Part 1: Match the Cell Organelles

Directions: Match each cell-related word in Column A with the correct definition in Column B. Write the matching letter on the line next to each term. Use each definition only once.

Column A: Terms

1. Cell membrane: ______

2. Cell wall: ______

3. Cytoplasm: ______

4. Nucleus: ______

5. Mitochondrion: ______

6. Ribosome: ______

7. Vacuole: ______

8. Chloroplast: ______

9. Lysosome: ______

10. Endoplasmic reticulum: ______

11. Golgi apparatus: ______

12. DNA: ______

Column B: Definitions

A. A structure in plant cells that captures light energy to make food

B. The control center of the cell that contains genetic material

C. A rigid outer layer that supports and protects plant, fungal, and some other cells

D. A small structure that builds proteins

E. A storage sac that may hold water, food, or waste

F. An organelle that modifies, sorts, and packages materials for transport

G. The molecule that stores the instructions for an organism’s traits and activities

H. A flexible boundary that controls what enters and leaves the cell

I. An organelle containing enzymes that break down worn-out cell parts and materials

J. The jellylike material inside the cell where many chemical reactions take place

K. An organelle that releases usable energy from food

L. A system of membranes that helps make, modify, and transport proteins and other materials

Part 2: Apply Your Knowledge

Use precise scientific vocabulary to identify the organelle that best matches each function or analogy.

13. Which organelle acts like a gatekeeper by controlling what enters and leaves the cell?

14. Which organelle is often compared to a power plant because it releases usable energy from food?

15. Which organelle in a plant cell acts like a solar panel by using light energy to make food?

16. Which organelle acts like a post office by sorting, packaging, and sending materials?

Vocabulary Connection: In one sentence, explain how using the word organelle makes a scientific explanation more precise.

Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.6-8.4; WHST.6-8.2d

Answer Key — Print on a Separate Page

Part 1: Matching

1. H 2. C 3. J 4. B 5. K 6. D

7. E 8. A 9. I 10. L 11. F 12. G

Part 2: Application

13. Cell membrane

14. Mitochondrion

15. Chloroplast

16. Golgi apparatus

Vocabulary Connection: Answers will vary. A complete response should explain that organelle is a precise term for a specialized structure inside a cell that performs a specific job.