Plant and Animal Cell Lesson Plan 

Kylie Morris   

Grade Level: 9 Number of Students in Class: 28 

Cell Structure Lesson Duration: 50 minutes 

Friday, November 16, 2018 - 9:10-10:00 

1. Objective(s):   
In one class period, students identify the unique organelles in both plant and animal 
cells using a T-chart. 
In one lesson, students will diagram, and describe the function of organelles in both 
plant and animal cells. 

2. Colorado Academic Standards​: High School Biology 

Standard 2:​ Life Science 
Prepared Graduates: Analyze the relationship between structure and function in living 
systems at a variety of organizational levels, and recognize living systems’ dependence on 
natural selection. 
Concept 5:​ Cells use passive and active transport of substances across membranes to 
maintain relatively stable intracellular environments. 
Evidence Outcome(s)​ a. Analyze and interpret data to determine the energy requirements 
and/or rates of substance transport across cell membranes (DOK 1-2) & 
c. Diagram the cell membrane schematically. (DOK 1)  

3. Learning Target:  
I can identify and describe the structure and function of organelles in a plant and animal 
cell. 

4. Assessment 
Formative:  
Unit 2: Cells worksheets. 
Teacher-guided T-chart as entrance activity. 
Student generated diagrams and descriptions. 
 5. Materials:   
 
1. 2 LARGE sections of poster/butcher paper (about 3’x 4’) 
2. Supplies from students supply drawer: 
● Colored pencils 
● Markers 
● Scissors 
● Glue 
3. Computer and Projector for Video 
4. Student Directions for Poster 
5. Cut of slips with structures and organelles for students to randomly pick. 
6. Students will need:  
● A Biology Textbook 
● Their “Unit 2: Cells” Worksheet 
● Their Science Notebooks 
7. ​Cell Structure Video  

  
6. Essential Questions or Big Picture Statement:   
How are the components of cells essential for life? 
How does what we eat affect how our cells function? 
8. Step-by-Step 
 
TEACHER GUIDED: (10 minutes) 
 
1. Read the Learning Target to students, they can write it down in their science 
notebooks. 
 
2. Teacher creates a large T-Chart on the chalkboard, one column labeled “Plant Cell” and 
the other column listed “Animal Cells.” 
 
● Small group: Ask students to draw this T-chart in their science notebooks and take 
1 minute with their table group to discuss and list all the structures and organelles 
they can remember. 
● Whole class: Ask students to share with the class some of the vocabulary they 
listed in their T-charts, while the teacher writes them on the board. 
 
INDEPENDENT STUDENT NOTES (Video): (10 minutes) 
 
1. Play video on cell structure (7:21 long) ​Cell Structure Video​ , asking students to list any 
organelles, or important structural components they hear about in the video, into their 
T-charts in their science notebooks. E ​ xplain to students that they will use this T-chart as 
one of their resources for their next activity. 
 
2. After the video ask students if there is any new vocabulary they added to their 
T-charts. Ask students to listen and also add any new vocabulary to their charts that they 
hear from their peers. 
 
DIRECT TEACHER INSTRUCTION: (5 minutes) 
 
Explain to students that they will be responsible for creating 2 diagrams as a class - One 
for the animal cell, and one for the plant cell. Show students where the blank diagrams 
are in the room. 
● Have 2 Large sections of poster paper laid on the tables in the back of the room. 
One labeled “Plant Cell” and the other labeled “Animal Cell.” 
 
Tell students that they will be picking structures and organelles from a box, and they will 
be responsible for adding their component to the diagram, as well as figuring out if it 
goes in either the plant cell, animal cell, or both! 
 
Explain they will be creating Anchor Charts to use for the remainder of the unit, so not 
only are they drawing and coloring their organelle, they will need to use their resources 
to describe the structure and function of their organelle. 
 ● Student resources include their Biology Book pages 191-200; their “Unit 2 Cells” 
worksheet, and the T-chart and video notes they recorded at the beginning of class. 
Ask students to be aware that some organelles will have more than 1 person working in 
“teams” to complete them, and other organelles, or structures may be independent. 
 
Teacher walks around each table, asking students to pick a piece of paper from the box 
that will indicate their “organelle.” ​(sheet is included below) 
 
INDEPENDENT STUDENT/SMALL GROUP ACTIVITY: (15 minutes) 
 
1.Students find their partners, hand out the half sheet of directions to each ​group ​of 
students (included below). Students will work together, using their resources to draft 
what they will draw and write on the poster before adding it to the actual class poster.  
 
