Some examples are –
- Science – looking at crystals, materials, seeing tiny water-borne insects……
- Comparing materials: rocks, fabric, plastics, packaging, why things sink or float
- Literacy: describing, recording, observing
- Art and design – looking at newspaper and magazine print to reveal the colour printing techniques. Looking at the intricate weave of fabrics. Seeing the amazing detail on modern bank notes. Sketching and drawing the samples – a fly’s leg, a butterfly wing…..
- ICT - recording and manipulating images that are captured using the microscopes. Capturing time-lapse data, Seeing the detail on a printed circuit board…….
- History – inspect artefacts for clues of age. See the difference in old and new productions of the same item – fabrics, paper…………
- And many others. Once you start, you will see how inspiring it is to explore tiny worlds, and then you can tell us!
The exercises that come with the RMS Microscope Activity Kit will bring many of these together. Your pupils will be using the microscopes to solve crimes, to do science experiments, to comnpare materials , and much more. All of the activities can be expanded and added on to and we will be delighted if you find ways to do this and share them with us.
The six exciting and fun exercises contained within the box are –
Activity 1: Make a magnifier: the children can make a magnifier using water droplets so they understand that we magnify things by bending light.
Activity 2: How much bigger is it? This activity is designed to show them that magnifying things shows us more detail but we see less of the object.
Activity 3: What details can I see? The children will look at a variety of everyday objects by eye and in the microscope designed to use skills in predicting, exploring, drawing and describing. A worksheet allows them to predict what they will see and compare it to what they actually observe.
Activity 4: What details can I see? Part 2. Children can use the skills they learnt in Activity 3 to find their own samples and examine them under the microscope. This could be anything from a leaf they find in a playground to an insect they find on a window ledge!
Activity 5: Dissolving and reforming crystals. The children can look at different powders and crystals under the microscope. We have included salt, sugar, coffee and chocolate powder. They will describe each and then will add some warm water to dissolve the samples. The next day the water will have evaporated and the children can see that the crystals have reformed.
Activity 6: Super sleuth. This activity is designed to build on the skills the children have picked up in the previous sessions and tests their powers of observation as detectives solving a crime.
But remember, these are just what we provide. In no time at all your children will be keen to take a new track; to explore and discover on their own, and to come up with their own stories and uses. Make sure that you record them! We want to see them, and they provide great evidence of imaginative learning. We are hoping to develop resources soon for comparing materials, looking at plants, and light and shade and are especially keen to see your ideas for ways to explore these themes.
Let us have details of something interesting and exciting that you did with the RMS Microscope Activity Kit. This is all we ask in return for the loan. We will then make it available online for other schools to enjoy and to comment on, and you and your pupils will get the credit you deserve.
