Build Your Own Raspberry Pi Microscope
Project Outline
The proposed project will take the form of visits to selected schools (senior & primary) where the students will take part in stimulating practical exercises learning about light, building their own microscopes, mini computer and acquiring images. The practical sessions will be led by members of the SLIM team and full instructions provided for the students to work through in groups. The visits will combine a range of learning outcomes namely, the application of technology & physics in building their own microscope and minicomputer in order to record the images as well learning about the biology of the specimens. Primary school classes will have a simplified version with the microscopes partly constructed and a description of the samples at a level suitable to their stage in the curriculum. Students and staff will have access to the microscope for a short time after the visits in order for the students to take more images of their own specimens. The student’s images will be sent to the project team at the School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham (UoN) for judging and the winners along with a selection of good examples will be showcased at the student’s school.
The aims of the project are to inform the students about how imaging is used at the UoN to conduct research into health and disease, to engage them and inform them that they too could follow a career in science at a range of levels and qualifications, and to raise interest in biology, technology and physics through practical exercises. The exercises will lead to enhanced teamwork and the production of images, assessed by how well they are completed and the quality and range of images produced. Future expansion of the scheme will be to create a school pack for individual teachers to continue the project.
For further information please contact Tim Self.
Add photo - Selston