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Techniques in Microscopy for Kids

Introduce children to a new tiny world by learning techniques in microscopy. According to the Microscopy Society of America, microscopy is the field where scientists use microscopes which are devices that magnify objects when they are too small for the naked eye. Techniques in microscopy help children discover images and things they may not have known about before.

House
- Use a manifying glass as a type of simple microscope.
  
  Get children started in microscopy by investigating things around the house or classroom. Provide the children with small specimen jars to collect things, such as soil, food or dust. Depending on the type of microscope available, put the specimen in a glass container directly onto its stage above the light or make a slide. Prepare a slide with a pipette to suck up a portion of the specimen and place it onto a glass slide. Add one drop of water and cover the specimen with a slide cover slip. View the items at different magnifications, such as 10 times, 60 times and 100 times.
Letters
- Print out a letter, such as "F" or "P" from a typewriter or computer printer for an experiment with microscopy. Place it onto a glass slide right-side up and ask the children what they see at 10 times magnification. Under the microscope the letter is upside down. Ask the children why they are seeing the letter is this way. Observe the letter at higher magnifications and compare the images. As the magnification is higher the letter is larger, grainy and only a small portion of it is seen in the viewfinder.
Focusing
- Overlap three pieces of thread that are different colors into an "X" formation. At 10 times magnification, the children observe the fuzzy fibers of the threads. However, some threads are out of focus. Ask the children to experiment with focusing on the different threads. By focusing, the children move the microscope lens up and down, which causes changes in the depth of field. Depth of field is the range of distance where objects are in focus.
Cells
- Identify all the parts of Squamous Epithelium, or human cheek cells
  
  Swab human cheek cells for viewing under the microscope. Swipe the inside of the cheek and then place it onto a glass slide. After a drop of water is placed onto the specimen, add a drop of stain. Stains are often added to specimens, like cells, that are difficult to see. Cover the slide with a cover slip and view it at different magnifications. Instruct the children to draw what they see under the microscope on a piece of paper with colored pencils.

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