A free printable cell organelles worksheet for Grade 8 science.
Students label detailed plant and animal cell diagrams, match organelles to their functions, compare a cell to a school, sort true and false statements, explain how organelles work in real cells (muscles, roots, wilting plants), and correct common misconceptions. Includes 42 questions (30 marks) and a labelled answer key.
By Kris Reddy, Ontario teacher · Updated October 17, 2026 · 42 questions (30 marks) · PDF + answer key
This free cell organelles worksheet helps Grade 8 students learn the parts of plant and animal cells and what each one does. Students label a detailed animal cell and plant cell (eight organelles each, with word banks), then match organelles to their jobs, such as releasing energy, making food from sunlight and controlling what enters the cell.
The second page builds understanding with a "cell is like a school" analogy, six true-or-false statements, four explain-your-thinking questions about muscle cells, roots, wilting plants and a missing nucleus, and two common misconceptions to correct. To print it, use the Download button above.
The cell organelles worksheet supports the Ontario Grade 8 science curriculum, Life Systems: Cells, where students identify the organelles in plant and animal cells and describe what they do.
Animal Cell Diagram
Animal cells have a flexible cell membrane, so their shape is often rounded or irregular. Inside, the nucleus acts as the control centre, mitochondria release energy, and the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus make, package and ship materials. These are the eight parts students label in Part A of the cell organelles worksheet:
Plant cells have everything an animal cell has, plus three key extras: a rigid cell wall outside the membrane, green chloroplasts for photosynthesis, and one large central vacuole that stores water and keeps the cell firm. That's why plant cells usually look boxy. These are the labels for Part B:
Use this table to review before (or after) the cell organelles worksheet. It shows each organelle's job and whether it's found in plant cells, animal cells or both.
Organelle
Job
Plant
Animal
Nucleus
Controls the cell's activities; holds DNA
✓
✓
Cell membrane
Controls what enters and leaves
✓
✓
Cytoplasm
Jelly-like fluid that holds the organelles
✓
✓
Mitochondria
Release energy from food (cellular respiration)
✓
✓
Endoplasmic reticulum
Network that makes and moves materials
✓
✓
Golgi apparatus
Packages and ships proteins
✓
✓
Vacuole
Stores water, food and wastes
One large
Small or none
Cell wall
Rigid layer for support and shape
✓
✗
Chloroplasts
Make food from sunlight (photosynthesis)
✓
✗
Lysosomes
Break down wastes and worn-out parts
Rare
✓
A handy way to remember the jobs is to compare a cell to a school or a city: the nucleus is the principal's office, the cell membrane is the front door with a security guard, and the mitochondria are the cafeteria that gives everyone energy. Part D of the worksheet uses this analogy. For more detail, see organelle on Wikipedia.
Cell Organelles Worksheet Practice Questions
These questions match the cell organelles worksheet PDF, which has full-colour cell diagrams with numbered labels.
Parts A and B – Label the Cells
Label 8 parts of an animal cell (questions 1–8) and 8 parts of a plant cell (questions 9–16) using the word banks.
Part C – What Does It Do?
Controls the cell's activities and holds its DNA
Releases energy from food (cellular respiration)
Uses sunlight to make food (photosynthesis)
Controls what enters and leaves the cell
Stores water, food and wastes
Gives a plant cell a strong, rigid shape
Sorts, packages and ships proteins
Jelly-like fluid that holds the organelles
Part D – A Cell Is Like a School
Principal's office, where decisions are made
Front doors with a security guard who checks who comes in
Cafeteria, where food gives everyone energy
Hallways that carry people and supplies around the school
Mail room that packs and sends things out
Caretaker who breaks down and recycles garbage
Part E – True or False?
Both plant and animal cells have a nucleus.
Animal cells have a cell wall.
Mitochondria are found only in animal cells.
Chloroplasts contain the green pigment chlorophyll.
The cytoplasm is a jelly-like fluid that fills the cell.
