USB  Microscopes
Guest Blogger – Luke Ward

A ‘USB microscope’ can be an interesting tool for pupils in school. It can be used in a variety of ways including; children working in groups or individually, using one microscope for the whole class with children operating a computer package on a large screen, or simply something being demonstrated by a teacher on a large screen in front of the class. Equally as effective, the scope could be taken out doors into the field; beach, pond etc, with the use of a laptop.

Skills
The scope can help develop key skills such as critical thinking through the observing and recording of results, collection and the organising of scientific data. It can also help with communication skills through group work and possible presentations or reports of findings.  Pupils will also in become more aware and be able to use appropriate scientific terminology.

The Parts and Functions
The scope simply plugs into the USB slot (hence the name) on a computer/laptop. They will come with an installation CD that will need to be loaded onto your system, so that you can view the images. They should have a ‘snapshot’ option that allows you to take pictures of the specimens and some will have a video option so that you can film it as well. Some may have an option were as you can measure the image or part of it, this will require the recording and inputting of the magnification at the point the image was taken.

Parts of the scope are pretty straight forward and normally include; the unit itself, the wire/USB, a stand, the lens, LED’s and possibly a snapshot button.

Lesson Ideas

Growing Crystals
Age:  9 to 14
Curriculum area:  Separating mixtures of materials
Learning Objectives:  Demonstrate that dissolved substances can be recovered by evaporating the liquid from the solution.
Activity: Pupils could make a time lapse movie of salt (or other) crystals growing as the water evaporates.

Fabrics
Age:  7 to 11
Curriculum area:  How the working characteristics of materials affect the ways they are used.
Learning Objectives:  Identify that textiles may be woven or knitted and that this affects their properties. Define that the properties if textiles determine their uses.
Activity:  Examining the fabrics under the scope, noting which are woven and which are knitted. Examining different properties of fabrics, inputting findings into a database and then working out which materials would be best for a particular purpose, i.e warmth.

Plants
Age:  7 to 11
Curriculum area:  Green Plants
Learning Objectives: Label and indentify the functions of stem, leaf, flower and root.
Activity:  Take snapshots of parts of a plant, import the pictures then label the parts of the plant and identify functions.

Investigating soils
Age:  7 to 14
Curriculum area:  Materials and their properties – grouping and classifying materials.
Learning Objectives: To be able to group soils on the basis of their characteristics
Activity: Examine different samples; sandy, clay – compare particle size and relate to permeability.

Pond Animals
Age:  7 to 11
Curriculum area:  Living things in their environment.
Learning Objectives: Observe and describe how animals are adapted to their environment – Taking care of living creatures.
Activity: Pupils observe and photograph pond animals and record their observations.

Fur and feathers
Age:  7 to 11
Curriculum area:  Adaptation to environment.
Learning Objectives: Identify and describe that the characteristics of fur and feathers are adaptations to their environment.
Activity: Examine samples of fur & feathers (down/contour), describe, draw and photograph. Look for hooks that interlock the barbules. Possibly compare with human hair.