Sample Lesson Plan for Microscopy Lab
Instructor’s Name: Caroline DeVan/Deodat Ramkissoon
Course Title: Biology
Unit: The Science of Biology
Topic: Microscopy
Grade Level: 10
Rationale:
Microscopes are powerful tools for biologists. They enable scientists (and students) to see things that are too
small to view with the naked eye. This lab focuses the concept of magnification and its uses in the study of life
at the cellular level. This is an introductory lab that will provide students with a basic understanding of how a
microscope works allowing them to use the microscope in future lessons.
NJ State Standards:5.1.12.D.3: Ensure that instruments and specimens are properly cared for. Demonstrate
how to use scientific tools and instruments.
Instructional Goal(s):
Students will be able to describe why microscopes are important in the study of biology and will learn about
how to use a microscope in a laboratory setting.
Performance Objective:
The students will be able to identify the parts of a compound light microscope and explain how to calculate the
magnification being used.
Lesson Content:
Students will:
 Identify the parts of a compound microscope.
 Discuss the importance of microscopes for the study of biology.
 Calculate magnification and determine the power of different lenses on the microscope.
 Use a microscope to observe microorganisms in pond water.
 Practice making a wet mount slide.
Time frame for the Lesson:
Time Frame of Activity
5 min
15 min
25 min
20 min
15 min
Activity to be performed
Do Now: Define magnification
Demonstration of the power of microscopy, presentation of images
of everyday objects taken with an SEM microscope (powerpoint)
Introduction to the microscope including history of the microscope
and parts of the microscope, calculation of magnification (lecture)
Use of microscopes to make observations of microorganisms in
pond water, practice making a wet mount slide
Answer questions related to lab
Note: All times are approximate, and should be revised based upon student progress
Instructional procedures:
a. Focusing event –Students will be asked to define the term compound light microscope and then to
describe what it is used for.
b. Bridge/ Connections – The subject will be introduced by showing highly magnified images of everyday
objects (such as a toothbrush, toilet paper, sugar) that were taken by an SEM microscope. This will
assist the students in thinking about what the term magnification means and potential uses for
microscopes.
c. Teaching procedures – The students will be working individually, each having their own microscope.
They will define terms useful to the lesson. Using a powerpoint the teacher then will give a brief
background to the microscope through the historical development of the instrument. Then students will
use a worksheet (such as the one attached below from: http://sciencespot.net/) to take notes while we go
over the parts of the microscope. Students will then be asked to define magnification and will be given
examples of how the field of view in a microscope changes with different levels of magnification.
Students will then practice calculating the total magnification of an image. Students will then be given a
series of prepared general biology slides and asked to draw their observations at three different levels of
magnification. Once students have mastered using the microscope they will be learn how to create a wet
mount slide using pond water. The students will the make written and drawn observations of the pond
water at three different levels of magnification. Following their microscope work, students will answer
lab questions and finish their lab worksheets. Alternatively, one could use a different worksheet (the
second lab attached below from Science Park High School) that focuses on using a printed letter “e” to
demonstrate power of magnification and to show how the field of view differs from the object itself.
Hair can also be used for observations.
d. Formative check – The teacher will be monitoring progress of the students as they use the microscopes
to ensure that they are following the protocol. In addition, the teacher will question students while they
are doing observations to see if they understand what they are seeing. For example, students will be
asked how the size of an object and the size of the field of view changes at different levels of
magnification. If students are struggling with a section, the problematic part will be re-introduced using
a different explanation. Then students will be allowed to have more time on that section.
e. Student participation - The students will each have access to a microscope and will perform there own
individual observations. The students will then compare their results in small groups and will answer
lab questions together. The group will be graded based on a participation rubric used during labs.
Volunteers will be solicited to participate in the closing discussion.
f. Interdisciplinary connections – This activity integrates technology with science. The topic is about the
how the use of technology allows discovery in biology.
g. Closure- After lab activity, there will be a discussion of the observations and questions. Students will be
asked to describe scenarios in the real world where microscopy assisted in the development of biology.
