“The Tiny Building Blocks of Life” - · PDF fileof all the other cell organelles. ... food for the cell called ... Let’s see how cells really do become “the building...

“The Tiny Building Blocks of Life”

Why are cells nicknamed

“The Tiny Building Blocks of

Life?”

If you were to look at a tree and a

shark, you would not think that they

have much in common.

However, if you looked closer, (at

their smallest parts) you would see

that they are very similar indeed.

All organisms (living things) are

made up of cells.

Cells are the basic unit of function and

structure of living things.

They are the tiny living things that make

up all the plants and animals on the

earth.

Some plants and animals are made up

of only one cell! You can’t see those.

To see plants or animals made up of

only one cell, you need to use a

microscope.

The Microscope

The microscope

makes the invisible,

visible!

Typical magnification

values are 4x, 5x, 10x,

20x, 40x, 50x and

100x.

The plants and animals that we see

are all made up of millions and

millions of cells!

This is why we call cells “the tiny

building blocks of life.” See p. 26.

Guess what? Your own body is made

of more than a trillion cells! (That’s a

million millions!)

Organelles are the “organs” or parts

of a cell.

They all have specific functions to

complete inside the cell so the cell

can survive.

Let’s look at the organelles in an

animal cell…

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/lmexer1a.htm#plan

The job of the nucleus

is to be the “command

center” of the cell.

It is the brain.

It houses the DNA—

the personal

code/genes of an

organism that is unlike

any other.

The cell membrane

is like the “skin” of a

cell.

It keeps all the

organelles inside

the cell and protects

them.

The cytoplasm is

held in place by the

cell membrane.

It would be similar to

“glue” or “jello.”

It holds all the other

organelles in place

inside the cell.

http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_mo

del.htm

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/lmexer1a.htm#plan

Just like in animal

cells, the nucleus in a

plant cell works as

the brain.

It controls the work

of all the other cell

organelles.

Just like in an animal

cell, the cytoplasm in

a plant cell is the

jelly-like fluid that

contains all the other

organelles.

The cell wall is like

the “skin” of a cell.

It is a stiff cover that

protects and

provides support

and structure to the

cell.

Chloroplasts are like the “solar panels” of plant cells.

The chloroplasts are the green organelles floating in the cytoplasm.

These are what makes plants look green.

The green chloroplasts trap sunlight and make food for the cell called chlorophyll!

Compare and Contrast

Single-celled organisms

Amoeba

Bacteria

Multi-celled organisms

Plants

Animals

People (You and me!)

Single-celled organisms are made up

of only one cell!

Most are too small to be seen by the

naked eye (able to be seen without

any help from an eye instrument).

To see these organisms, you have to

use a microscope.

Amoebas have no exact shape, they can

change their shape at will.

Amoebas are small, one-celled

microscopic creatures.

They are hard to find because they

are transparent and look like

decaying organisms.

They move by using

what scientists call

“false feet”. See?

To eat, amoebas will surround their

prey (another small organism) with

their false feet and then engulf it.

1 2

Bacteria can grow in any

environment: underwater, in soil, in

nuclear waste, deep in the Earth’s

crust, ON plants and animals, and IN

plants and animals.

There could be three types of

bacteria in your own body:

Harmless

Beneficial

Harmful

A multi-celled organism is an

organism that consists of more than

one cell.

Most living things that you can see

with your naked eye are multi-celled

organisms.

…Like you, and me, and your dog,

and the tree outside!!

Your own body is many different cells

that all do many different jobs.

Let’s see how cells really do become

“the building blocks of life” for you!

•Cells form tissues (like muscle tissue).

Tissues form organs (like

the heart and stomach).

•Organs form systems.

•For example: the

digestive system is

formed from the

tongue, stomach, and

intestines working

together.

Organ systems form organisms.

All your organ systems working

together make you work! (You have

eleven working together in all.)

Cells

Tissues

Organs

Organ Systems

Organisms

http://www.kbears.com/sciences/mic

roscope.html

http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/cell_

model.htm

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/sci-

units/cells.htm#5