Close up: Using a Pocket Microscope for Nature Study
Why We Love Them
One of our favorite tools for nature study, our pocket microscope* is requested by our kids regularly, both at home and at nature school. These little microscopes are trusty, hardy, and easy to carry. For use at home or in the field, both children and adults enjoy using them.
While they aren’t as powerful as a large compound microscope, they perform well and allow you to see details way beyond the capability of the naked eye. All in all, they definitely up the interest level when it comes to viewing the intricacies of the natural world.
How to Use the Microscope
Don’t be intimidated by a pocket microscope! With a little practice, you’ll be able to use one with ease and teach your kids how to use it as well. There are just a few steps to follow, and I’ve outlined them below.
- Place your microscope over your object to be viewed. It usually works best when the object is on a flat surface with a light colored background. We often set our objects on paper plates at home.
- Turn on your microscope light.
- Look in the eyepiece at the top of the microscope.
- Make sure your zoom knob is turned to the lowest power, and use the focus ring to put your object in focus as you look through the eyepiece.
- Notice the details of this amazing up-close view!
- Now you can move the zoom to a higher power, and use the focus ring again until you can see the object clearly.
- What details do you notice with the higher power that weren’t visible before?
- If you would like to see a quick, helpful video on using your pocket microscope, you can click HERE to visit our YouTube channel.
Extra, Extra Read All About It
Check out our August WILD Mag issue all about ponds, on sale through the end of the month. It has a feature on Pond Dipping and information about all the tiny organisms you might find in your pond water when you use your microscope!
Enter to Win a Pocket Microscope
We are giving away a brand new pocket microscope to two lucky winners! It’s a
great way to kick off nature studies for your school year. Just go to our Instagram, find our current microscope giveaway post, and follow the directions to enter to win. We are only able to ship to the U.S.
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