During this Unit, students will conduct Investigations focused on both understanding how the compound microscope works and utilizing the principles upon which its function is based in order to study microscopic structures of various specimens. Through their explorations they will come to a better understanding of the field of microscopy and will discover how microscopy can be used to understand the structure and function of living and non-living things. Through experiments, observation, microscopic analysis, and participation in class discussion, students will begin to comprehend that what they see with their unassisted eyes is only one part of the world around them. This Unit will promote students’ awareness of the microscopic structure of living and non-living things they see or experience on a daily basis, building continuity between laboratory investigations and real world applications and encouraging independent investigation. Conceptual Themes addressed in this Unit: Systems Structure and Function Properties of Matter
