Hi all, it has been about a year since we purchased our Mobile Proscope.
So how do we use it? See below for a few examples.
Event: NASA Rover Curiosity Landing:
We held a museum event for the Curiosity landing and I used this tool throughout the day and night as a way to talk about the various tools on Curiosity, one of which is a magnifier known as MAHLI. Visitors used the microscope to look at several rocks and minerals that are similar to the types Curiosity would be exploring. It worked very well at sparking interest and providing a comfortable way to explore and ask questions. We continue to bring out this demonstration from time to time.
Large events can often mean large lines. Sometimes an educator will walk up and down to help answer questions, but also use the Mobile ProScope to help with the tedium and anxiousness of waiting in line. Even if the line goes outside, so does this microscope!
An intern created a scavenger hunt style activity with the Mobile Proscope by taking magnified pictures of the live animals in our Life Science Lab. She laminated the pictures and set them out for visitors to try to match to the real animals. It’s a fun visitor led activity that our member families seem to enjoy working together to solve.
School reserved lab: Dissections:
The Proscope had brought our dissections to another level. Students take pictures of the organs and tissue with the Proscope, and we send it to the teachers after class. A definite wow experience for all involved.