Pond Water Micro-Safari
Collect small samples of pond or rainwater, mount them on slides, and examine the microscopic organisms (protists, rotifers, algae) using a basic home microscope.
- Takes
- 1 hr
- Your setup
- 30 min prep
- Ages
- Ages 8–16
- Mess
- No mess
- Cost
- $$
- Where
- Indoors
How to do it
- 1Visit a local pond, stream, or collect stagnant rainwater in a clean jar.
- 2Use a pipette or dropper to carefully place a single drop of water onto a slide.
- 3Cover the specimen with a cover slip, minimizing air bubbles.
- 4Focus the microscope, starting with the lowest magnification, then increasing power.
- 5Draw or photograph the organisms found. Use the identification guide to name the microbes and discuss their role in the local ecosystem.
What they're practising
- Detailed Observation
- Microscopy Skills
- Ecosystem Understanding
- Biological Inquiry