Traditional Lesson Plan Template*

Lesson Title

Microscopy
November 5, 2014

Your Name

Ian Hanson

Purpose

Introduce the types and techniques of microscopy.

State/National/NGSS 3.3.12.B: Analyze the chemical and structural basis of living

Standards
organisms.
3.3.12.A: Explain the relationship between structure and function
at all levels of organization.
Materials &
PowerPoint Presentation, Compound Light Microscopes,
Equipment
Microscopy Note Handout, Laboratory handouts, Prepared Slides
Instructional
Objectives

At the end of this lesson the students will be able to:

1. SWBAT cite information from various sources IOT summarize
the processes used to study cells.
2. SWBAT distinguish between types of microscopes IOT make
inferences about when each type would be most useful.
3. SWBAT identify parts of a light microscope IOT demonstrate
proper microscope safety and technique.
Do Now: Students will identify as many parts of a light
microscope as possible.
Direct Instruction: Students will take guided notes from a
PowerPoint Presentation on microscopes and microscopy
techniques. / Students will watch brief video on the development
of the microscope and how it has advanced sciences.
Guided Practice/Individual Practice: Students will complete
Microscopy Intro Lab. Students are to complete Activity 1 and
work as far as possible on Activity 2.
We will complete Activity 2 on Friday.
Projects due Friday.

Instructional
Activities

Closure
Assessment

Light microscope quiz on Friday. Lab Activity 1 and 2 due

Friday.

References
Handouts (attach)

Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.

There must be a will to produce a superior thing.
John Ruskin

On November 5, 2014 I began Chapter 6 Unit 2 with my AP Biology class.

With them having previous experience with microscopes I thought that we would start the
class off with their do now to name the major components of a compound light
microscope. Within 2 minutes I realized that my students had not remembered any more
than two parts of the microscope.
I brought up a completely labeled diagram on the board, and grabbed a
microscope, so the students could follow me as I went over the parts. I thought that
seeing the physical structure of the microscope would go a long way for the students to
remember the parts.
I had mentioned before and after going over the pieces of the microscope that they
will be quizzed on the microscope parts on Friday.
I began direct instruction by running a quick video on the history of microscopes
and the advancements that they have made. The speaker of the video spoke quickly, so I
think that most of the names and dates were lost to my students, but they showed that
they had grabbed the types of microscopes, and the importance of microscopes.
I had students talking during the video until I had walked over and stood next to
them.
I printed the notes for my students to follow along with my presentation. With my
notes, my students are to fill in critical information as they follow. As I go through my
presentation, a few students ask questions, there are some side-conversations, and usually
one or two students on their phone. This is a AP course I am under the impression that
this is a college level course. I address side-conversations if I feel they are disruptive to
others (including myself), and I address phone use if I feel the phone is distracting others
(not including the student whos phone it is).
If I feel side-conversations are getting out of control, I usually wait until I have
my students full attention. If conversations persist then I will tell the student to move to
a desk I assign them to, and if that does not work, then they will be dismissed from class.
I used quite a bit of formative assessment, Q & A, to have my students engaged during
the lecture. I think it is because I use class response rather than students raising their
hands, that that is why I have so many conversations between students arising. My
students were engaged and kept with me through the notes. If I needed to stop because of
student talking, usually other students would step-up and tell them to be quiet.
Before we went to the lab I had gone over proper handling and microscope
technique. I made it clear that if they did not handle properly or use proper technique,
Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.
There must be a will to produce a superior thing.
John Ruskin

then I would take their microscope and they would have to come during their own time to
do Activity 2.
Once in the lab the students got into their own groups. I instructed them to begin reading
the background of the lab. Calling them up by table, students came up to retrieve their
own microscope. As they approached me I asked that how to they would hold their
microscope. Once they demonstrated and told me how they will hold a microscope only
then did they receive their microscope.
My students demonstrated mastery on handling and technique with a microscope:
no microscopes carried incorrectly or dropped, no slides or lenses broken.
Activity 1 took my students longer than I had expected. I thought that they had
more practice with microscopes in the past and that the instructions for Activity 1 were
straightforward; however, I found my students had trouble with this activity. After I gave
individual group demonstrations the students worked diligently and remained on task.
I need to start giving demonstrations rather than just verbal instruction. Doing
this will decrease me walking around while giving instruction, and will keep my students
attention. Demonstrating to my class will provide a clearer understanding of the
procedure, and the objectives of the lab.
My students remained on task until the finished Activity 1, but I transitioned each
group as quickly as possible to Activity 2. Each activity kept the students engaged and on
task with the lesson.
The bell rang, and as the first two students were about to hand in their lab handouts they
asked to finish the lab on Friday. I took a poll to see who would like to finish on Friday,
and all had wished to finish Activity 2.
The slides were not put away and neither were the microscopes, but for this
activity I did not mind the cleaning up of it. When I do labs, the minor cleaning up
provides time for me to reflect on how the lesson went: what worked, what did not work,
and how to make things better.

Class Play-by-Play
Reflection
Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.
There must be a will to produce a superior thing.
John Ruskin