Hooked on microscopy? Insatiably curious about things smaller and smaller — the ever smaller parts that make up the whole? It’s easy if you start with The Private Eye and loupe-analogy leap to the microscopic.

In this booklet-style activity sheet, students begin investigating a subject with one loupe (then two)—and, of course, The Private Eye questions— then leap into higher powers with ease—providing you have a microscope around.

The activity combines The Private Eye method of loupe-drawing, writing, and journaling with microscope work into a polished portfolio presentation.

Students compare writing and drawing at different powers to develop critical observation and thinking skills—and develop a heightened sense of changing scale.

As always with The Private Eye, students use their own experience to begin to explore a subject, and they write naturally with rich word choice, specificity, detail, voice and ideas — traits evaluated in writing assessments.

Tip: We recommend students be bold and loupe-draw using a pen instead of a pencil. (No eraser tug of war! — See p. 126 of The Private Eye teacher guide.) To the detailed loupe-drawing, add color for a splendiferous effect.

The U-fold sheet forms a 4-page booklet
(pictured here). Finished booklet size: 51⁄2" X 81⁄2"

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