Objectives
0 Students will identify the basic parts of the
microscope and describe the function of each.
0 Students will demonstrate the proper
procedure for viewing a prepared slide at
different powers of magnification.
0 Students will demonstrate the proper
technique for making a wet mount slide and
viewing it at different powers of magnification.
0 Students will contrast low power and high
power magnification.
0 Students will discover the similarities and
differences between animal and plant cells.
Essential Questions
0How are cells important to
the structure and function of
living things?
0How do microscopes
contribute to our knowledge
about living things?
PRELIMINARY
ACTIVITIES
0Parts of a microscope.
0General procedures.
MICROSCOPE MANIA
Name______________
Station 1: Mystery Pictures
1. ______________
9. ______________
2. ______________
10. ______________
3. ______________
11. ______________
4. ______________
12. ______________
5. ______________
13. ______________
6. ______________
14. ______________
7. ______________
15. ______________
8. ______________
16. ______________
17. ______________
18. ______________
19. ______________
20. ______________
21. ______________
22. ______________
23. ______________
24. ______________
Station 2: Make It Simple
1. Complete the chart to show your observations using the water drop and hand lens.
Lens
Observations
Distance from Page
Single Drop of Water
Two Drops of Water
Three Drops of Water
Hand Lens
2. What do you predict would happen to the magnification if you used more drops of water?
Why?
3. How does the view of the “e” with the hand lens compare to the water lens?
Station 3: Select-A-Slide
1. Read the station card to answer these questions:
a. What should you do before viewing a slide? ____________________________
b. What is the magnification of the high power objective?___________________
c. What is the warning? ____________________________________________
2. View some of the prepared slides and then select one to draw. Draw a view of this
specimen at three different powers of magnification in the circles below. Label each
drawing on the right with the name of the specimen and the power of magnification.
3. How does the view of the specimen compare as the power of magnification increases?
Write at least one sentence that summarizes your observations.
Station 6: Scope Basics
Ratings:  = Great
Activity
#1 – Vocab Challenge
#2 – Parts & Pieces
#3 – SMART Scope
 = OK



 = Poor
Rating






Best Time
NA
Station 7: Microscopes Online
Answer on the Microscope Online worksheet. Don’t forget your name.
Station 4: Animal Cells
1. Read the station card to answer the following questions:
a. Why did we add iodine to our cheek cells? _________________________________
b. Which objective should be used first? ___________________________________
c. What structure in the cheek cell was stained darkest? _______________________
2. After you have viewed the cheek cells, complete the drawings below. Write the name of
the specimen and the power of magnification to the right of each circle. Label the nucleus,
cytoplasm, and cell membrane in the 100x drawing.
Station 5: Plant Cells
1.
After you viewed the leaf cells, complete the drawings below. Write the name of the
specimen and the power of magnification to the right of each circle. Label the
nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplast, and cell wall in the 100x drawing.
2. How was the plant cell different than the animal cell?
Station 1:
MYSTERY PICTURES
0 Identify 24 mystery pictures –
close-up, magnified views of common
objects.
Station 2:
MAKE IT SIMPLE
0 Create a simple lens to view the
letter “e”. Compare how the size of
the water drop affects the
magnification and compare the
magnification to that of a
hand lens.
Station 3:
SELECT-A-SLIDE
0 View prepared slides under different
powers of magnification and learn how to
carefully record observations. Describe
the differences between low and high
power.
Station 4:
ANIMAL CELLS
0 Make a wet mount slide of human
cheek cells and view it under
different powers of magnification.
Identify the major organelles of
animal cells: nucleus, cell membrane,
and cytoplasm.
Station 5:
PLANT CELLS
0 Make wet mount slide of Elodea leaves
and view it under different powers of
magnification. Identify the major
organelles of plant cells: nucleus,
cytoplasm, cell wall, and chloroplasts.
Differentiate between animal and plant
cells after completing both stations 4 and
5.
Station 6:
SCOPE BASICS
0 Label the parts of the microscope in the
shortest amount of time in Parts and Pieces.
Review basic vocabulary by matching all cards
correctly in the shortest time in the Vocab
Challenge. Play two review games at the
SMARTBoard.
SMART Board Games
0 microscope review games draft.notebook
Station 7:
MICROSCOPES
ONLINE
0Visit two or three internet
sites to discover the history of
the microscope and explore the
effects of magnification.
http://sciencespot.net/
Kid Zone
0 Cells and Microscopes
0 Site 1: A-Z Microscope History OR
0 Site 2: Microbus
0 Site 4: Magnification Module
0 Optional:
0 Site 3: What in the World?
0 Site 5: Powers of Ten
ANCHOR
ACTIVITIES
0Crossword puzzle
0Seek N Find
0Net books: review games at
quia.com
ASSESSMENT
Exit tickets:
1. Name the most interesting
thing you did today.
2. Describe one thing you
learned today.
Student Packets
Microscope Test
0For copies:
0chayden@stmarthaschool.org
0Adapted from
http://sciencespot.net/ T. Trimpe