Oakdale Library Microscopy Workshop
Saturday 23rd November 2024
After the very successful microscopy science day at the Central Library in Poole Dorset when Debbie Burfitt, Grenham Ireland and Jacqueline Bainbridge linked with the Bournemouth Natural Science Society, Debbie and Pam Hamer were invited to repeat their morning family science display at the local Oakdale branch library. Unfortunately, due to Storm Bert on the 23rd November, Pam arrived late at the library. She found Debbie surrounded by seven youngsters trying to encourage them to make leaf peels safely using nail varnish and admire them along with the microstructure of lichens and algae, all with just two microscopes!
The additional microscopes Pam brought along with a variety of samples of fossils and rocks helped divert their enthusiasm. The parents seemed very happy to have something other than books to interest their children on such a wet and windy morning and all the children were very ‘hands-on’ with our display. With a small display like this, the children spend more time using the microscopes themselves to explore a variety of samples, so we felt the morning was a very worthwhile event.
Report and photograph by Pam Hamer