2. Students use class supplies to add their drawing and information on the poster, teacher 
reminds students to use precise vocabulary. 
 
TRANSITION (3 minutes): At 9:55am - Ask student to add their final touches and clean up 
- tell students THEY WILL HAVE 3 minutes, give time reminders every minute, then 
down to 30 seconds so they have time for closure discussions. 
 
CLOSING/Bell Ringer: As students prepare to leave, and are standing at their table groups 
ask them to talk with the person next to them about what organelle, or structure they 
had, and how they described the structure and function on the poster. (2 minutes) 
 
 

Differentiation: Students can use multiple resources to gather their information. Students 
working in groups can manage who will have what task, depending on their strengths 
(drawing, writing, leading). 

Lesson Reflection: 
 
Based on the graded Unit 2 worksheet as well as the product of the diagrams, students 
met the learning objectives with a class average of 80% accuracy. Students appropriately 
diagramed and labeled the organelles in the cells and provided an understanding of the 
function of the organelles in the Unit 2 worksheet that accompanied this assignment 
from the previous day.  
 
My next instructional step would be to ask students to independently sketch both plant 
and animal cells to see how much of the big picture was retained without using 
resources. I would use this as an entrance ticket and as a formative assessment. 
 
 The activity went well, but would have been concluded a bit better with more time. Next 
time, I would make sure all students completed the Unit 2 worksheet, and could make a t 
chart using the video, with an exit ticket; then use the next instructional day to dedicate 
to the diagram activity. 
 
Based on the amount of detail on the diagrams, students understood the objective and 
didn’t require much one on one once the information was front-loaded. 
 

Cut these out, placing them in a box for students to pick from.

Cell Wall Cell Wall Flagella Plasma Membrane

Centrioles Centrioles Golgi Apparatus Ribosomes

Chloroplasts Flagella Lysosome Ribosomes

Chloroplasts Lysosome Mitochondrion Vacuole

Cilia Cilia Nucleus Nucleus

Cytoskeleton Cytoskeleton Nucleus Mitochondrion

Endoplasmic Reticulum Endoplasmic Reticulum Plasma Membrane Golgi Apparatus

Group’s Cell Component: 
 
Names of Group Members: 
 
Create a draft in your notebooks of what you will draw & write BEFORE you put it on the class posters. You will 
need to work together to complete this before the end of class today! ​You have 15 minutes!!! 
 
What should you include? 
● A detailed drawing with color of your component(s) ONLY! 
● A definition of the function of your component (what is it made of? What does it do?). 
● Make sure your cell component and definition is on the correct poster(s), it could be on both! It may only 
be on one! Research! 
● REMEMBER: You will need to ​communicate kindly with one another​ to make sure a ​ ll parts of the cells 
come together correctly. 
 
Resources to use: 
● Biology Textbook pages 191-200 
● Completed “Unit 2: Cells” Worksheet 
● Cell Structure Video Notes 
● Class supplies (markers, colored pencils, etc.) 
 
***At 9:55, make sure you have completed your part of the cell diagram(s) and clean up your area, putting away all 
class supplies and make your way back to your sea for closing discussion. 
 
 
 
 
 
Group’s Cell Component: 
 
Names of Group Members: 
 
Create a draft in your notebooks of what you will draw & write BEFORE you put it on the class posters. You will 
need to work together to complete this before the end of class today! ​You have 15 minutes!!! 
 
What should you include? 
● A detailed drawing with color of your component(s) ONLY! 
● A definition of the function of your component (what is it made of? What does it do?). 
● Make sure your cell component and definition is on the correct poster(s), it could be on both! It may only 
be on one! Research! 
● REMEMBER: You will need to ​communicate kindly with one another​ to make sure a ​ ll parts of the cells 
come together correctly. 
 
Resources to use: 
● Biology Textbook pages 191-200 
● Completed “Unit 2: Cells” Worksheet 
● Cell Structure Video Notes 
● Class supplies (markers, colored pencils, etc.) 
 
***At 9:55, make sure you have completed your part of the cell diagram(s) and clean up your area, putting away all 
class supplies and make your way back to your sea for closing discussion.