What are the 18 parts of a plant cell?

Simply put, plant cell biology is the microscopic study of plant cells. It's important to learn the basics of how cells in plants function to understand how plants live in the environment. There are many projects you can do at home that will help you remember specific parts of plant cells, and what they do.

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Instructions
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Find More Facts About Plant Cells

For older kids who can memorize parts of plant cells, using diagrams and worksheets of plant cell structures and their functions can help them learn what each part of a plant cell looks like, and what its job is.

Materials

Labeled plant cell diagram (below)
Unlabeled plant cell worksheet (below)
List of plant cell parts and their functions

Have your child memorize and study the plant cell parts and their functions:

Cell wall: A thick rigid membrane that surrounds the cell and protects it
Cell membrane: A thin layer inside the cell wall that allows some substances (but not others) into the cell
Vacuole: A large, membrane-covered space inside plant cells that helps maintain a cell's shape
Nucleus: A round structure in plant cells that contains deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and controls many cell functions ("brain" or control center of the cell)
Nucleolus: Located inside the nucleus and makes ribonucleic acid (RNA)
Nuclear membrane: A membrane surrounding the nucleus that helps keep DNA safe
Chloroplast: Contains chlorophyll and is where photosynthesis takes place which is when sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide are converted to food energy (starches and sugars), water and oxygen
Mitochondria: Converts food to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to produce energy ("powerhouse" of the cell)
Cytoplasm: Jellylike material inside cell membrane that holds organelles (other parts of the cell) in place
Amyloplast: Present in some plant cells like fruits and starchy vegetables, it stores starch
Centrosome: Makes microtubules, helps cells replicate, and divides into more cells
Endoplasmic reticulum: Transports materials through cells
Ribosomes: Organelles (cell structures) that make proteins
Golgi body: Packages and transports proteins and carbohydrates to be exported from cells

Then, use the worksheet without labels to test your knowledge. To print the worksheet, click on the image below. The PDF will open in another window and from there you will have the option to print the sheet. If you need help, see this guide to working with printables.

Plant cell worksheet

Making plant cells out of Legos is a fun activity kids of all ages will enjoy. The trick is finding Lego sets that have pieces similar to those in the diagram or mixing and matching various pieces from Lego sets you already have at home.

Materials Needed

One large Lego base to attach Legos to
28 square (two-by-two) Legos for the cell wall (preferably green)
22 small rectangle (one-by-two) Legos for the cell membrane
Two curved-shaped Legos (forming a circle) for the nucleus
One circle-shaped Lego for the nucleolus
Two large oval-shaped Legos for mitochondria (pictured in black)
Five to seven small cylinder-shaped Legos stacked on top of each other to form the endoplasmic reticulum
Four small Legos for the chloroplasts
At least three very small circle-shaped Legos for amyloplasts
At least three very small ball-shaped pieces for ribosomes
Two long Legos (pictured in red) grouped to make the Golgi body
18 small squares or balls arranged to form the vacuole (pictured in black)
One small circle-shaped Lego for the centrosome
A large flat square or rectangle-shaped Lego base

Instructions

Using a large Lego base, use 28 square Legos to form a square border around the cell. This will make the cell wall.
Place 22 small rectangular Legos just inside cell wall to create cell membrane.
Put two curved Legos in the center of the cell to create the nucleus, with circular-shaped Legos inside for the nucleolus.
Place all other cell structures from the materials list inside of the cell border, (see image.)

Kids, especially younger children, will love learning about plant cells when playdough is involved.

Materials Needed

One large piece of cardboard to place the playdough cell on
Dark green playdough for the cell wall, chloroplasts and mitochondria
White playdough for the cell membrane and vacuole
Light green playdough for the cytoplasm
Pink playdough for the nucleus
A small container of blue playdough for the nucleolus
Purple playdough for the endoplasmic reticulum and ribosomes
Red playdough for the Golgi body

Place a flat slab of light green playdough on the cardboard in a large rectangle. This forms the cell cytoplasm.
Use white playdough to make a thin border around the playdough cytoplasm; this represents the cell membrane.
Make an outer border around the cell membrane with dark green playdough to form the cell wall.
Create a flat circle out of pink playdough for the nucleus; place the nucleus on top of the cytoplasm.
Make a small flat circle out of blue playdough and put it on top of the nucleus to form the nucleolus.
Make a large flat oval with white playdough to form a vacuole; place the vacuole on top of cytoplasm.
Form two hollow circles out of dark green playdough to represent mitochondria.
Make two snake-like shapes out of purple playdough to form the endoplasmic reticulum.
Make two solid dark green ovals for chloroplasts.
Create a thin worm-like structure with red playdough for Golgi body.
Make 15 very tiny round balls out of purple playdough to form ribosomes.
Let the playdough cell dry overnight.

