Phoatogirl Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 (edited) I'm considering buying a microscope for high school biology, but am wondering if it is a great investment or not. I'm sure I can find photos of most, if not all, of the slides used in Apologia biology on-line. It would be cool to look at things we find...if the boys took time to actually learn about them as opposed just looking and then going on with their business. So, for those of you who have bought a good microscope: Has it been an excellent investment, enriching the education of your teens and even sparking a interest in a career. Or does it sit on the shelf now that the newness has worn off? Edited September 2, 2009 by Phoatogirl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I'm a lurker here from curriculum board but I recall someone asking the very same question on this board just a few months ago. I recall giving my two cents on it. :lol: A search on "microscope" would likely turn it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amsunshine Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 We have the "My First Lab Duo-Scope". I think it's about $65 on Amazon. It's not a high quality professional microscope, but very good nonetheless. My girls (1st and 2nd grade) are enjoying it immensely and I think it will serve them well through middle school. I like that it has a light and is battery operated. This makes it very portable and easy for the girls to handle. That said, I also purchased a micro-slide viewer and some microslides for viewing things at, i.e., 9000X power that would be impossible for them to see using our microscope. I think you could get away with having just a microslide viewer if you wanted to save money, but still get some excellent views of cells, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoatogirl Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 I found it. The discussion didn't last long before the questioner decided to buy the microscope. The rest of the thread was about books. I'd sure like to hear other responses! I'm a lurker here from curriculum board but I recall someone asking the very same question on this board just a few months ago. I recall giving my two cents on it. :lol: A search on "microscope" would likely turn it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Mine is collecting dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_Uhura Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I think it just depends on your family. We're a big science family so we use ours quite a bit. In fact we have two them - a dissecting scope and a compound microscope. We've been doing a pond study for months and have enjoyed keeping pond water and watch the flora and fauna change. We will soon start making our own slides from plants, roots, stems, etc. If you just want a quick course to become familiar w/ a microscope, I'd probably try to find a course. I've also seen where you can rent microscopes for very little money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I don't think it's essential. But I'm glad I can offer my kids this experience. I bought Sonlight's back when I first brought my dd home to high school & have used it on occasion every year since. We don't use it more than a couple of times per year, though. It gets the most use when the kids are "drawn in" to something, such as the kit we had for growing fungus from between toes & other places :) Julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1bassoon Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I'll second the "glad I bought it" argument from Julie. I, too, bought Sonlight's good compound microscope waaaaay back in the dark ages when I (briefly) served as a curriculum consultant for them - I used my "employee discount" to purchase it. My eldest dd has used it for 2 biology courses now - both apologia ones. I decided to do a microscope unit with my middle dds, and they about LEAPT for joy! We brought it out today, and they were so very, very excited. I try to be somewhat of a "science" mom, and I feel pretty strongly about kids actually doing science, not just reading about it. Owning a good quality microscope fits my educational philosophy. For the record, I'm using Kym Wright's microscope Unit Study, and so far I'm really enjoying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 The 8 year old is the one who wants to look at EVERYTHING under it. Including head lice. Including nits from head lice. Including massive clots from a bloody nose, torn bits of fingernail, minute bits of the inside of seeds, you get the idea. For us, it has been a very worthwhile investment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoatogirl Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 I'm thinking the microscope is not necessary for the Apologia courses. It's a lot of money to spend just to look at prepared slides. But still am undecided on the idea of having the microscope for the teens to use as a tool in order to microscope work in general. Any other parents of teens and/or young adults care to share their experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 My dh loves the microscope and so do the kids. He loves it so much, he decided to spend another almost 500 for a second different kind. NOw we have a great monocular miscrosope that lets us look very closely at things like bacteria and a different type that is a binocular kind that lets us focus on larger objects better. He has it out about half of all weekends so we use ours a lot. Now I don't use them much since I have vision problems that prevent me from seeing well but I think with this new kind he got, he can take photographs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoatogirl Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Thanks to those of you who responded. I really thought there would be more responses. I wonder if that means most parents of teens do not own microscopes. Or maybe everyone is too busy using them to read the boards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moni Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 It's not a great investment. It's nice to have, but we don't expect it to appreciate in value for reselling at profit. We own a few though. Value is in the eye of the beholder though.... ;) :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in WA Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Mine is collecting dust.Have you considered selling it? You could recoup some of your investment and be a blessing to someone else who can't afford a new one. Ours is gathering dust right now, too. But I'm looking forward to dusting it off for the grandkids (if I ever have any). