The Microscopic World

The Microscopic World          March 18 - April 4, 201
To begin this unit, students discovered some unusual ways to magnify tiny objects.  They experimented with different transparent objects with different shapes to see if they would magnify-- cubes, cylinders, jars of water, prisms, even a water drop.  Then they took a close look at common objects to uncover a few until now unseen parts. Students got out hand lenses and practiced drawing exactly what they saw.  Not an easy task! Discussion about about just what the difference is between an observation, an opinion, and an inference helped when it came time for them to write clear descriptions of what they were looking at through the lens.
Our compound microscopes then were used to learn about different kinds of cells, bacteria, and other living microscopic organisms.  What are these microbes, where are they, and what do they do?  Everyone saw some of the differences between plant (onion) and animal (their own inner cheek) cells.  Students learned to make wet and dry mount microscope slides to observe living and non-living specimen.
By peering down the microscope, students even were be able to help solve a crime!  Given several suspects and the incriminating evidence, the class determined who the culprit was in the 'famous' Coin of Uniti heist.
To end the unit, a visitor from Midcoast Hospital's Community Health came to the class to discuss what germs are and how we spread them to ourselves and others.