What do muscle, bone, and nerve cells look like under the microscope? What's unusual about skeletal muscle cells and how do they look different when viewed longitudinally versus cross-sectionally? Use a variety of purchased prepared slides to study these. 
 
Questions Answered:
How do bone cells look microscopically? 
How do muscle cells look microscopically and how do different types of muscle cells look different? 
How do nerves cells look microscopically?
 
Topics Addressed:
Bone cells have a characteristic microscopic shape 
Skeletal muscle cells are noteworthy for having multiple nuclei 
A single nerve cell can be many centimeters long
 
Materials Needed
prepared microscope slides of bones, muscles, and nerves; microscope
 
Preparation Time
order slides
 
Teaching Time 
About 20–30 minutes, longer with included writing assignment
 
Answer Key
Yes! Plus extensive teacher notes address the many questions that come up. You shouldn’t have to do outside research on this topic unless you want to. Specific charts and graphic organizers have keys. 
 
Target Audience
Middle School Students, Ages 11-14
 
Student Sheets
Scaffolded writing prompts & lab reporting 
Diagrams for labeling