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Building Blocks

Animal, plant & fungi

Distinguishing plant cells from animal and fungal cells

Cells are the building blocks of life. All living organisms, from bacteria to an elephant are composed of cells.

However, not all cells are made the same. In fact your body alone has over 200 different cell types, all working together to keep you alive.

If you look at a plant you’ll notice it looks and acts very different to you or other animals. For starters, they don’t really move and for the most part, they don’t eat other living things. In fact, there’s a lot of differences between animals and plants, all the way down to their cells. Even mushrooms are different from plants and animals!

Let’s explore the difference between plants, animals & fungi.

PLANTs

Animals

Fungi

Let’s start with what you are

Animals

From humans to lions to fish and even birds, we are all animals and there are a few things we have in common. Here are some of our similarities, we:

  • are multicellular eukaryotes 
  • have specialised cells and structures
  • are heterotrophs
  • are mostly motile creatures

Plants

From a tree in the Amazon to a cactus in the dessert, all plants share some common traits. Here are some of these similarities, they:

  • are multicellular eukaryotes 
  • have specialised cells and structures
  • are autotrophs
  • have a cell wall
  • are not motile

Fungi

Fungi can grow in a lot of places. Mushrooms grow in the ground, but some fungi can grow on your body! Some of their similar traits are, they:

  • are mostly multicellular but also can be unicellular 
  • are eukaryotic
  • have specialised cells and structures
  • are heterotrophs
  • have a cell wall
  • are not motile
 
Funnily enough, fungus are actually closer related to animals than they are to plants.

Before we go on to talk about the difference between plants, animals and fungi on a cellular level, have a go at this drag & drop. 

Drag the trait into the correct column. Some traits are common across all 3.

Test your knowledge

Click the ‘question mark’ to test your knowledge with some questions.

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