1. Microscope Use Lab
Purpose: To learn the parts and how to use a compound light microscope

2. Materials used in class
Worksheet Packet
Compound Light
Microscope
Box with:
Large unlabeled microscope picture & microscope part cards
Clear ruler
Petri dish (blank slide/cover slip; newspaper)

3. Task 1 – Set up and Clean Up
Tape “Task 1” into your lab journal

4. Task 2 – Pin the labels on the Microscope
Working as a group, decide where each part card (with jobs on the back) goes.
Parts: ocular, arm, base, stage coarse adjustment knob, fine adjustment knob, diaphragm, stage clips, revolving nosepiece, body tube, light source, objectives
Check with teacher, then transfer to the worksheet.

5. Task 3 – How magnified is it?
Objectives Magnification
Find the first number (usually the largest)
Ocular Magnification
Find the number before the “X”
Medium Power
10x
High Power
Longest One
Low Power
Short One

6. Task 3 – How big is the field of view?
Use the following to write an estimate of how many millimeters (or parts of a millimeter) the field of view is.

7. Task 4: Dry Mount and the Letter ‘E’
Follow directions & create a dry mount of the letter e to look at.
Slide
New Materials –
What are slides and coverslips?
A Slide is what you put your specimen on.
A Cover Slip is what you cover your specimen with
Cover Slip

8. Task 4 – Dry mount and Use of microscope
Letter ‘e’
40X

9. Task 5 - Exploration Optional Can only be done in the classroom.
Students could pick from various materials to make dry mounts of and sketch.