The stereo microscope recommendation is huge! Unless you have pond water with something moving, every time I’ve had a kid look through my Microscope, they are not impressed and they don’t even know what they’re looking at because it’s too abstract. So what I have to do is put something like a penny underneath the objective and shine a top light over it, and go to my lowest magnification (which is essentially a stereo Microscope) and then that’s when I get the “ooh” and “cool!” From the kids. I think a crucial thing that wasn’t talked about in the video however, what is the need for some adult that understands biology and microscopy very well. Someone that knows how to troubleshoot issues with the microscopes and understands how to properly use them and also understands what you’re looking at and can name and identify things that are under the microscope. Just imagine, going on a mushroom walk without an expert on identification. You’re basically just walking through the woods looking at mushrooms and you don’t even know what you’re looking at. If the club does not have some parent or adult that can teach the kids while they’re having fun, there’s not as much value.
The stereo microscope recommendation is huge! Unless you have pond water with something moving, every time I’ve had a kid look through my Microscope, they are not impressed and they don’t even know what they’re looking at because it’s too abstract. So what I have to do is put something like a penny underneath the objective and shine a top light over it, and go to my lowest magnification (which is essentially a stereo Microscope) and then that’s when I get the “ooh” and “cool!” From the kids.
I think a crucial thing that wasn’t talked about in the video however, what is the need for some adult that understands biology and microscopy very well. Someone that knows how to troubleshoot issues with the microscopes and understands how to properly use them and also understands what you’re looking at and can name and identify things that are under the microscope. Just imagine, going on a mushroom walk without an expert on identification. You’re basically just walking through the woods looking at mushrooms and you don’t even know what you’re looking at.
If the club does not have some parent or adult that can teach the kids while they’re having fun, there’s not as much value.