Microscopes
Grade: 7
Unit: Cells
Standard and Benchmark
7.4.1.1.1 Recognize that all cells do not look alike and that specialized cells in
multicellular organisms are organized into tissues and organs that perform
specialized functions. For example: Nerve cells and skin cells do not look the same
because they are part different organs and have different functions.
7.1.3.4.2 Determine and use appropriate safety procedures, tools, measurements,
graphs and mathematical analyses to describe and investigate natural and
designed systems in a life science context.
Central Focus
Know that cells cannot be seen with the human eye, and that a microscope is
required to see a cell and its parts.
Objectives
Students will be able to:
identify and use the parts of a microscope.
Language Objectives
Students will be able to:
identify the parts of a microscope and explain each parts function by using scientific
vocabulary such as magnification and resolution.
Vocabulary
Microscope
Compound microscope
Stage
Stage clips
Eyepiece/Ocular
Low/medium/high objective
Coarse adjustment
Fine adjustment
Materials/Equipment
Microscopes Guided Notes
Onion and Cheek cell lab worksheet
Microscopes slideshow
Microscope lab materials: compound microscopes, iodine or methylene blue,
toothpicks, red onion cut in small pieces, toothpicks, slides, coverslips, forceps,
droppers
Textbook
Microscope worksheet
Other Resources
NGSS Map Out
Learning Activities
Lesson Part
Do
Formal/Inform
al Assessment
of Prior
Learning or
Preassessment
(sequence
start)
Activity Description/Teacher Does
A few days before beginning the
lesson, students learn that cells are
the smallest unit of life and that
they are so small that you cannot
see them with the human eye.
Do Now of the Day:
If we cannot see a cell with the
human eye, what kind of
instruments would a scientist use
to see cells?
What would these instruments have
to be able to do in order to see the
cell(s)?
Students
Students answer the
questions on their do now
sheet that is to be turned in
at the end of the week.
Instruction
Inquiry
Preview
Review
The teacher goes over the two do
now questions and selects 2-3
students to give their answers to
each question.
The students answer the do
now questions on their paper
and if selected, will give the
answer they came up with.
Students write down the
answers/ideas of other
students in their do now if it
is not similar to theirs.
Informal
Assessment
If students do not volunteer to
answer the questions, teacher may
ask:
What do you use when you cannot
see something?
What is the instrument youre
using do to the object you are
looking at?
Practice
Activity
Support
The teacher will go through
powerpoint about microscopes.
Words or parts of sentences that
are blank on their guided notes are
bolded. Teacher will ask students to
raise their hand and identify the
missing word/phrase in their notes.
Topics covered: discovery of the
microscope and people involved,
two types of microscope and
subtypes of the microscope.
Informal
Assessment
Students will follow along and
write in their guided notes.
Students will raise their hand
and answer with the missing
word(s) on the slide that they
have to fill in their guided
notes.
Questions/clarifications to ask
throughout slides:
What is the difference between
magnification and resolution? Why
would you need to adjust both on a
microscope?
What is the purpose of having a
light on the microscopes?
Why do you think TEMs can only
view dead organisms?
Students will answer
questions.
Practice
Activity
Support
Teacher will hand out microscopes
worksheet on microscope parts,
labeling them and identifying their
functions.
Teacher cold calls students on the
functions of a microscope.
Students complete the
worksheet.
Students answer the function
of the microscope part when
called upon.
Students answer the
questions on half sheet
Teacher will show a video on the
proper care and use of a
microscope. After, three questions
will be displayed on the board:
1. How should you hold a
microscope?
2. How do you use a microscope once
youve put the slide on the stage?
3. Which objective do you start with
first?
Closure
Assessment of
Student Voice
Teacher will ask what the function
of random parts of the microscope
is as the exit ticket.
Instruction
Inquiry
Preview
Review
Do Now:
What do we look into on a
microscope?
What power should we always start
with? Why?
Students will answer
questions the questions on
the exit ticket and hand them
to the teacher as they walk
out.
Students will write the
answers in their do now
sheet.
Students raise their hand
and answers the questions.
Which adjustment should you use
first? Why?
Teacher will introduce the lab
activity of which students will be
using the compound microscope,
preparing their own onion and
cheek cells, and drawing the
images of the prepared slides.
Students will be listening
and taking notes on their lab
worksheet that includes the
instructions of using a
microscope.
Teacher will first show two videos:
one on preparing an onion cell and
one on preparing a cheek cell. After
the teacher will model how to
prepare both types of cells on
slides.
Note: Microscopes will already be
out and set up along with all
necessary lab materials.
Informal
Assessment
Teacher will check for
understanding of using a
microscope and what to do if
student cannot see the image on
the microscope.
Students will answer the
questions.
Practice
Activity
Support
Teacher will explain that students
will have to rotate using the
microscopes as there are only four
compound available and each
student must prepare and view
their own slides. While waiting,
students will use a chromebook and
go a website call centreofthecell
and play the games indicated on
the accompanying worksheet.
Students waiting go on the
chromebooks and fill out the
worksheet.
Teacher will start with four students
and direct the instructions on
preparing a slide and viewing a
slide, but will not do any of the work
for the students.
Note: Make sure to pause and give
time to students after each
instructional step.
Teacher will double check students
images to see if they are in focus
direct students to draw what they
see on the low objective, and then
instruct students to switch to the
next power objective once teacher
has seen the drawing.
Students follow along with
teacher instructions and
constantly check with
teacher to see if they are
preparing the slides properly
and adjusting their slides to
see their images. Students
begin looking at their
prepared slides and drawing
what they see. Students are
expected to draw images of
the onion and cheek cells at
the three different objective
magnifications.
Informal
Assessment
Questions to ask students during
microscope use process:
What do you see?
What would you have to do if you
change the magnification? Which
adjustments do you use?
Students answer questions
and ask for help if needed.
Students model how to
adjust knobs to produce a
clear image and show the
teacher the image.
What differences do you see when
looking at an onion cell and cheek
cell? Why do think theyre different
in that way?
Closure
Assessment of
Student Voice
Students clean up by wiping
down their microscopes and
cleaning off their slides and
work area.
Students share their findings
and drawings of the
Teacher asks students to share what microscope lab. Students
they thought was the most
turn in their lab worksheets
interesting slide to look at and show with drawings completed.
some of their drawings.
Assessment
Quiz
Lab worksheet
Additional Notes
Make sure to address how to hold/ handle a microscope, how to use one (make sure
the base is flat on the table) and how to put one away
