LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE FOR THE AGENDA FOR EDUCATION IN A DEMOCRACY

Name:_Dana Horton____________________Date:__October 21, 2014_____________

Unit Essential Question:_ How can you use a microscope to learn more about biological
features and functions?_________________________________________________
Lesson Topic:_Using a microscope_______Class:_General Biology, 1st period____
PLANNING THE LESSON
With Democracy and Social Justice at the Center of Instruction
Focusing on the National Network for Educational Renewal (NNER) Mission the 4-Part
Agenda for Education in a Democracy
EQUAL ACCESS
ENCULTURATION
NURTURING PEDAGOGY
STEWARDSHIP
To Knowledge
In Democratic Society
Safe and Caring for All
of the Mission
What are you and your students doing today to advance the 4-Part Mission? Connections:
With which part(s) of the Agenda does this lesson connect most clearly? And how?
Through working together, students will experience ENCULTURATION. Through a lesson that
includes experiential learning, lecture, and inquiry, multiple learning styles will have EQUAL
ACCESS to the information presented.

STANDARDS (www.cde.state.co)
Content:
Colorado State Science
Standard 2.5: Cells use
passive and active transport
of substances across
membranes to maintain
relatively stable intracellular
environments
Colorado State Science
Standard 2.6: Cells, tissues,
organs, and organ systems
maintain relatively stable
internal environments, even
in the face of changing
external environments.

Literacy and Numeracy:

Understand and apply
algebraic and geometric
concepts and techniques.

Democracy and
21st Century Skills:
Work Ethic: Take
responsibility for completion
of work.

OBJECTIVES
Content:
SWBAT use a microscope
appropriately in preparation
for using them to study cells
by completing the an inquiry
activity and the microscope
lab.

Literacy and Numeracy:

SWBAT use multiplication to
determine the magnification
by calculating the
magnification for the different
lenses on the microscope.

Democracy and
21st Century Skills:
SWBAT take responsibility for
completing their work by
turning in their complete lab
report for the purpose of
having a strong work ethic.

ASSESSMENTS What is your evidence of achieving each objective? How will students know
and demonstrate what they have learned in each of the areas, all of the objectives?
Content:
Students will demonstrate
their understanding of how to
use the microscope by
following the directions,
recording their observations,
and answering questions on
the lab sheet.

Literacy and Numeracy:

Students will calculate the
magnification and put their
answers on their lab sheet to
turn in.

Democracy and
21st Century Skills:
Students will be assessed on
whether or not they answer
all the questions and do all
the drawings on their lab
report.

Literacy and Numeracy

Magnification, ocular lens,
objective lens

Democracy and
21st Century Skills
Work ethic

KEY VOCABULARY
Content
Microscope, objective lens,
ocular lens, eyepiece,
diaphragm, tube, focus,
nosepiece, lens, stage,
clamps, microscope base and
arm

HIGHER ORDER QUESTIONS for this lesson

Content
Why are microscopes an
important tool in biology?

Literacy and Numeracy

Why is it useful to have a
numerical value for
magnification?

Democracy and
21st Century Skills
Why is it important to have a
strong work ethic?

LESSON FLOW
This is the actual planning of the lesson activities.
Time
10 minutes

Anticipatory Set Purpose and Relevance

Notebook question: What are the differences between prokaryotic and
eukaryotic cells?
Roll question: Would you rather have telescopic or microscopic vision?
Show microscope pictures and have students guess what they are pictures of.

Time

Pre-Assessment
When discussing safety and proper usage of microscopes, have students share
what they already know.

Time

Building Background
Pre-assessment will relate the lesson to experiences with microscopes they've
had in the past.

Time

Activity Name
Microscope Parts and Functions
Intro to Light Microscopes Lab

Time

Instructional Input Includes: Students will do an inquiry activity (attached) to

discover the parts and their functions of the microscope. Direct instruction will be
used to review the parts and their functions and proper handing and usage of
microscopes. Then students will do a lab (attached) in which they will use the
microscope, answer questions, and draw pictures.

Models of Teaching:
Inquiry, Cooperative Learning, Direct Instruction, Discussion.
SIOP Techniques: Cooperative Learning, inquiry
Guided Practice: Students will work on the Introduction to Light Microscopes Lab
while the teacher circulates and is available for answering questions. After the
lab, students will share their answers as the lab questions are reviewed and
correct answers are shared.
Reading , Writing, Listening, Speaking Students will write answers to lab
questions. During direct instruction time students will talk notes, share their
answers, and listen to instructions.
Checking for Understanding: Reviewing the inquiry activity and the lab questions.
Questioning Strategies: Higher level questions are on the lab, and will be
reviewed as a whole class.
Independent Practice: None students will review the skills the next class when
they create wet slides and look at them under the microscope.

Time

Review and Assessments of All Objectives

Content: Students will be assessed by their completion and accuracy on the lab
report.
Literacy and Numeracy: Students will be assessed by their completion and
accuracy on the magnification questions on the lab report.
Democracy and 21st Century Skills: Students will be assessed on the level of
completion of their lab report.

Time

Closure
Ticket out the door:
Describe the steps you take to find and focus on an object with a microscope.
Include at least three steps.