Before learning to use the microscope, my students always get a brief lesson on the history of the microscope. I don't place a whole lot of emphasis on the dates, more on the order in which the events occurred. I do point out that most of the last three events didn't occur until after the US was a country (for a awhile), approaching Civil War time.
Anyway, I've had my students create various forms of timelines to go with this lesson over the years, but I think this one might be my favorite.
Each student needs 7 index cards and one piece of construction paper.
The index cards get folded in half. On the 'cover' goes the date and the scientist. Inside the card goes the scientist's contribution.
The folded cards get glued to the construction paper.
The folded cards are a nice way for students to quiz themselves.
My events:
1300s Italian monks... ...begin grinding lenses.
1590 Janssen... ...compound microscope
1665 Hooke... ...looked at cork; coined the term "cells"
1665 Leeuwenhoek... ...discovered "animolecules" (which were acutally bacteria)
1838 Schleiden... ...plants are made of cells
1839 Schwann... ...animals are made of cells
1855 Virchow... ...all living cells come only from other living cells
Elodea is an aquatic plant that can be found at most fish stores. It is great for looking at under the microscope because the leaves are so thin, only a couple of cell layers thick and light can pass through the leaf.
