How can you tell they’ve got it: Plant Cells vs Animal Cells?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Lists features common to plant and animal cells; Identifies structures found only in plant cells and explains why; Draws and annotates labelled diagrams of both cell types showing similarities and differences. Or just try it together: If your child was shown unlabelled diagrams of a plant cell and an animal cell side by side, could they spot which features are shared and which ones only appear in plant cells — and say why?

Science Organisms & Life Processes Ages 11–12

Plant Cells vs Animal Cells

Your child can compare a plant cell with an animal cell. Both share many parts. Only the plant cell has a stiff wall, a large water sac, and green food-making parts.

In curriculum terms

Compare plant and animal cells, identifying shared features and structures unique to plant cells (cell wall, vacuole, chloroplasts)

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Lists features common to plant and animal cells
Identifies structures found only in plant cells and explains why
Draws and annotates labelled diagrams of both cell types showing similarities and differences

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If your child was shown unlabelled diagrams of a plant cell and an animal cell side by side, could they spot which features are shared and which ones only appear in plant cells — and say why?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Parts of Plant and Animal Cellsages 11–12Comparing plant and animal cells requires knowing the components found in each

Plant Cells vs Animal Cellsthis skill · ages 11–12

Unlocks

Cells to Organ Systemsages 11–12The cell-to-organism hierarchy builds on understanding that different cell types exist

Photosynthesisages 11–12Photosynthesis requires knowing about chloroplasts, which are unique to plant cells

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Calculating Dietary Energyages 11–13 Cells to Organ Systemsages 11–12 Cells Under the Microscopeages 11–12 Diet Imbalance & Deficiencyages 11–13

All Organisms & Life Processes skills →