She places a slice of the cortex
under a microscope and adjusts the focus and
magnification until the follicles and the oocytes are
visible.
Onions have large cells
visible under low
magnification, so onion tissue is often used in high school science laboratories for learning about microscope use and cell structure, as shown in this lesson from Rice University (http://teachertech.rice.edu/Participants/dawsonm/cells/microlab4.htm) and this video of onion cells from YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdch3mxQ4oU.