Structure of the eye Simulation Playbook

Before Starting the Simulation:

Ensure all VR headsets are charged and properly calibrated
Review safety guidelines for VR equipment use
Show students the essential VR gestures and controls
Plan your time: allocate 20 minutes for interaction and 10–15 minutes for reflection

During the Simulation:

Designate student helpers to assist their peers
Circulate throughout the classroom to support struggling students
Guide students to observe and document cellular changes
Prompt students to share their observations verbally

Group Organization:

For classes with limited devices, form triads: one in VR, two observing/discussing
Rotate roles every 5–7 minutes
Provide printed diagrams of cellular structures for note-taking during observation

Troubleshooting Technical Issues:

Preload simulation and test each headset prior to class
Keep a backup tablet with 2D version of the lab in case of headset malfunction
Maintain clear VR boundaries and warn students about physical obstacles

Recommendations for Teachers

Before simulation:

Ask: “What happens when you look at something very close?”
Quick diagram activity: label major parts of the eye

During simulation:

Pause after each structure is activated:
“What is this part responsible for?”
“How does this contribute to vision?”

After simulation:

Group task: Create a flowchart from light entry to brain signal
Drawing exercise: sketch the eye and label with functions
Essay prompt: “What if we had no lens in our eye?”

1. Simulation Overview

Simulation title: Eye Structure VR Simulation

Description: The student travels inside a human eye to examine and restore the functions of major visual structures. They interact with anatomical components to understand their role in vision.

Simulation type: VR

Subject and age: Biology, Grades 6–8

Key topics:

Structure of the eye
Functions of major eye parts
Light path through the eye
Vision and sensory reception

2. Key Simulation Milestones

Time	Simulation stage	What happens before the action?	What should be done?	What happens after the action?
00:00	Start of work	The student is in the laboratory, with a human model placed on the table. One part — the eye — is highlighted.	The student needs to click on the highlighted eye to start assembling it.	After the click, the student enters the inner eye environment.
00:12	Assembling the eye model. Step 1	The student sees a tablet labeled “Assembling the Eye Model,” listing three components: Fibrous Tunic, Vascular Tunic, and Retina.	The student needs to click on each component listed on the tablet to make them appear in front of them.	After clicking on the Fibrous Tunic, it appears in front of the student. After clicking on the Vascular Tunic, it appears in front of the student. After clicking on the Retina, it appears in front of the student.
00:46	Preparation for the second assembly	The student observes a completed eye model consisting of three assembled layers: Fibrous Tunic, Vascular Tunic, and Retina.	The student needs to double-click on the eye model to reveal the pupil and the iris.	After the first click on the model, an opening appears in the Fibrous Tunic. After the second click, the iris and pupil become visible.
01:15	Assembling the eye model. Step 2	The student sees a tablet labeled “Assembling the Eye Model,” now listing two remaining components: Lens and Vitreous Body.	The student needs to click on each remaining component on the tablet to make them appear in front of them.	After clicking on the Lens, it appears in front of the student within the eye model. After clicking on the Vitreous Body, it appears in front of the student within the eye model.
01:45	Knowledge check	The student sees a tablet labeled “Test.”	The student needs to press the “Check” button to begin the test.	After pressing “Check,” a set of test tasks appears, including functional simulations such as: 1. Changing the pupil diameter under different lighting conditions. 2. Adjusting the lens curvature for objects at various distances.
06:20	Completion and exit	The student is back in the laboratory, observing the human model and the fully assembled eye.	The student needs to place the assembled eye model into the human model.	After placing the eye model into the human model, the laboratory session is completed.

3. Theoretical Anchors (from the scene)

Fibrous Tunic — the outermost layer of the eye composed of the sclera (white part) and the cornea (transparent front surface). It protects the eye, maintains its shape, and the cornea begins the focusing of incoming light.
Vascular Tunic — the middle layer that includes the choroid, ciliary body, and iris. It supplies blood to the retina, absorbs excess light, controls pupil size, and adjusts lens curvature for focusing.
Retina — a multi-layered neural tissue containing photoreceptors (rods for low light, cones for color vision). It converts light into electrical signals that travel to the brain.
Iris & Pupil — the iris is a muscular diaphragm that controls the size of the pupil, regulating how much light enters the eye.
Lens — a transparent, flexible structure that changes curvature during accommodation to focus near or distant objects on the retina.
Vitreous Body — a clear gel filling the space between lens and retina. It maintains eye pressure, preserves shape, and provides a path for light transmission.
Cornea — the dome-shaped transparent front layer that protects the eye and performs most of the refraction of incoming light before it reaches the lens.
Optic Nerve — a bundle of ~1 million nerve fibers that carry visual information from the retina to the brain’s visual cortex.
Blind Spot — the point on the retina where the optic nerve exits the eye; contains no photoreceptors, creating a gap in the visual field that the brain perceptually fills.
Refraction — the bending of light rays as they pass through the cornea and lens, allowing them to focus on the retina.
Accommodation — the process by which ciliary muscles modify lens curvature to ensure clear vision at different distances.
Pupil Reflex — automatic contraction or dilation of the pupil to regulate light intake and protect photoreceptors.
Image Formation — the process by which focused, inverted light patterns on the retina are converted into neural signals that the brain interprets as upright images.

4. Reflection Questions

What would happen if the pupil couldn’t adjust to light?
Which part of the eye surprised you the most in terms of function?
What was the path of light from entry to signal transmission?
Why does the eye have a blind spot, and why don’t we usually notice it?

5. Hard Skill Questions

Name all the major parts of the eye involved in vision, in order of light path.
What is the role of the retina, and how does it work?
How do the lens and cornea differ in their roles?
Why is the optic nerve essential for vision?
What is the physiological cause of the blind spot?

6. Attachments

Video
QR code to simulation
Printable labeled eye diagram
Google Form quiz
Function-matching flashcards
Group discussion sheet