Microscope Camp (Ages 5-6)

Students should have access to a microscope - either compound or stereo, ideally, though digital will work.  Students will need a notebook, journal, or folder for drawings and records of what they see, and something to draw with (crayons, markers, or colored pencils).  

A set of professionally made slides is recommended.  

Blank slides, whether plastic or glass, are needed to make homemade slides.  Personally, I dislike tiny coverslips and use a second slide to cover my sample, but there are options.  (Glass coverslips are thin, small, and very sharp, and I recommend against them for young learners. Plastic coverslips are an excellent option.) 

In order to make permanent slides, we'll use clear nail polish as our fixative.  Please note, this is optional if your learner only wants to make temporary slides.

Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.

Slides are made from living tissue, which means that generally, professionally made slides are made out of deceased laboratory animals.  Sometimes this comes up when we are observing animal tissues and comparing them to our own bodies.  Also, learners have to decide if they want to kill bugs to make specimens, which can be upsetting for young people.  

Slides and microscopes are made of glass and metal, and even unbroken glass can be hazardous to young, klutzy learners.  Please consider if your learner is better suited for plastic or glass slides.  I, personally, avoid glass coverslips - plastic ones are an option.  I use two glass slides to sandwich my specimens, which avoids the use of coverslips, but uses up the slides twice as fast.  We'll discuss these concerns in class, but you should be aware.