Matthias Schleiden and the Discovery That Plants Are Made of Cells — Reading Comprehension

In the 1830s, a German scientist named Matthias Schleiden made an important discovery about living things. While studying plants under a microscope, he realized that all plants are made of cells. This discovery helped scientists begin to understand that cells are the basic building blocks of life.

At the time, microscopes were becoming more powerful, allowing scientists to see structures inside plants and animals. Schleiden was especially interested in plant tissues. By closely examining thin slices of plant stems and leaves, he noticed a pattern—every part of the plant was made up of small, box-shaped units. He concluded that cells were the most important part of plant structure and growth.

Soon after, Schleiden worked with another German scientist, Theodor Schwann, who was studying animal tissues. Together, they realized that both plants and animals are made of cells. This idea became one of the foundations of cell theory, a key idea in life science that explains what living things are made of and how they function.

Schleiden’s work showed that even though plants and animals look very different, they are made of the same basic units—cells. His research helped scientists begin to understand how living organisms grow, develop, and stay alive.

Fun Fact: Matthias Schleiden originally studied law before switching to science—his interest in plants made him one of the founders of cell theory!

What did Matthias Schleiden discover about plants?

What tool helped Schleiden make his discovery?

What kind of tissues did Schleiden study?

What shape did Schleiden notice in plant cells?

Who worked with Schleiden to study animal cells?

Why is Schleiden’s discovery important to science?

What is the main idea of the passage?

If Schleiden had not studied plants under a microscope, what might scientists not know?