Microscope Labs
My Name _____________________________________ Period
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My Partner’s Name
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Special Safety Rules
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Use two hands to carry the microscope and keep it upright.
Keep fingers away from plug prongs when plugging in the light.
Unplug the light by grasping the plug, not the power cord.
Do not touch of attempt to clean up broken slides.
Be careful not to bump tables or people when they are looking at slides.
Setting up the Microscope
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Unwind the power cord and plug it in. Turn the light on.
Check to be sure the low power lens is locked in place, (10x).
Move the stage all the way down using the coarse adjustment knob.
Turn the fine adjustment knob away from you until it stops, then back 2
turns.
5. Place the slide on the stage and roughly center it.
6. Raise the stage slowly with the coarse adjustment knob. Stop when the
object is as clear as possible.
7. On low power, use the fine adjustment knob to make the object as clear as
possible. Adjust the light if necessary.
8. On low power, center the object in the field of view.
9. Slowly turn the nosepiece until the high power lens clicks into place, (40x).
10.On high power, use the fine adjustment knob to make the object as clear as
possible. Adjust the light if necessary.
Making a Wet Mount Slide
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Select a clean dry slide.
Place the object to view in the center of the slide.
Place one drop of water or stain, (as instructed), on the object.
Place a cover slip over the object while excluding air bubbles.
Blot any excess liquid from the edge of the cover slip.
Day 1: Parts of the Microscope
Directions: Label the parts of microscope according to the labels on the first page of this
packet. Please write neatly.
Day 1: Practice Drawing
You will be given an unknown sample and need to determine if it is a plant or animal cell. You
will need to determine this based on your prior knowledge about the organelles and structure
of each cell.
Directions:
1. Draw exactly what you see as realistically as possible on HIGH power.
2. Your drawing should be the same size, shape, and have the same shading and detail as
the ones at which you are looking.
3. Use pencils and colored pencils only.
4. On the line under your drawing, write whether it is a plant or animal cell.
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Review: Day 1
1. What two organelles do plant cells have that animal cells do not? What are each of
their functions?
2. Are plant and animal cells prokaryotes or eukaryotes?
3. Eukaryotes have a _________________________ in their cells.
4. Plant cells have a ______________________ shape.
5. What color are chloroplasts? ______________________________
6. What are the first two things you should do when setting up your microscope?
7. Why should you unplug the light source holding the plug not the power cord?
Day 2: Onion Cell Lab
Onion bulb cells are found growing underground and are used to store food for the plant.
Directions:
1. Draw all the cells in view as carefully and as realistically as possible on HIGH power.
2. The cells you draw should be the same size, shape, and have the same shading and
details as the ones at which you are looking.
3. Use pencils and colored pencils only.
4. Label the nucleus, cytoplasm, chromatin, cell membrane, and cell wall on ONE cell. Be
sure to use a ruler to draw your lines.
Power ____________
GRADING:
Neat, accurate, and realistic
__________ / 5 points
Neat and correct labels on ONE cell
__________ / 5 points
Questions answered correctly
__________ / 10 points
Followed directions during lab time
__________ / 5 points
Total Points
__________ / 25 points
Review: Day 2
1. Could you see the nucleus in the cell? If so, how many?
2. Inside the nucleus are some dark spots. These are the nucleoli (plural for nucleolus).
Estimate how many are in each nucleus.
3. Chloroplasts are large green dots found in some plant cells. Did you see any inside of
the onion bulb? Why or why not?
4. Would you describe the outside edges of the onion cell as thin and hard to see or thick
and easy to see?
5. How could you tell, just by looking, that these cells came from a plant?
6. Based on the demonstration, describe what happened to the cells when salt water was
added.
7. What is the process called that causes what you saw when the salt water was added?
Where is the water going?
Day 3: Cheek Cell Lab
Cheek cells are also called epithelial cells and their job is to provide a protective layer.
Directions:
1. Draw 3-5 cells as carefully and as realistically as possible on HIGH power.
2. The cells you draw should be the same size, shape, and shading as the ones at which you
are looking.
3. Use pencils and colored pencils only.
4. On ONE cell (high power), label the nucleus, cytoplasm, chromatin, and cell membrane.
Use a ruler to make straight lines form the organelle to the label. Be sure to label
outside of the drawing circle.
Power ____________
GRADING:
Neat, accurate, and realistic
__________ / 5 points
Neat and correct labels on ONE cell
__________ / 5 points
Questions answered correctly
__________ / 10 points
Followed directions during lab time
__________ / 5 points
Total Points
__________ / 25 points
Review: Day 3
1. Could you see a nucleus in the cheek cell?
2. Did you see any chloroplasts in the cheek cell? Why or why not?
3. When describing the outside edge of your cheek cell, would you say it was thin and hard
to see or thick and easy to see?
4. How could you tell that these cells came from an animal just by viewing them? Think
about the differences between plant and animal cells.
5. Compare and Contrast:
Cheek Cell
Day 4: Elodea
Onion Cell
Cell Lab
Elodea is a common underwater plant. The cells in this activity come from the leaves of the
plant and their job is to make food for the plant.
Directions:
1. Draw 2-4 rows of cells as carefully and as realistically as possible on HIGH power.
2. The cells you draw should be the same size, shape, shading and details as the ones at
which you are looking.
3. Use pencils and colored pencils only.
4. On ONE cell, label the chloroplast, cytoplasm, cell membrane, and cell wall. Use a ruler
to make straight lines.
Power ____________
GRADING:
Neat, accurate, and realistic
__________ / 5 points
Neat and correct labels on ONE cell
__________ / 5 points
Questions answered correctly
__________ / 10 points
Followed directions during lab time
__________ / 5 points
Total Points
__________ / 25 points
Review: Day 4
1. What color were the chloroplasts you saw? ______________________
2. Estimate the number of chloroplasts you saw in each cell. __________________
3. Was the outside of each cell similar to the onion or the cheek cell?
4. List the similarities and differences between elodea and onion cells and elodea and
cheek cells. Think about what you already know about plant and animal cells.
Elodea Cell
Elodea Cell
Onion Cell
Cheek Cell
Day 5: Various Cells
Directions:
1. In the appropriate circles, draw 4-6 yeast cells, any plant-like organism from the pond
water, and an animal-like organism from the pond water.
2. The cells you draw should have the same size, shape, shading and details as the ones at
which you are looking.
3. Use pencils and colored pencils only.
4. Do not label any organelles.
Yeast Cells
Plant-like Pond Organism
Animal-like Pond Organism
Review: Day 5
1. Which kingdom were the onion cells from? __________________________
2. Which kingdom were the cheek cells from? ___________________________
3. Which kingdom were the elodea cells from? ___________________________
4. Which kingdom were the yeast cells from? ____________________________
5. Which kingdom was the animal-like pond organism probably from?_________________
6. Which kingdom was the plant-like pond organism probably from? __________________
7. When you have learned some, you should be able to do something that you couldn’t do
before. What can you do now as a result of this experience?
8. Using your prior knowledge and what you have learned this week, construct a one
paragraph essay (5-8 sentences) describing your experience and newly acquired
knowledge.
Use the questions below to help you craft your response:
What did you learn from this week of microscope observations? How does our unit on
microscopes relate to our unit on cells, their organelles, and their functions? What are
the major differences between plant and animal cells? Comment on the differences
between the cells of the four different kingdoms.
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