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Protists Graphic Organizer
Protist – single-cell organisms that can’t be classified as plants, animals, or fungus
Name
Movement
Food
Amoebas use pseudopods, meaning “false
foot.” Pseudopods temporarily bulge out
of the cell when cytoplasm flows toward
an object and the rest of the amoeba
follows.
Pseudopods can also be used to trap food.
The amoeba extends the pseudopod,
surrounds the food, and then pulls the
food into itself.
Euglena use a whip-like structure called a
flagellum to get around.
Euglenas use their eyespot to detect
sunlight. The chlorophyll in their
chloroplasts reacts with the sunlight to
make food. If there is no sunlight,
euglenas can capture food.
Paramecium use cilia, which are hair-like
extensions that cover the outside of the
cell. The cilia move with a wave motion.
Cilia are also used to sweep food into the
paramecium.
Volvox use their flagella and work as a
group to move towards sunlight. This is
the only protist that lives in a group
(colony).
Volvox use their eyespot to detect
sunlight. The chlorophyll in their
chloroplasts reacts with the sunlight to
make food.
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Important Protist Vocabulary
Vocabulary Word
Definition
Protist
Single-cell organism that cannot be classified into
the animal, plant, or fungus kingdom
Flagellum
(Flagella)
Whip-like structure on the front of a euglena and
volvox; used liked a motor to help pull the
organism through the water; organism will have
only 1 or 2
Eye Spot
Organelle that helps a euglena or volvox detect
light – important because they need sunlight to
make food to survive
Chlorophyll
A green pigment contained in the chloroplasts –
carries out photosynthesis.
Chloroplast
Organelle that contains chlorophyll – used to
capture energy from the sun and used to produce
food; found in euglena and volvox.
Photosynthesis
Process by which autotrophs use sunlight and
carbon dioxide to make their own food.
Pseudopod
Means “false foot” – an amoeba will stretch out its
cytoplasm into finger-like extensions and creep
along like an inchworm.
Cilia
Contractile
Vacuole
Many tiny hair-like projections that cover a
paramecium; used for movement (like tiny oars)
and to transport food to the “mouth” of the
paramecium
Organelle inside protists (amoeba, euglena, and
paramecium) that removes excess water; keeps the
protist from exploding due to too much water intake
Picture
Protist
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Food
Vacuole
Autotroph
Heterotroph
A bubble inside a cell that contains nutrients the
cell needs to survive.
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Organism that can make its own food to survive.
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox
Organism that must consume outside food to
survive.
Amoeba
Euglena
Paramecium
Volvox