2. The Experiment
Use tooth picks to swipe inside of mouth
Place on slide and color if possible
Observe the cells
Possibly observe visible cell organs such as the nucleus
3. Class Discussion
Students will fill out a
worksheet with the experiment
Students will then discuss their
findings in a class discussion
Editor's Notes
This is my Intro Slide, which states that it is a biology exercise. This exercise is hands on, and in fact its so hands on that it comes from the actual student, literally. This experiment can be an excellent intro to biology to show that we are made of cells and that biology is the science that explains what living things are, including ourselves.
The students are assigned into groups that each have a certain number of microscopes, which should be accessible in any middle/high school. The experiment essentially involves the students taking the toothpick and gently swiping the inside of their mouths along their inner cheek and then collecting the cells and observing them through the microscopes.
This experiment is very engaging and actually lets students work with real science equipment and observe actual cells from their very own bodies instead of just reading it from a text book. Students will be able to feel like real scientists and come to conclusions based off of their own findings instead of just reading something.
