Bugscope

Winchester Thurston
Session 2020-003

Application

School

Name Winchester Thurston
Web site https://www.winchesterthurston.org/
Location
Community Urban
Type Private

Class

Subjects science
Grades 6th Grade
Students 43

Project

Title A Closer Look at Pollinators
Description In our sixth Grade science unit Pollination Ecology, students study plants and the process of pollination and examine the role of insects as pollinators in the ecosystem. This study includes the physical characteristics of insects, the various types of metamorphosis, the roles insects play as pollinators in an ecosystem and the adaptations that facilitate these roles. During several lab activities, students examine insect specimens such as bees and butterflies with dissecting microscopes. Bugscope would provide an excellent opportunity to see many of the structures we study (wings, mouth parts, etc.) in amazing detail as well as give student an opportunity to ask questions. We also made slides of pollen from different flowers and looked at those under compound light microscopes. I hope that we might be able to see some of the pollen on the pollinators under the electron microscope as well. In addition, we do a chemistry unit where study the atom (current unit); participating in the Bugscope project would tie in well with this unit as we discuss how an electron microscope works and compare it to the other kinds of microscope we used earlier in the year. Finally, I will be teaching an elective about microscopy and this would be a great way to show students a different type of microscope that we don’t have access to in the classroom.

Miscellaneous

Where did you hear
about Bugscope?		 Originally from an article in NSTA's Science & Children. Have participated in sessions before, and keep returning because it is such a valuable experience for the kids. Thank you!

Transcript