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Goal

1. To get students to be able to more easily and clearly see the microscopic world around them.
2. To inspire curiosity about biology and science in their everyday lives.
 

What will be done with my students

Students are expected to understand just how much organisms and objects are magnified when looking underneath different types of microscopes. By using these two digital microscopes and makes it so much easier for students to interact with the specimens and better comprehend the scale of magnification. Students are not required in the curriculum to know how to work a microscope. These models utilize a digital tablet that students are already so familiar with, which I think ameliorates their fear for these tasks. In the ecology unit for quarter 1 students could look at plankton samples that I could collect out of the lake behind our football field here at Lely High School or from the ocean and then potentially construct a food web of these unique aquatic ecosystems. Students would also then be able to use this type of microscope to explore plant structure, function, and reproductive organs of plants in the beginning of quarter 4. By using these digital versions of these microscopes, students will be able to take and save their own pictures to share with other friends and family outside of class, thereby breaking down the barriers of the traditional classroom. 

Benefits to my students

I found that more often than not it is very difficult to get these students motivated and interested in the subject matter. If I am able to bring the outside in to where they can better comprehend the units and how they apply to the real world big picture, they might remain more engaged throughout the year and beyond. I think that high school is a time for the students to be exposed to as much as possible so they can start deciding what to do with their future and where their interests really lie. This is an opportunity to show students how the technology of microscopes can be applied to this content and other applied scientific research that will be discussed in conjunction with our curriculum.  

Budget Narrative

The microscopes (seen in picture submitted) that we currently have to work with likely date back to the 1970s when the school was opened. Our students deserve better! These two stereomicroscopes or dissecting microscope‘s will be used in conjunction with the one digital compound microscope that we already have here in the department (that is used to look at much smaller objects). Having two additional microscopes with these capabilities and large tablet displays is essential with large class sizes up to 30 students in each class. These models also have the capability to plug into an HDMI port on a larger screen that the entire class could view at once also. If the award of both microscopes is not possible one would be greatly appreciated! 

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