How I Learned to Observe Bacteria Using a Microscope

First, we must understand what makes a student proficient in this area. A student is proficient if they: demonstrate the ability to use a microscope properly, they begin on a low power with the objective as close to the slide as possible, they focus away until they see color, uses fine focus to locate areas with scattered bacteria, then changes to high power and successfully focuses on an individual bacterium.

Now that we know what makes a student proficient, we can begin to talk about where I have applied these skills. To begin, we used the microscope to examine multiple slides in Koch's postulates lab. We moved each setting, starting on low until we got the best results possible. We practiced this over and over throughout not only that lab but others as well.

Positive Control (Chobani yogurt) From Koch's

Postulates Lab