Just over 60 Year 5 pupils were introduced to microscopy at three different workstations. The themes of the workstations included: a brief history of microscopes and an introduction to microscope pioneers; an overview of the inner workings of a microscope; and an ‘observation station’ at which pupils were able to examine a variety of fixed specimens and everyday objects under microscopes. The children were guided through the workstations by knowledgeable, eager and energetic volunteers from the Dunn School of Pathology and the Department of Zoology: Jessica Martyn (Tang lab), Mariya Lobanovska (Tang lab), Dr. Amy Baker (Gull lab), Dr. Inna Zukher (Proudfoot lab), Serena Dai (Holland lab) and Prof. Shona Murphy –with notable support by Dunn School EM Facility Manager Dr. Errin Johnson. All contributed to the success of the event.
Teachers Rebecca Blackwell and Edmund Helliwell said: “…it was a joy watching them [the pupils] all so engaged with science. We really believe this is going to have a really significant impact on them and their thinking in the future”.
The children were engaged and excited by the activities and the different workstations throughout the session. They were applying and continually adding to their knowledge, as they learnt more about microscopes and what they can reveal to us.
The aims of the outreach series are to foster an interest in science and research, to show children the amazing tools scientists have to help them understand our world, and to introduce them to scientists as potential role models.
This series of events was initiated and planned by Dr Lindsay Stimson, Dr Rachel Exley, and Prof. Christoph Tang in conjunction with teachers and staff at Pegasus Primary School. This outreach session was supported by a Microbiology Society Education and Outreach Grant – which helped purchase microscopes used for this session.
This day was the second in a three-part series of events held by members of the Dunn School and Pegasus Primary School. The final event will take place in June and will cover DNA as the code of life.
Written by Lisa Gartenmann