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in WA Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 (edited) Thanks to those of you who responded. I really thought there would be more responses. I wonder if that means most parents of teens do not own microscopes. Or maybe everyone is too busy using them to read the boards! Well, part of the cause for the lack of responses may have been your post's title: Even those of us who own microscopes and are glad we invested in them probably wouldn't say they were a "great investment". I'm in that category, by the way. Also, the question you ask at the end of your post doesn't leave much room for the kind of answer most of us would like to give: Has it been an excellent investment, enriching the education of your teens and even sparking a interest in a career. Or does it sit on the shelf now that the newness has worn off? Again, for us, it's really neither. It was just a good investment that I'm glad we made. We didn't stop using it once the new wore off -- we used it throughout our life science studies. I put it on the shelf when my sons graduated from our homeschool. I think that's pretty much what most of us would say. If you want to buy a scope only if most of us report that it was an "excellent investment" that sparked in our teens an interest in a career, then you probably aready have your answer. Don't buy one. Edited September 4, 2009 by Janet in WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tressa Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 I struggled with this same question. I just didn't want to spend the money on the microscope when it seems that they won't be doing too much with it. However, I spent the money yesterday. My DH isn't quite on board because he has a feeling it will be collecting dust. I still decided that it was necessary because I didn't want my child going to college never having worked with a microscope. Even if he decides not to major in the sciences it is highly likely he will still need a lab course, and I thought it would be very unfair for him to have his first experience with a microscope at that time. Even if he is just learning to focus and make slides this year I think it will be beneficial. So, I am not sure if I am writing this post for you or for me, but there you have it. :) I know that it is a big chunk of money to spend, but I don't spend a lot of money usually and this is high school. I guess it is time for me to get in the game so to speak. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moni Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 it seems that they won't be doing too much with it. .....My DH isn't quite on board because he has a feeling it will be collecting dust Well, I think the kids are supposed to "not be doing too much" with and and that it is supposed to "collect dust." ;) I mean, how many minutes of every day, of each year, for how many years is a student 'supposed' to be actively using it anyway?:confused: It's supposed to remain on the shelf a large part of the time. :lol: :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in MN Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 The 8 year old is the one who wants to look at EVERYTHING under it. Including head lice. Including nits from head lice. Including massive clots from a bloody nose, torn bits of fingernail, minute bits of the inside of seeds, you get the idea. For us, it has been a very worthwhile investment. Eeeewwwww :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoatogirl Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 I find that comment rather sad. For some reason I believed that homeschooled kids had the advantage of diving deeper into those subject for which they have an interest. If a tool helps a kid develop an interest, then I consider it an excellent investment. I imagined that some careers begin with a spark. My piano was an excellent investment, even though no one plays it regularly. We use it as a tool to further voice and violin studies. The kids i-Pods were excellent investments. They listen to a much wider variety of music then other kids their ages. The computer is an excellent investment. We use it daily. I couldn't teach without it. Certain parts of our curriculum have been excellent investments. The Playmobil castle set was an excellent investment. It has been used in multiple ways. Why can't a microscope be an excellent investment? I, personally, could see myself peeping at microscopic life frequently. But I don't know if the kids would, and they are the people for whom it would be purchased. If it ended up sitting on a shelf, the $200 would be better going into the airconditioning fund! . If you want to buy a scope only if most of us report that it was an "excellent investment" that sparked in our teens an interest in a career, then you probably aready have your answer. Don't buy one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoatogirl Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 I was wondering if a microscope would get used frequently outside of an organized class. Do most kids use it just because they have it, and found something they might want to look at under it? Well, I think the kids are supposed to "not be doing too much" with and and that it is supposed to "collect dust.";) I mean, how many minutes of every day, of each year, for how many years is a student 'supposed' to be actively using it anyway?:confused: It's supposed to remain on the shelf a large part of the time. :lol: :seeya: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet in WA Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 (edited) I didn't say a microscope can't be an excellent investment. I