1.

1 Teacher and
B1
technician notes

Discovering the microscope

Aims
In this practical students will:

 use a microscope

 produce a leaflet about using a microscope.

Students will be working scientifically to:

 use appropriate techniques, apparatus, and materials during fieldwork and laboratory work,
paying attention to health and safety.

Teacher notes
 The first part of the practical is intended as exploratory learning. Allow the students to use the
microscope without guidance, other than health and safety. Students will make a lot of errors.
Note: Warn students not to turn the objective lens dial to the point where the object lens hits the
stage. Microscopes are often damaged this way.

 Hold a class discussion to guide students through the uses and names of selected parts of the
microscope.

 The second part of this practical involves focusing on an image. Again students will make
mistakes as they work. Use students who have solved an issue to instruct those who have not yet
achieved a particular skill.

 Either within their groups or as a class, discuss how to use the microscope. Focus on the names
of the parts and how they are used.

 Now issue the practical sheet and ask students to write down what they have learnt about the
function of the parts of the microscope.

 The extension task asks the students to explain how to use the parts of the microscope in
sequence to view an object.

Answers
1 Order of labels for the microscope (top to bottom, left-side first): body tube, revolving nosepiece,
objective lens, stage clips, diaphragm, light source, eyepiece, stage, coarse adjustment, fine
adjustment, base.
2 Students should produce a list of all the parts of the microscope, with a correct function
attributed.

Extension
Description of how to use the microscope identifying the part used and how it will be used, in the
correct sequence.

Support sheet

© Oxford University Press 2014 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
 1.1 Teacher and
B1
technician notes

The accompanying support sheet includes a list of the names of the different parts of a microscope,
arranged in a random order, to aid students with labelling the diagram of the microscope.
This list should also be used when asking students to describe the uses of each part of a microscope
in the leaflet.

© Oxford University Press 2014 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
 1.1 Teacher and
B1
technician notes

Technician notes

Safety
 Take care when lifting microscopes and when using glassware.

 Beware of broken glass. Ask a responsible adult to sweep up broken glass immediately.

Equipment and materials

 microscope

 glass slides prepared with specimen samples

 objects to observe under a microscope, such as insect wings

© Oxford University Press 2014 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements

This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.