New view

28th September 2007, 1:00am

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New view

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/new-view
Science. Ages 11 to 14

Pupils know from experience that drops of liquid act as lenses. They may have sneezed near a computer screen and seen pixels magnified by the water droplets.

Challenge pupils to make a simple “microscope” using a drop of liquid from a pipette and keep it in place for viewing. Bent paper clips and holes of various sizes in card and plastic can be used.

Pupils will note a problem using a water drop: it soaks into the card after falling from the paper clip, and the small hole makes viewing very difficult water is too runny.

Provide a range of more viscous liquids such as olive oil, washing up liquid and glycerine.

A 2mm drop of glycerine on a strip of clear plastic works well, and magnifies about five times. Two lenses, one above the other, make a more powerful compound “microscope”

Useful book: Micrographia by Robert Hook, who first used the word “cells”.

Julian Silverton teaches life science at the American Community School in Cobham, Surrey

Win pound;50! Let your brilliant ideas sparkle

Share your teaching secrets with me, Dilys Davison, and I’ll pay you pound;50. Just send me 150 words (plus details of a useful book or website) including your lesson’s subject, the age group it’s for and your name and school. This must be your original idea. Contact me at dilys.davison@tsleducation.com.

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