The integration of SIMS instrumentation into the undergraduate laboratory teaching environment for surface science is a desirable development that is long overdue. The serious impediments of expense and complexity has been overcome by miniaturization and enhanced computer control. The main concept areas of sputtering and secondary ion production for surface chemical analysis are shown in this paper to be demonstrable in the briefest of laboratory sessions to students who have little background in SIMS. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.