Evaluation Procedure:
The student evaluations will be done based on the participation rubric and their completion of the lab
worksheet. If a majority of the class does not demonstrate understanding of the underlying concepts of
magnification or is unable to properly use a microscope, then the teacher will review the topic and allow
students to have more time to complete the activity.
Materials and Aids:
The lab will require one compound light microscope for each student. It will also require a set of prepared
general biology microscope slides. For the pond water observations, a class set of clean microscope slides,
slide covers will be required. The pond water will have to be collected not long before the lab is performed (a
couple days at most) and an eyedropper will be needed to transport the pond water to the slides. For an
alternative lab, you will need a class set of the letter “e” from a newspaper and you will need students to
volunteer to share one hair.
This lab was taken from: http://sciencespot.net/
Name ___________________ Date ____________________ Block __________________
1. Label the parts of the microscope.
2. How do you calculate the power of magnification?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. Calculate the powers of magnification for each objective lens.
4. What happens to our view of an image as you increase the power of magnification?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
5. Why can’t you use the largest objective for some slides?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. Try viewing the prepared slides. Choose one slide and draw what you see at three different powers of
magnification. Label each drawing.
7. How do you make a wet-mount slide?
1 – Get a clean _______________ and ______________________ from your teacher.
2 – Place ________ drop of water in the middle of the slide. Don’t use too much or the water will run
off the edge and make a mess!
3 – Place the ______________ of the cover slip on one side of the _________________ __________.
4 - Slowly __________________ the cover slip on top of the drop.
5 – Place the slide on the ______________ and view it first with the red-banded objective. Once you
see the image, you can rotate the _________________ to view the slide with the different objectives.
8. Make a wet mount slide using the pond water provided. Find an organism and draw what you see at
three different powers of magnification. Label each drawing.
This lab was taken from Science Park High School, Newark, NJ.
Name_________________________
Microscope #: ____________
Date________________
Lab: The Compound Microscope
The human eye cannot distinguish objects much smaller than 0.1 mm. The microscope is a tool that
extends vision and allows observation of much smaller objects. The most commonly used compound
microscope is monocular (one eyepiece). Light reaches the eye after passing through the objects to
be examined.
Materials:
3 coverslips
3 microscope slides
newspaper
transparent metric ruler
dropping pipette
compound microscope (one will be assigned to you)
scissors
clippings of different colored hair
Procedure:
Review care and handling of the microscope. Using the techniques demonstrated to you by the
teacher, make a wet mount of the lowercase letter “e.” Recall, when making a wet mount, place the
object on the slide and then place one drop of water on the object. The object must be thin enough
that light is able to penetrate it. Put your slide on the stage with the letter “e” properly oriented or
right- side up.
1. Microscope Observations
Object being viewed
Observations of the letter
under the microscope
Letter e
Comments
Note: Save your wet mount slide of letter “e” for later.
2. Indicate the magnification for each of the objectives:
Ocular:
Objective:
Magnification
3. Describe how the letter looks when viewed through the microscope. What new information is revealed by the
microscope about the letter you examined?
4.Look through the eyepiece at the letter as youyou’re your thumbs and forefingers to move
the slide away from you. Which way does the slide move? Move the slide to the right. In
which direction does the image move?
5. Pencil sketch of the letter.
Magnification_______________________
6. Now make a wet mount of two different colored hairs on a separate slide.
Pencil sketch of hairs:
Magnification:_________________
Using High Power
Position the slide so that the crosshairs in the center are centered under low power and the hairs are
in focus. Adjust the diaphragm for the best light. Next, turn the high power objective into viewing
position. DO NOT ADJUST THE FOCUS. While looking at the object in the microscope, adjust the
fine focus only. Never adjust the high power with the coarse adjustment knob.
