Plant including green algal cells are surrounded by a cell wall, which is a diverse composite of complex polysaccharides and crucial for their function and survival. Here we describe two simple protocols to visualize callose (1→3-β-D-glucose) and cellulose (1→4-β-D-glucose) and related polysaccharides in the cell walls of streptophyte green algae. Untreated or algal cells heated in NaOH are incubated in Calcofluor white (binding to β-glucans including cellulose) or Aniline blue (binding to callose), respectively. Both dyes can be visualized by epifluorescence microscopy.