Animal cells have one large central vacuole.
Part F – Explain Your Thinking
Muscle cells contain many more mitochondria than skin cells. Explain why.
The cells in a plant's roots have no chloroplasts. Explain why they don't need them.
A houseplant that hasn't been watered starts to wilt. Which organelle explains this, and how?
Predict what would happen to a cell if its nucleus were removed. Explain.
Part G – Spot the Mistake
A student says, "Plant cells don't need mitochondria because they have chloroplasts." Explain the error.
A student says, "The cell wall controls what enters and leaves a plant cell." Explain the error.
Cell Organelles Worksheet Answer Key
Open each part to check the cell organelles worksheet answers. The printable key, with the labelled diagrams, is on the last two pages of the PDF.
Part A answers (Q1–8)
nucleus
cell membrane
cytoplasm
Golgi apparatus
mitochondrion
endoplasmic reticulum
lysosome
vacuole
Part B answers (Q9–16)
chloroplast
cell wall
cytoplasm
nucleus
mitochondrion
central vacuole
cell membrane
endoplasmic reticulum
Part C answers (Q17–24)
nucleus
mitochondria
chloroplasts
cell membrane
vacuole
cell wall
Golgi apparatus
cytoplasm
Part D answers (Q25–30)
nucleus
cell membrane
mitochondria
endoplasmic reticulum
Golgi apparatus
lysosome
Part E answers (Q31–36)
True
False: Only plant cells (and some others, like fungi) have a cell wall.
False: Plant cells have mitochondria too.
True
True
False: Plant cells do; animal cells have small vacuoles or none.
Part F answers (Q37–40)
Muscles do a lot of work and need lots of energy. Mitochondria release energy from food through cellular respiration, so more mitochondria supply more energy.
Roots grow underground where there is no sunlight. Chloroplasts need light to make food, so they would be useless there. Roots get food made in the leaves.
The central vacuole loses water and shrinks, so it no longer pushes outward against the cell wall. The cells go limp and the plant droops.
The cell could no longer control its activities or divide, because the nucleus holds the DNA instructions. It would eventually die.
Part G answers (Q41–42)
Plant cells have both. Chloroplasts make food (sugar) from sunlight; mitochondria release the energy stored in that food.
That's the cell membrane. The cell wall gives the cell support and shape, and lets most substances pass straight through.
5 Common Misconceptions About Cells
These come up often when marking this cell organelles worksheet. Part G targets two of them directly.
"Plants don't need mitochondria." They do: chloroplasts make food, mitochondria release its energy.
"The cell wall controls what gets in." That's the cell membrane's job.
"Animal cells have a cell wall." They have only a membrane, which is why they're flexible.
"All plant cells have chloroplasts." Root cells don't, because they get no light.
"Cells are empty bags." The cytoplasm is full of organelles, each with a job.
How to Use This Cell Organelles Worksheet in Class
Lesson 1: Parts A–C of the cell organelles worksheet, alongside onion skin and cheek cell slides under the microscope.
Lesson 2: Parts D–G, then have students build their own analogy (a cell as a city, a factory or a hockey arena).
Extension: Build a 3D cell model with labelled organelles.
Yes. The worksheet and its answer key are free to download and print as one PDF, with no account needed.
What are the main organelles in a cell?
The main organelles are the nucleus, cell membrane, cytoplasm, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and vacuoles. Plant cells also have a cell wall and chloroplasts.
What is the difference between the cell wall and the cell membrane?
The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell and is found in all cells. The cell wall is a stiff outer layer that gives plant cells support and shape; animal cells don't have one.
Do plant cells have mitochondria?
Yes. Plant cells have both chloroplasts and mitochondria. Chloroplasts make food from sunlight, and mitochondria release the energy stored in that food.
What grade is this cell organelles worksheet for?
It is written for Grade 8 science (the Cells unit in Ontario) and also works as Grade 9 or 10 biology review.