Measuring with the Microscope
Because objects examined with the microscope usually are small, biologists use units of length
smaller than centimeters or millimeters for microscopic measurement. One such unit is the
micrometer, which is 1/1,000 of a millimeter. The symbol for micrometer is m, the Greek letter 
(called mu) followed by m.
7. Now estimate the diameter of the low power field of view using the ruler, viewed under the
microscope.
_____________________mm
8. Next, estimate the height of the letter “e” : _____________________mm or
________________m.
9. Next, estimate the diameter of the high-power field of view using the following equations:
magnification number of high-power objective = A
magnification number of low-power objective
diameter of low-power field of view = diameter of high power field of view
A
10. What is the relationship between magnification and the diameter of the field of view?
Household Acids and Bases
Many common household solutions contain acids and bases. Acid-base indicators, such as universal indicator
paper strips, turn different colors in acidic and basic solutions. They can, therefore, be used to show if a solution
is acidic or basic. An acid turns the universal indicator paper red, and a base turns the universal indicator paper
blue. Oranges indicate weaker acids and greens indicate weaker bases. Neutral (neither an acid nor a base)
solutions turn universal indicator yellow to yellow-green. The acidity of a solution can be expressed using the
pH scale. Acidic solutions have pH values less than 7, basic solutions have pH values greater than 7, and neutral
solutions have a pH value equal to 7.
In this experiment, you will use universal indicator paper and a color chart that indicates pH to determine the
pH values of household substances. These values will be compared to the pH values found for the same
substances using a computer-interfaced pH Sensor.
OBJECTIVES
In this experiment, you will use universal indicator paper and a pH Sensor to determine the pH values of
household substances.
PROCEDURE
1. Obtain and wear goggles and safety gloves. CAUTION: Do not eat or drink in the laboratory.
2. You will be assigned to one of four lab groups. You will work with your group to determine the pH of
common household substances.
3. There will be 8 containers labeled with a household substance that they contain. Each group will have all 8
containers at their table.
CAUTION: Handle these solutions with care. Do not allow the solutions to contact your skin or clothing. Wear
goggles and gloves at all times. Notify your teacher immediately in the event of an accident.
4. Each group will have a box of pH indicator paper strips. The strips change color when they come into
contact with a substance. The color varies depending on the pH level of the substance. Each individual
group member will dip an indicator strip (CAUTION: WEAR GLOVES!) into one of the substances and
use the chart on the indicator paper box to determine the pH of the substance. Record this number in your
data table.
5. Determine whether the substance is an acid (pH is less than 7) or a base (pH is greater than 7) or neutral (pH
of 7) and write either: acid, base or neutral in the column titled “acid or base”.
6. Continue to measure each substance individually until you have completed the first two columns of your
data table. You can ignore the column titled “pH meter” for now.
7. Help clean up the lab by throwing away any used indicator paper strips and returning unused paper strips to
your teacher. All substances will be brought to the front of the room at the conclusion of the lab.
8. We will now compare the indicator paper pH values of each substance to the pH values found while using a
computer-interfaced pH probe. Enter the pH values found with the pH probe into your data table.
DATA TABLE
Test
Tube
Solution
1
vinegar
2
Chlorox
3
orange juice
4
Sprite
5
water
6
drain cleaner
7
detergent
8
baking soda
Universal
Indicator Paper
Acid or Base
pH Probe
PROCESSING THE DATA
1. Which of the household solutions tested are acids? Explain using the data table.
2. Which of the solutions are bases? Explain using the data table.
3. List two advantages and two disadvantages of using indicator paper and the pH probe to determine pH.
4. Are the values obtained by the indicator paper always the same as those found by the pH probe? Describe
why they are the same or different.
5. Describe a real-world situation where you might need to measure pH.
pH Scale (Acid)
0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7
765 43210
Base 10
pH Scale
(Base)
7-8-9-10-11-12-13-14
0-1-2-3-4-5-6-7
Base 10