We carefully followed directions. Paint clear nail polish on the back of a green leaf, covering at least a square centimeter. Let it dry. Take a small piece of clear packing tape and place it over the dry nail polish. Peel the polish off. Place this polish and tape section on a microscope slide. Then take a look.
As as teacher of 9th grade biology students, the moment that comes next is what I'm going for, hoping for...
Amy slid her microscope slide under the lens. I stood back while she focused. The next words...
"Oh, wow!"
I totally agree. I teach for little moments like these. Moments of discovery, awe, and wonder.
"Where science does not teach a child
to wonder and admire,
it has perhaps no educative value."
Charlotte Mason
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If you're wondering what we saw, we were looking at guard cells and stomata on the underside of a leaf. The botanists among you will know that this is where carbon dioxide goes in and oxygen goes out of a photosynthesizing leaf. We were looking at something like this:
2 comments:
Oooo...this is exactly what Cameryn is studying in her co-op science class...the botany book by Jeanne Fulbright! So if she follows your directions on your post, we can see guard cells and stomata??? Can't wait to tell Cam and try it!
And I want to know what book you got the step by step directions from. We have a microscope which we love and use - even a new one that hooks to the printer, but I would have never known to use fingernail polish and tape!
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