Name: ____________________________________ Rating: ___________________

Grade and Section: __________________________ Date: ____________________

ACTIVITY NO. 2
THE COMPOUND MICROSCOPE and
PRACTICE WITH THE MICROSCOPE

Objectives:

In this part of the activity, the students should be able to:

1. enumerate the parts of the compound microscope and the give the use of each part;
2. demonstrate the proper techniques on the use of the light microscope;
3. describe accurately the structures observed under the microscope;
4. discuss the significance of the microscope as a tool in Biology; and
5. list ways on how to take care for the microscope.

Practice Exercise 1

1. Cut a small letter “e” from any newspaper. Measure the actual size of the letter “e”.
Put the letter “e” in its normal reading position on a slide. Put a drop of water and
cover with a cover slip.

2. Place the slide centered over the whole in the stage. Hold the slide securely by
placing the stage clips over the ends of the slide. Focus using the LPO. Observe the
position of the letter e under the microscope.

3. Draw the resulting image of the letter “e” under LPO. Describe the appearance and
orientation of the letter “e” as seen through the LPO.
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4. While looking through the eyepiece, observe in what direction the image moves if the
slide is slowly shifted:

a. To the right: ________________ c. Upward :_____________________

b. To the left: _________________ d. Downward: __________________

How does the movement of the slide affect the object in the field of view?

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5. Return the letter “e to the center of the field of view. Without moving the coarse
adjustment knob, shift the objective from LPO to HPO by turning the revolving
nosepiece. Be careful so as not to break the glass slide. Sharpen the focus using the
fine adjustment knob.

6. Draw the resulting image of the letter “e” under HPO.

Is there a change in the level of brightness of the field of view when the objective is
shifted LPO to HPO?
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When LPO is shifted to HPO, does it affect the position of the object in the field of view?
Describe the appearance and orientation of the letter “e” as seen through the HPO.

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To ensure easier focusing, what should be done first before the HPO is
swung into position?

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When may the coarse adjustment knob be used in focusing?

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When is the coarse adjustment knob not used in focusing?

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(Please indicate at least three references here).

LETTER “e” LPO LETTER “e” HPO

Name: ____________________________________ Rating: ___________________

Grade and Section: __________________________ Date: ____________________

ACTIVITY NO. 3
MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATION OF
PLANT and ANIMAL CELLS

All organisms ranging from microscopic protozoans to gigantic whale consist of cells. The
cell is the structural and functional unit of living things. It is the evidence of life that we can see
and observe. It is the seat of all vital processes of an organism such as nutrition, growth,
excitability, biosynthesis and bioenergetics, and in some cases of reproductive cells, the bearers
of hereditary materials. Thus, a study of necessary for a wider and deeper knowledge of animal
science.

Microscopic specimen are first observed as wet mounts. It is done by placing a drop of
liquid material to be examined on the glass slide. If it is a dry specimen, a drop of water is added
after placing on the glass slide then covered with a cover slip to prevent the drop from drying
and to fasten the specimen.

Objectives:
In this part of the activity, the students should be able to:
1. prepare simple wet mounts of plant and animal cells
2. gain information on the general structure of relatively simple living
plant and animals cells; and
3. identify the differences between plant and animal cells.

Procedure:

A. Plant Cell (Wet Mount of Allium cepa)

1. Make a temporary mount of a strip of onion epidermis with forceps or blade. Remove
the surface of one of the onion bulb layers. The layer of the epidermis should be
transparent.
2. Spread it flat gently at the center of the glass slide and put a drop dilute Lugol’s iodine
solution. Carefully cover the whole mount with a clean cover glass with no bubbles
produced.
3. Observe under LPO then to HPO.
What is the significance of staining?
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4. Draw 3-4 cells under LPO and HPO. Label the visible parts (cell wall, cytoplasm, vacuole
and nucleus). Give a short description of the plant cell.
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Plant cells contain plastids which come from various, shapes, sizes and functions.
Chloroplastids contain the green pigment called chlorophyll while xanthophylls are
carotenoids can be found in other plastids. Those plastids which do not contain pigments
function for storage of fats, starch and other substances.

Mature plant cells generally also contain a large vacuole bounded by a single,
semi-permeable membrane known as the tonoplast. The vacuole may contain pigments
such as the purple anthocyanin.

B. Plant Cell (Went Mount of Rhoeo spathacea)

Peel off a thin portion of the lower epidermis of the Rhoeo spathacea. Make wet mount
and observe under HPO. Draw 3-4 cells. Label the cell wall, guard cell, chloroplast in the
guard cells and vacuole.

C. Plant Cell (Went Mount of Hydrilla)

Remove one Hydrilla leaf. Place at the center of the slide. Put a drop of water and cover
with a coverslip. Observe under HPO. Draw 3-4 cells.

D. Animal Cell (Frog Blood Cells)

1. Obtain a drop of fresh frog blood on a clean slide
2. Add a drop of .7salt solution. Lay on a cover glass and examine under LPO and HPO.
3. Distinguish the following:
a. Erythrocytes – elliptical , colored red or yellow by hemoglobin, with central or oval
nucleus
b. Leucocytes –usually circular, of several kinds and sizes, cytoplasm is clear to
granular, may show amoeboid movement, use reduced illumination to see.
4. Add a drop of acetic acid (at the edge of the cover slip) to destroy the red cells and
make the white cells easier to see.
5. Draw 6 cells. Label the parts.

E. Animal Cell (Human Blood Cells)

6. Obtain a drop of fresh human blood on a clean slide
7. Add a drop of .7salt solution. Lay on a cover glass and examine under LPO and HPO.
8. Observe the erythrocytes.
a. Erythrocytes –are flexible, and oval biconcave disks; colored red by hemoglobin,
without central or oval nucleus
9. Draw 6 cells. Label the parts.
 F. Animal Cell (Squamous Cells or Cheek cells)
1. Scrape the inner cheek lining with the flat end of the tooth pick.
2. Mount the scrapings thinly on a glass slide.
3. Air dry.
4. Stain with a drop of methylene blue. Wash with water. Air dry.
5. Focus under the low and high power objectives.
6. Draw 3-4 cells under LPO and one cell under the HPO. Label the visible parts (cell
membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus).
7. Borrow a prepared slide of the squamous cell. Observe under LPO and HPO.

Give a short description of the animal cell.

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Note: Place all drawings in the spaces provided on this page.

Allium cepa Rhoeo spathacea

Frog Blood Cells Squamous cells

Hydrilla Human Blood Cells

Prepared by:

LENOR M. TUNAC, MAED-Biology

Teacher III