One of the things I love about Foldscope events is planting the seeds of creativity in our attendees. And this past week we planted an entire garden during teacher training and working with high school students at a STEAM day festival. The number of innovative ways to use Foldscopes outside of the traditional science classroom was astounding! The creative potential of educators and curious students never ceases to amaze me. Read on to get a glimpse of how much fun Foldscopes and science can be!

Figure 1. Picture of attendees at both events

(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)

Teacher Professional Development

Teachers are committed to improving science education for their students. Last week 25 teachers from western North Carolina attended a Foldscope Mini training session with me. This professional development took place in the evening. That’s right, they showed up for this after putting in a full day of teaching - talk about dedication to their craft! These teachers became official Foldscope Mini trainers who will now go back to their respective schools to teach their fellow educators how to use and incorporate Foldscopes into even more classrooms. As a bonus, each teacher present received a set of supplies put together and donated by the NC BioNetwork. The supplies included a Foldscope Mini classroom kit (to use with their students), an Explorer Kit (for themselves), and a variety of Foldscope accessories for sample collection and slide preparation. This event was a result of a partnership between STEM West, NC BioNetwork, and Foldscope. 

We had a great time observing fabric with the Foldscope Mini, making slides with hair, exploring with the different lenses and light settings on the Foldscope 2.0, discussing the logistics of Foldscope storage in the classroom, sharing lesson plan ideas, and brainstorming innovative ways to get students to use their Foldscopes outside of the classroom.

Figure 2. Fabric viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 with 50X magnification using brightfield (left) and reflective (right) lighting

(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)

I knew that this event was a success because when it was over, there was a group of people who stuck around for another 30 minutes to talk about their excitement for how they were going to use the Foldscopes with their students! We were inspired by the high school ESL teacher who is planning on using Foldscopes to do a flower dissection with her students whose English is limited but are still expected to master the grade level science content. She was thrilled that the Foldscope Mini requires very little verbal instruction to learn how to use it. I am excited to hear more from the middle school science teacher who is planning on having her 8th grade students teach elementary school students how to use a Foldscope Mini to explore their world. She is developing student leadership skills in conjunction with increased science engagement in multiple grade levels!

High School STEAM Day

The next day, after riding high from the teacher professional development, I had the pleasure of hosting a Foldscope booth at the Catawba Ridge High School STEAM Day in South Carolina. The intent of the event was to show students the variety of ways that STEAM can be incorporated into their future career plans. From the first bell in the morning to the last one at the end of the school day, students visited the Foldscope booth and were shocked by what a piece of paper could do! We had Foldscope Minis and Foldscope 2.0s laid out for the students to use. They looked at sugar, salt, leaves, and MicroRealm Explorer Cards. The beautiful sunny day was perfect for providing the right lighting to view the samples.

Figure 3. Foldscope booth and Foldscope Minis with salt and sugar crystals mounted on blank trading cards

(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)

I love the moment when disbelief turns to wonder and awe as the microscopic world is revealed through the Foldscope. It is especially powerful when using the Foldscope Mini - students and teachers alike can’t believe what you are able to see with such a simplified piece of equipment. While the teachers appreciated the streamlined nature of a Foldscope Mini, they were also amazed at the functionality of the Foldscope 2.0! When they saw how easy it was to change lenses, experiment with different lighting techniques, and couple it to a phone, tablet, or chromebook - it really blew their minds!

Figure 4. Salt (top) and sugar (bottom) crystals viewed under a Foldscope 2.0 at 50X magnification using brightfield (left) and reflective (right) lighting techniques

(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)

I enjoyed hearing the numerous ways students and teachers said they would use a Foldscope. In addition to wanting one for themselves and to use them in the classroom, students mentioned getting one for their younger siblings, using them to run outreach programs for elementary school students as a way to increase excitement for science and to get volunteer hours for Beta Club and National Honors Society requirements. The food science teacher came by multiple times during the day to discuss designing lessons around looking at the microscopy of food and using them for an after school program she is developing. The graphic arts instructor thought about using Foldscope images to inspire digital art projects for students. The health sciences teacher was excited about the prospect of using Foldscopes during the human anatomy unit to study cells, tissues, and different types of muscles.

Figure 5. Sugar crystals viewed with brightfield (left) and polarized (right) light under a Foldscope 2.0 at 140X magnification plus 5X digital zoom on phone

(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)

Are you thinking of bringing Foldscope to your school? Foldscope professional development experiences are great for increasing science engagement in teachers and their students. It is also an excellent way for teachers to develop their leadership skills because after they successfully get trained by the Foldscope team, they can then lead professional development sessions at their schools and throughout their district! Reach out to us to find out more about Foldscope training. We can’t wait to talk to you!

Figure 6. Students enjoying Foldscope exploration at STEAM Day

(Photo Credit: Holly A. Stuart)

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