An understanding of the relative size of eggs and sperm can help students comprehend the relevance of structure and function in the design of each. When studying cells it is useful to be able to measure them. We can measure cells then make comparisons between different types of cells. Students don't relate to cell size because they don't have something to compare it to. The following exercise is designed to help students gain a key skill in the study of microbiology.
Size is important.
At the same time five gallons of peanut butter is a fairly easy thing to imagine and relate to. It is no wonder that students have trouble relating to the size of organisms under the microscope. You should have 5 and only 5 pieces at this point. Place the 100X view on your overhead and focus on your screen. This is representative of a typical view through a 10X objective coupled with a 10X eyepiece.