Animal cells do not have a cell wall because they have flexible membranes that allow them to change shape and move. Unlike plant cells, which need a rigid structure to support them, animal cells have different ways to stay strong, like using proteins and being surrounded by other cells. They also don’t need a central vacuole for storage because they can use smaller vacuoles and other organelles to store nutrients and waste. This flexibility and adaptation help animal cells perform their functions efficiently.
To explain this, I focused on the differences between plant and animal cells. I thought about how each type of cell has specific structures that help them do their jobs, and showed how animal cells use other methods instead of a cell wall or a large vacuole. A 7th grader could write this down to understand why animal cells work differently and how that helps them live and function!