processes wastes
of life
vacuole
cell membrane a thin cell wall a hard outer
outer layer of a cell layer of a plant cell that
protects the cell and
provides support
cell membrane cell wall
cytoplasm the gel-like chloroplast chloroplast a part of
material inside the cell a plant cell that uses
that holds all the other energy from sunlight to
inner parts of the cell make food
cytoplasm
nucleus a large, round organism an individual
structure at the center living thing that can
of a cell that controls all carry out all its own life
the activities of a cell activities
nucleus
mitochondrion the tissue a group of
part of a cell that similar cells that do
breaks down food and the same job in an
turns it into energy for organism
mitochondrion the cell
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Chapter 1
What are living things
made of?
organ a body part vascular any plant
made of different that has tubes for
kinds of tissues that moving water and other
work together to do a materials to where they
certain job are needed
organ system a group nonvascular any
of organs that work plant that soaks up
together to do a water from the ground
certain job directly into its cells
kingdom the broadest fungus an organism
group into which living that cannot make its
things are classified own food, but instead
absorbs food from
decaying organisms
vertebrate an animal bacteria one-celled
that has a backbone living things that do not
have a nucleus
invertebrate an animal protist a one- or many-
that does not have a celled organism that
backbone can either make, eat, or
absorb food
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Chapter 1
Lesson 1
Cells
What are plants and
animals made of?
All living things are made of
cells (SELZ). A cell is the smallest
part of a living thing that can carry
out life activities. That is, they take
in food and grow.
Cells are the building blocks
Plant cells often have boxlike shapes
that all living things are made of.
that fit closely together. This arrangement
provides support for a plant. For example, your body is made of
trillions of cells. A pet dog or cat
is made of cells. A tree and even a
blade of grass are made of cells.
There are different kinds of
cells. Cells that make up plants are
able to make food for a plant. They
can store water. Cells that make up
animals allow for taking in food,
since animals do not make their
own food.
Animal cells have more rounded shapes
than plant cells. Their shapes allow
for movement.
Quick Check
Fill in words to complete each sentence.
1. Living things cells.
2. Plant cells food.
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Structure of Living Things
How can cells be seen?
Cells are so small that you need seen under a microscope over 400
a microscope (MIGH•kruh•skohp) to years ago. It took almost 200 years
see them. A microscope makes of observing cells for scientists to
things look bigger. Cells were first understand that all living things are
made of cells.
Microscope Timeline
1940s—Electron
microscopes
1595—Zacharias magnify 40,000
Janssen creates times more
the first compound than previous
microscope. microscopes.
1670s—Dutch
scientist Anton van
1860s–1890s—
Leeuwenhoek improves
Scientists develop
lens technology to
new ways of
magnify between 75
staining cells so
and 200 times.
they are easier to
see and study under
a microscope.
1665—English scientist Robert
Hooke studies slices of cork,
calling the tiny boxes that he sees
“cells” after a Latin word that
means “little rooms.”
1982—Scientists build
the scanning tunneling
microscope that allows you
to see individual blood cells.
Reading Diagrams
Read the orange markers going
from left to right on the timeline.
Quick Check
List these people and discoveries in order from oldest to newest.
electron scanning tunneling
Janssen Hooke
microscope microscope
3. oldest
newest
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Chapter 1 • Lesson 1
What are the parts of cells?
Every cell has parts inside. Each part of a cell
has a job that helps keep the cell alive.
Animal Cells
Look inside this animal cell. Find five parts in
the cell. What job does each part have?
Animal Cell nucleus (NEW•klee•uhs) —This large, round
part controls what happens in a cell by
sending signals to all other parts of the cell.
Nickname: Control center
cytoplasm (SIGH•tuh•plasm) —This
gel-like material inside a cell
holds all the inner parts of a cell.
Nickname: Packing material
vacuole (VAK•yew•ohl) —This
sac stores food and water
until a cell needs them
and collects wastes until
the cell gets rid of them.
Nickname: Storage bin
mitochondrion (migh•toh•KON•dree•uhn) —
This small oval sac releases energy
from food for the cell to use.
Nickname: Power plant
cell membrane (MEM•brayn) —This
thin outer layer of a cell lets
things in and out of the cell.
Nickname: The fence
Quick Check
Match the cell part with each statement.
4. Stores food and water. a. cell membrane
5. Lets things in and out. b. nucleus
6. Controls cell activities c. vacuole
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Structure of Living Things
Plant Cells
Plants cells have the same five parts that animal
cells have. However, vacuoles in plant cells are a
little different from the ones in animal cells. Also,
plant cells have two additional parts.
Plant Cell vacuole—larger than a vacuole in an animal
cell, this is a cell part that holds a lot of water
and gives shape to a the cell. (When it releases
water, the cell shrinks and the plant wilts.)
Nickname: Shape keeper
nucleus
mitochondrion
cytoplasm
cell membrane
chloroplast (KLAWR•uh•plast) —
a part of a plant cell that
uses energy from sunlight to cell wall—a hard outer layer of a
make food. plant cell that protects the cell
Nickname: Food factory and provides support.
Nickname: The wall
Quick Check
Fill in the diagram with facts that explain the summary.
7. 8. 9.
Summary: Plant cells are different from animal cells.
-Review Summaries and quizzes online @ [Link]
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Chapter 1 • Lesson 1