The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project
Microscopy
Microscopy
A 9-12th grade Biology STEM lesson
Cristi Sims
6/10/2024
Notes for teachers
This lesson takes place in a block time period for about 2 hours, however it can also be split up into 3 - 45 minute class periods.
Students should have been exposed to cellular concepts already, these are interactive and applied activities to help students internalize the learning.
Students typically work in groups of 2.
In the classroom, the emphasis should be on demonstrating proper and appropriate use of a microscope.
Students should be encouraged to get creative with both the photographing of the microscopic images with their cell phones as well as their electronic project creations utilizing their images.
List of Materials
Life Science –
L1: Organisms are organized on a cellular basis and have a finite life span.
Essential HS.L1U1.20 Ask questions and/or make predictions based on observations and evidence to demonstrate how cellular organization, structure, and function allow organisms to maintain homeostasis.
Plus HS+B.L1U1.4 Develop and use models to explain the interdependency and interactions between cellular organelles.
Plus HS+B.L1U1.7 Develop and use models to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms (plant and animal).
Crosscutting Concepts: Patterns; Cause and Effect; Scale, Proportion and Quantity; Systems and System Models; Energy and Matter; Structure and Function; Stability and Change
Standard 6. Creative Communicator - Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
9-12.6.a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.
9-12.6.b. Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.
9-12.6.c. Students communicate complex ideas clearly using various digital tools to convey the concepts textually, visually, graphically, etc.
9-12.6.d. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.
Objectives:
Today we will use microscopes to explore the micro-sized world and cellular structure.
We will focus on the structure and appropriate use of a light microscope.
We will attempt to understand the size difference between what we can see with our naked eyes and what we can see with a microscope.
We will work collaboratively with a partner and communicate effectively with them to film and create a digital product illustrating what we have learned in the time provided in class and we will post the video or digital creation on either Flip or Screencastify’s Submit.
Agenda (120 minutes)
Students should explore the digital resources listed under materials and complete the Pivot Interactives “Intro to Cells” either in the class period prior or at home before coming to use actual microscopes.
Introduce students to the microscopes and explain proper handling and what your expectations of behavior are. Explain how to make a wet mount prep of the specimens you have available.
Make sure that students are paired with partners in such a way that ensures all groups have at least one cell phone for videoing or photographing.
Explain to students that they will need to create a digital project incorporating the videos or photographs with information about cells. It can be something as simple as a Screencastify video or it can be something suitable for social media including music, etc. Creativity should be encouraged, students get very excited with this lab.
Have students practice with using the microscopes as well as how to video/photograph images with their phones. The goal being acquisition of student-generated images.
Why are microscopes useful for seeing cells?
In studying science, we are limited by the bounds of our own senses when collecting data. Click here to interact with the "Scale of the Universe". By developing technology that allows us to enhance and extend our senses, we can study things we would not ordinarily be able to. Telescopes look into the farthest reaches of space and microscopes enable us to look deep within our own cells. Click here to see the parts of a microscope. We can observe cells on a level that we could never see with our naked eyes. Click here to virtually practice using a microscope.
Hands-on Activity Instructions
Assessment
Students are required to post their video to the Class established at Flip (https://info.flip.com/en-us.html ) and must watch all the submissions from other students and make one positive comment about each of the other videos.
Students should be assessed for:
1) Student participation as observed during class by the teacher (ALL students should be actively engaged).
2) Posting the video project successfully on Flip/Screencastify and also commenting positively on each of the other videos in class.
3) Videos should include: student-generated images and accurate information.
4) Microscope labeling or multiple choice quiz could also be assigned.
Differentiation
Students who did not already explore the digital content prior, should be provided with computers and textbooks to do so. For students who are not able to successfully obtain their own photos or videos of cells, they should research and obtain images/videos off the internet that they can use in their digital project creation.
Remediation
Extension/Enrichment
Adding measurement of the field of view by using small, clear rulers is also effective, as is crossing hairs to measure depth-of-field.
Another extension is to use the elodea leaves in both hypo and hypertonic environments (adding pure distilled water or salt water) to show the effects of osmosis on leaf cells.
Students could choose to further edit and post their video to publicly available social media sites.