Foldscope Exploration with Making Slides and Projecting Images
Feb 19, 2026 • 4:04 PM UTC
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Lisa Burr
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The fifth graders had an absolute blast with the foldscopes. Our school has six regular microscopes that we usually use when students are learning about unicellular and multicellular organisms. Students were very excited that they each got to use their own microscope instead of waiting for their group to be finished. Many students expressed interest in owning their own foldscope and asked where they could get them.
We started our exploration with the foldscope minis. Students were able to focus their plant and animal slides. After looking at their own slides, they were given time to trade. The excitement as they walked around trading foldscopes and showing each other the slides was palpable.
After exploring various slides, students were instructed on how to create their own slides using one of their hairs. Students were excited to show each other their hair and kept calling me over to see what they looked like. We kept them and let other classes look at them as well.
Once students had an opportunity to share their hairs, we moved to the foldscope 2.0. Student enjoyed the ability to move around on the slide to look at different areas of the sample compared to a traditional microscope.
The grand finale of our exploration was using flashlights to project the slides' images onto their desk. Students traced the projected image of their sample onto a piece of paper to show their classroom teacher.
Overall we really enjoyed our experience with the foldscopes. Students appreciate some of the things foldscopes are able to do that a traditional microscope just can't, and the level of engagement is so much higher when every student has their own microscope in their hand.
We started our exploration with the foldscope minis. Students were able to focus their plant and animal slides. After looking at their own slides, they were given time to trade. The excitement as they walked around trading foldscopes and showing each other the slides was palpable.
After exploring various slides, students were instructed on how to create their own slides using one of their hairs. Students were excited to show each other their hair and kept calling me over to see what they looked like. We kept them and let other classes look at them as well.
Once students had an opportunity to share their hairs, we moved to the foldscope 2.0. Student enjoyed the ability to move around on the slide to look at different areas of the sample compared to a traditional microscope.
The grand finale of our exploration was using flashlights to project the slides' images onto their desk. Students traced the projected image of their sample onto a piece of paper to show their classroom teacher.
Overall we really enjoyed our experience with the foldscopes. Students appreciate some of the things foldscopes are able to do that a traditional microscope just can't, and the level of engagement is so much higher when every student has their own microscope in their hand.
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