Much attention is paid to focusing and lighting techniques. Students begin by observing flat objects, such as microfiche, and newspaper and magazine photographs. They continue with hair from their head, and use it to measure specimens. They grapple with the concept of field of view and try to decide exactly how much of an object they can see under the microscope all at once. They learn through reading about two relevant historical figures, Anton Leeuwenhoek and Robert Hooke.
Students also learn to prepare slides of different types to suit different specimens.
They experiment with flat slides and coverslips, tape as a coverslip, and well slides, to decide which is most appropriate in a given situation. In addition to specimens provided in the kit, there are built-in opportunities for students to explore objects they themselves bring in. As a culmination to this phase, students observe an onion from the outside in. They predict what they think they will see, make an observation, and then record what they do see. The observation proceeds from the outer skin to a longitudinal section to a cross section, and ends with an examination of cells on student-prepared slides.