Microscopic Explorations
A GEMS Festival Guide
Grades 48
Written by Susan Brady and Carolyn
Willard
Salt crystals loom and brine shrimp wriggle. Who knew? Under
a classroom microscope, everyday things and little-known organisms
reveal their inner beauty. In the joyous spirit of discovery,
this introduction to hand lenses and microscopes explores the
up-close worlds of minerals, fabric, fingerprints, postage stamps,
kitchen powders, pond life, and even sand.
Microscopic Explorations features ten learning-station
activities designed to ignite student curiosity in widely diverse
scientific fields. It addresses the care and proper use of classroom
microscopes and demystifies these extraordinary instruments.
The "Discovery Quilt" is one of several options for
students to sum up their discoveries.
The activities in Microscopic Explorations make excellent
connections to other GEMS units (More
Than Magnifiers, Mystery Festival, Fingerprinting,
Color Analyzers, Aquatic
Habitats, Stories in Stone,
and many more). This guide represents an innovative partnership
between GEMS and the Microscopy Society of America, which sponsored
its development.
Praise for Microscopic
Explorations:
"What student does not enjoy exploration and discovery?
Microscopic Explorations: A GEMS Festival Teacherís Guide
has taken full advantage of this natural curiosity and incorporated
it into a teacher-friendly guide to a festival of microscopic
exploration. The book is based on sound scientific principles
and concepts, meets national standards, and presents its contents
in a unique manner that allows for independent and guided inquiryÖFrom
the prep checklists to the extensive resource and assessment
suggestions in the back, GEMS has illustrated expert professionalismÖThe
culminating activity of a "Discovery Quilt" leaves
students confident and eager to take their investigations beyond
the classroom. The book even makes great suggestions for enlisting
and employing the help of volunteers. Gather plenty of microscopes,
tables, and volunteers and let the investigations begin!"
National Science Teachers Association Recommends
More Praise for Microscopic
Explorations:
"Microscopic Explorations introduces fourth- to eighth-grade
students to the basic skills of scientific research, microscopic
concepts, and applications, and is a guidebook to help teachers
and community volunteers put together a science microscopy festival.
I highly recommend Microscopic Explorations as a well-organized
tool to introduce students to microenvironments in a fun, learning
atmosphere."
Science Books & Films
And More Praise for Microscopic
Explorations:
"An explicit and extensive resource for science teachers
that is easy to use.
This book is quality incarnate,
there's no doubt about that."
Appraisal: Science Books for Young People
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