What better way to learn about plant cells, than baking a tasty cake with your kids. The best part about making an edible plant cell is getting to eat this sweet treat.

Materials

Ingredients for your favorite cake recipe
Rectangle-shaped cake pan
16-ounce container of vanilla frosting
Green food coloring
Green icing
Yellow icing
One popcorn ball
Five green lifesavers
Two red lifesavers
Two red fruit roll-ups
One green fruit roll-up
One piece of chewy caramel

Instructions

Bake your favorite cake as instructed in a rectangle-shaped cake pan.
Mix a few drops of green food coloring in vanilla frosting to create a light-green color.
Frost your cake with the light green frosting to make the cytoplasm.
Create a cake border with green icing to make a cell wall.
Use yellow icing to make a cell membrane right inside the 'cell wall.'
Put the popcorn ball in the center of the cake for the nucleus.
Place red fruit roll-ups next to each other on top of the cake for the endoplasmic reticulum.
Put the green fruit roll-up on top of the cake for the Golgi body.
Place two red lifesavers on the cake for vacuoles.
Put five green lifesavers on the cake to represent chloroplasts.
Place the caramel on top of the cake to be a mitochondrion.

Children need to learn about plant cell biology to excel in science at school. Plant science is also a great way to teach kids about the scientific method, and how to properly set up a science log book. With the right activities, your kids will be begging to learn more about plant cells and other science-related topics.

This web page contains plant cell facts for kids and is an excellent resource for anyone of any age looking to learn about the cells in plants. Our goal is to provide you with accurate, up to date facts about plant cells.

In addition to facts about plant cells, we provide diagrams of a plant cell and pictures of plant cells.

The plant cell facts below will help you learn what a plant cell is, the characteristics of a plant cell, the different types of plant cells, parts of a plant cell and other plant cell facts.

We hope these plant cell facts are useful and help you learn more about the eukaryotic cells in plants.

If any of the below plant cell facts are inaccurate, please contact us and let us know.

1. A plant cell is the smallest biological unit of life found in plants.

2. A plant cell is classified as a eukaryotic cell.

3. A eukaryotic cell has a nucleus and organelles surround by a membrane.

4. Plant cells are very small and can only be viewed using a microscope.

5. A plant cell can be between 0.01 and 0.1 millimeters in size.

6. Plant cells are the only known cells on the planet that can produce their own food.

7. Plant cells are complex and have many different parts to support its functions.

8. A plant cell has a rectangular shape. It’s held together and protected by a cellulose cell wall and membrane.

9. A plant cell is made up of cellulose, chloroplasts, chlorophyll, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, nucleus, microtubules, mitochondria, plasma membrane and vacuole.

10. A plant cell contains cellulose. It’s the material that makes up a plant cell’s wall.

11. A plant cell contains chloroplasts. They are special organelles that conduct the photosynthesis process.

12. The photosynthesis process is where a plant uses carbon dioxide, water and nutrients to create glucose (sugar) and oxygen. The glucose is used as energy, while oxygen is the waste byproduct.

13. Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs radiant energy from sunlight.

14. A plant cell contains endoplasmic reticulum. It controls the movement of chemicals to the nucleus.

15. A plant cell contains a nucleus that controls the functions of the cell, stores DNA and copies DNA.

16. A plant cell contains mitochondria. It’s the powerplant that provides energy to the cell.

17. A plant cell contains a vacuole. It’s the storage site of a plant cell for both nutrients and waste.

18. Plant and animal cells have many similarities and differences.

19. A plant cell has three things an animal doesn’t, chloroplast, cell wall and a vacuole.

20. An animal cell has an irregular shape while a plant cell has a rectangular shape.

21. Plant cells are typically larger than animal cells. An animal cell can have a size between 0.01 and 0.03 millimeters while a plant cell can have a size between 0.01 and 0.1 millimeters.

A picture of a plant cell under a microscope.

A 3D illustration of a plant cell and its parts.

A diagram of a plant cell with parts labeled.