Learning how to micropipette
Unit of Study:
Setting the Stage
DNA
Session
Overview
Focusing Questions
Students will develop the skills necessary to use a micropipette and an
understanding of extremely small volumes associated with molecular biology.
What technique can we use to load small volumes of substances?
Audience
Middle School
Materials to Support
Instruction
Pipette, Gels, food coloring (red, yellow, blue, green), capped vials.
http://www.jkirkbrown.com/how%20to%20use%20a%20pipet.htm
List of the procedure for using the micropipette
Instructional Support
Charts to Post in the
Classroom
Instruction
(Typically lasts about 20% of session)
Framing out work
In science, there are many different ways to measure volume. One very important
tool to a molecular biologist is a micropipette. A micropipette measures in micro
liters (millionths of liters). Some of the pipette measure very small volumes and
some measure larger volumes.
Teaching
1. Students will review the parts of a micropipette
2. Students will review how each part works
3. Students will learn how to load a gel using a micropipette
4. Students will learn how to put on a tip
5. Students will learn how to take a tip off
6. Students will learn how to adjust the volume of a 2-20 uL micropipette
Guided Practice

Lead a class demonstration of the entire lab before students are given the task of
loading their individual gels.
Work Time: Independent, Partnerships, Small Group Work
(Typically lasts about 70% of session)
Getting Started
-Each student will be given a micropipette, a beaker with water and will be asked to
transfer various volumes of water into a vial.
Participants
Students will work in groups of four
-each person in the group will be responsible for calibrating, transferring and loading
 Independent
samples of “DNA” into a gel
 Partnerships
 Small Group Work
Teacher
-addressing any problems/mistakes students have
 Conferring
- addressing off task activities
-complimenting appropriate techniques
Additional Instruction All waste materials must be disposed appropriately
Share
(Typically lasts about 10% of session)
Adaptations
Students with Special
Needs
Acknowledgements
-will be given a jello made gel so they will have multiple practices before loading the
actual gel.
This sessions was
developed in
collaboration with the
following people:
Rehanna E, Lauren V, Steve O, Kenneth D, Ariel G & Cromwell V
Lesson Plan: How to Use a Micropipette
EQ: What technique can we use to load small volumes of substances?
Lesson Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Students will review the parts of a micropipette and how they work.
Students will learn how to load a gel using a micropipette
Students will learn how to put on a tip and take off a tip
Students will learn how to adjust the volume of a 2-20 uL micropipette
Background:
In science, there are many different ways to measure volume. One very important tool to a molecular
biologist is a micropipette. A micropipette measures in micro liters (millionths of liters). Some of the
pipette measure very small volumes and some measure larger volumes. Each of these pipettes must
have a disposable pipette tip on them.
Materials: Pipette, Gels, food coloring (ex: red, yellow, blue, green), capped vials, tips
Procedure:
Part A: How to place a tip on a pipette
1.
2.
3.
4.
Adjust the knob on the pipette to desired volume
Take the pipette and place into a tip in the tip box.
Press down firmly but not too hard. Tap a few times to seat the tip
Lift up and the tip is on!
Part B: How to Use the Pipette to Load a Gel
1. Open the loading dye by unscrewing the top. Be careful and don't get the dye on you.
2. Press the plunger down to the first soft stop. You will feel it stop naturally.
3. Lower the tip into the loading dye and slowly let the plunger come back up and fill the pipette.
4. Pick up the sample that you are adding the loading dye to and lower the pipette into it.
5. Press down to the first soft stop to deliver the loading dye. If it all doesn't come out you can push
down to the hard stop to give it one last chance to come out. * Important! Don't lift up on the plunger
until after you have pulled the tip out of the sample tube.
6. Once you have removed the pipette from the tube you can eject the tip by placing finger on Tip
Ejector Button and pressing down on the ejector button whilst holding the pipette over a waste cup.
Part C: How to Load a Sample into a Gel
1. Follow the steps as you did to add loading dye this time get a fresh tip and take up the sample you
just added the loading dye.
2. Placing your elbow on the table to stabilize the micropipette, then using your other hand place a
finger to guide the tip into the well until it just goes under the buffer in the gel box. **Be sure not to
puncture the well***
3. Slowly press down on the plunger as it releases the sample into the well. The loading dye makes the
sample more dense and it sinks into the well on the gel.
4. Hold the plunger down until you have withdrawn the tip from the buffer, be sure to remove the
pipette straight up so that all the samples can fall directly into the well.
5. Eject the tip as in part B.