Saturday DNA! Virtual Lab: History and Mystery of Cell Theory (Age 10-14)

Cell theory is a basic principle of biology. It states that cells are the basic units of life, all living organisms are composed of cells, and cells come from pre-existing cells. In this session we will uncover the interesting history behind the invention of the microscope, which played a vital role in the development of cell theory.

In this activity, you will:

• learn the history of the microscope and the parts of a modern compound microscope;
• identify how microscopes contributed to development of cell theory; and
• compare and contrast different cell samples magnified by a compound microscope.

Participants need:

• Paper and pencil to record observations.