said that for most of us, it didn't fit your definition of that (sparking a lifelong interest and/or career). I don't know why that makes you sad. Our sons did dive deeply into interests sparked during our homeschooling years. But those interests just didn't involve microscopy. One of our sons became a musician (earning a degree in psychology) and the other a writer (earning a degree in journalism). Edited September 10, 2009 by Janet in WA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoatogirl Posted September 10, 2009 Author Share Posted September 10, 2009 I guess it makes me sad that, thus far, no one has said they were encouraging a budding scientist. Funny, I think I may have one of both: a musician/actor and a scientist....so far that is. I'm hoping the musician/actor will find something to spark his interest in a career that is more stable than fine arts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarthaT Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 I certainly think it can be, my children loved using theirs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RanchGirl Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 I am planning to get a microscope for my boys in the next year -- either as a Christmas/birthday gift or out of the homeschool budget. One of my sons is very into science, the other is into everything, and I think we will get a lot of use out of it. I am currently trying to determine which one will suit our needs best. I asked in a post on the K-8 board and someone mentioned that some have the option to transfer to image to your computer screen. This has real possibilities to me -- in addition to allowing multiple kids to view and discuss the same image, we will have the capability of making screen prints to add pictures to our notebooks and lab reports. So I don't have any BTDT experience yet, but I do think it will be a great investment for our family and I am excited about the possibilities! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ma23peas Posted September 11, 2009 Share Posted September 11, 2009 I would go to a local university (I had loads of microbiology/physiology classes) we changed out microscopes...they were still great they just got funding to upgrade...if you send a message to the local biology dept. you might get a good deal so that it will be a good investment! :) Maybe you can identify swine flu and charge, I plan on doing fecal counts for horse owners...it's educational and fun! :) Tara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kristin in Hawaii Posted September 12, 2009 Share Posted September 12, 2009 Okay, I have a nice compound microscope from Sonlight - great... but collecting dust. The BEST investment I made was a Proscope HR with the 100 x objective -- will run you about $350 but it is great! Durable and plugs right into my little portable netbook for exploring at Boy Scout meetings, the dinner table, new/old wounds, barnacles on scalp and fine print on $5 bills. I splurged and spent over $1000 on the full set but the 100 x objective is the only lens we use day in and day out. I won't drown you with details but I bought it from the manufacturer, Bodelin, and received great service. No regrets here. Link: http://www.bodelin.com/proscopehr/buy_now/ Learn, decide for yourself -- I feel there is a place for both kinds of scopes but if you want to know which gets used all the time, it is definitely the Proscope ymmv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phoatogirl Posted September 16, 2009 Author Share Posted September 16, 2009 Okay, I have a nice compound microscope from Sonlight - great... but collecting dust. The BEST investment I made was a Proscope HR with the 100 x objective -- will run you about $350 but it is great! Durable and plugs right into my little portable netbook for exploring at Boy Scout meetings, the dinner table, new/old wounds, barnacles on scalp and fine print on $5 bills. I splurged and spent over $1000 on the full set but the 100 x objective is the only lens we use day in and day out. I won't drown you with details but I bought it from the manufacturer, Bodelin, and received great service. No regrets here. Link: http://www.bodelin.com/proscopehr/buy_now/ Learn, decide for yourself -- I feel there is a place for both kinds of scopes but if you want to know which gets used all the time, it is definitely the Proscope ymmv The Proscope sounds similar to the Intel scope we own. We haven't used it much...the highest magnification is 100x. Now that my youngest has a new laptop (6th grade...I know, seems extravagent, but its a long story), I'll put the software on it and maybe he'll use the Intel. The Sonlight scope is the one I'm considering. It is about $230. Would you want to sale yours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jodi-FL Posted September 16, 2009 Share Posted September 16, 2009 over our 11+years of homeschooling: the Sonlight Microscope (used 4 years when my oldest was in 8th-11th grade) and the Brock Magiscope. I sold the Sonlight one last year when I thought we were done homeschooling (still made $175 off it, so it held a good bit of its value) but kept the Brock because it's the one we use all. the. time. I do have the additional magnification lenses, but we tend to use the one that came on it the most. It's indestructible, doesn't need to be plugged in, and can be taken on nature walks, etc. I have 7 kids, ages 18-4 now, and we've had it about 8 years and have never had problems with it. We've done most of the Apologia high school studies, and used the Sonlight for the required slides, but the Brock worked just as well (which is why I sold the one and kept the other). Now that we're homeschooling again/forever, I look forward to the slide studies using the Brock. I can't say that any of the kids are budding scientists, but they sure like to put whatever they can under it. hth, jodi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SonshineLearner Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 http://www.tobinslab.com/ If you wanna support a Homeschool Family:-) Carrie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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