Activities and Projects with Foldscopes
January 21, 2019 – Project-based foldscope workshop for TSWREIS school students
1. Observe and study the upper and lower epidermis of monocot and dicot leaves.
2. Observe and study onion and garlic peel.
3. Observe and study different fungi growing on different substrates.
4. Observe pond water and identify different organisms (unicellular and multicellular).
August 11, 2018 – Foldscope follow-up workshop for teachers of TSWREIS
1. Observation of Matchstick
2. Observation of Onion [with(out) stain]
3. Observation of Cheek Cell [with(out) stain]
4. Observation of Plant Cell
5. Observation of Flower [Parts]
6. Observation of Pollen Grain
7. Observation of Algae
8. Observation of Transverse Section of Stem
9. Observation of Transverse Section of Root
10. Observation of Transverse Section of Leaf
11. Observation of Curd
12. Observation of Bread Mold
13. Observation of Pond Water
List of project ideas:
1. Observe stomata of different cereal plant leaves, estimate stomatal density and correlate with the water requirement of each crop plant.
2. Observe stomata in leaves immersed in normal water, salt solution, sugar solution, under dark (night) and light (day) conditions. Try to count the number of fully opened, partially opened and closed stomata under the above conditions. Tabulate your observations and try to interpret the regulation of stomatal opening.
3. Observe the upper epidermis and lower epidermis of 2 monocot and 2 dicot plants. Calculate stomatal density for each observation and tabulate the data. Give an interpretation of stomatal distribution in monocots and dicots.
4. Collect 1 plant from each habitat i.e. mesophyte, hydrophyte and xerophyte and observe the stomata of each plant. Give an interpretation for stomatal morphology and distribution in different habitats.
5. Observe the root and shoot transverse sections for 1 monocot and 1 dicot plant. Give an interpretation for difference in vascular bundle arrangement in the two groups.
6. Understand the diverse and ubiquitous world of microbes around us. Observe fungi (slight scraping of spoiled bread/coconut), bacteria (curd), soil, your skin and plant barks. Draw diagrams of all your observations to differentiate between fungi and bacteria. Try to estimate the density of microorganisms present in each sample.
7. Compare the quality of water sources around you by observing a drop of each kind of water. For example, view a drop of stored (for 3-5 days) RO water, Borewell water, Manjeera water, rain-water (collected), and pond water under foldscope. Try to document your observations as, number of organisms observed and their diversity. Give your water quality check report.
8. Observe pond water and identify the different organisms like oligochaete, rotifers, diatoms, etc.
9. Observe pollen grains from different kinds of flowers around you. Record the morphology of the pollen grains and correlate with the dispersal mechanisms involved.
10. Understand sexual reproduction in plants. Dissect out the reproductive structures from Hibiscus rosa sinensis flower (anthers and the female part including the stigma, style and ovary). Observe each part under foldscope and record your observations. Correlate with the process of sexual reproduction in plants.
11. Slide preparation for visualizing muscle cells, nephrons and neurons: describe their morphology.
Debashree Sengupta
K. Ashalatha
Anu Joy
Jayashree Ramadas