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Microscope: How to Use It and Enjoy It
Overview
After reading a summary about the microscope and how it can be used, students
complete a fun crossword puzzle to reinforce their knowledge of microscope parts
and different types of microbes. Students then research microbes and present
the characteristics of these microbes in order to compare them as a class. Also
have students discuss how a microscope can make studying microbes easier.
Objectives
Observe how a microscope works.
Learn the parts of a microscope.
Describe a particular microbe.
Compare and contrast microbes.
Materials
- Computer and modem
- Web-browsing software
- Printer
- Microscope: How to Use It and Enjoy It Activity worksheet (one copy for each student)
- Microscopes and prepared slides for an alga, bacterium, fungi, protozoan, and virus if available.
If slides are unavailable, save or print photos from the listed Web sites.
Steps
- Share the book summary with students and invite them to comment on
microscopes and how they help scientists to study and understand microbes. Ask:
Why is the microscope important? How does it help us understand the world of
microbes? What can you learn about microbes by using the microscope?
- Have the class visit the Stalking the Mysterious Microbes Web site at
http://www.microbe.org/microbes/what_is.asp and explore Case #1. Ask them to
print out or save the microbe pictures. You may also refer students to the local
library to find microbe information. Direct their research to algae, bacteria,
fungi, protozoa, and viruses.
- Encourage students to use the story summary, the Web site information, and/or
their own research to complete the Microscope: How
to Use It and Enjoy It Activity worksheet. Answer Key.
- Have students pair up and choose one particular microbe. In these working
pairs, have students research one particular microbe in order to describe its
features, shape, color, and what it does. If you have access to microscopes and
prepared slides for algae, bacteria, fungi, protozoa or viruses, make them
available to students. If these materials are not available, have students
display the graphics printed or saved from the Web site. Have each pair present
their microbe to the class.
- Facilitate students' discussion of the microbes. If students have difficulty
comparing the microbes, offer some common characteristics to prime the
conversation.
Home Connection
Families should visit the Microbe Zoo Web site at
http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dic-me/zoo/ to discover the hidden world of
microbes. Together, families can compare microbes to the things found in the world
around them. Encourage them to list the similarities.
Extension
Go to the Molecular Expressions Museum of Microscopy Web site at
http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/primer/museum/index.html
to examine several examples
of early microscopes and learn how they work. Have students explore the
development of these early microscopes and how they functioned. Encourage students
to design their own microscopes or redesign an existing one. Then have them
explain how their redesigned microscopes work.
Product Links
Take your class on an Internet Field Trip to learn more about microbes. Start
your trip by visiting the Houghton Mifflin Science DiscoveryWorks unit Cells and
Microbes.
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