Figure 1 Year 4/5
children (age 8–10)
engrossed in their
observations
Peter
Sainsbury
advocates
the use of
microscopes
in the primary
classroom to
transform the
familiar into
something
quite amazing
It is well
worth
taking a
closer look
Key words:
observation
30
D
oes your school have
the odd microscope
tucked away in a
cupboard or perhaps a couple
knocking about in a classroom
gathering dust? Ours did; they
were in a very sorry state, of
poor quality and very hard to
use with any degree of success.
Recently, however,
we borrowed a Royal
Microscopical Society (RMS)
Microscope Activity Kit (see
Websites) and our attitude
and approach to using
microscopes in the primary
classroom has changed
significantly. The RMS offers
a set of eight microscopes,
complete with resources and
Primary Science 12 8 May/June 2013
Figure 2 Adults
enjoyed using the
microscopes too!
spot-on-ideas, free to primary
schools. They even arrange
delivery and collection of the
box for you!
We were so impressed by
the microscopes themselves,
the impact they had on the
children’s learning and the
possibilities for further use,
that we bought a set of our
taking a closer look
own – eight, just as in the box.
They are not as expensive
as you might think, £30–£40
each, and the RMS are happy
to give advice and even offer
vouchers worth up to £40
towards the cost.
The microscopes created a
‘wow!’ factor from the start
– for children and adults
alike. There is something
special about looking down
and seeing an object in a
completely different way.
Microscopes transform the
familiar into something quite
amazing and allow you to
discover new things about
them – we were delighted and
intrigued. As the children said:
When you put couscous under
the microscope it looks like
popcorn.
The use of digital microscopes
has become widespread in
schools; these great resources
offer much and are an important
part of ICT and science. However,
there is nothing like the ‘real
thing’ – being ‘connected’ via a
traditional microscope to a real
object magnified, not just an
image of one. In much the same
way as telescopes have given us
images and access to space and
parts of the universe, well-known
areas that enthral and inspire
children, microscopes are able to
do the same for the world of the
microscopic.
Looking forward
We have begun to explore the
possibilities that using the
microscopes offer. As well as
scientific learning we have
made many cross-curricular
links; so far we have made
successful links with art
and literacy. In addition, the
children enjoy being trusted
with scientific equipment,
needing only a little
Beach
training to take on the
sand
responsibility of using their
microscopes. We have also
shared the possibilities with
our local primary cluster and
some learning activities were
part
of a recent joint cluster
Part of a leaf
training day.
Microscopes do more than make
The staff and children are
small things big they can make
now looking forward to
your imaginations come true.
using our new microscopes
I thought that it was good because throughout the school,
it turned bread into craters on the developing our practice
even further. We thoroughly
Moon.
Figure 3 A reception-age child recording
the rock she has been studying through the
microscope
recommend either borrowing
the RMS Microscope Activity
Kit to get a taster or buying
some microscopes.
Go on, ‘take a closer look’ –
there’s so much potential!
Peter Sainsbury teaches at
Winterbourne Earls C. of E.
Primary School, Salisbury,
Wiltshire. He received a
Primary Science Teacher of the
Year Award in 2010 and is a
fellow of the AZSTT Primary
Science Teacher College. Email:
peter@winterbourneearls.
wilts.sch.uk
Websites
AZSTT Primary Science Teacher College: www.azteachscience.co.uk/science-teaching/
primary-science-teacher-college.aspx
RMS Microscope Activity Kit: www.rms.org.uk/outreach/activitykit
Primary Science 12 8
May/June 2013
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