LIVE INTERACTIVE YOUR DESKTOP January 11, 2012 High-Power Microscopes: The Virtual Lab Presented by: Kristy Hill

Simulated Scientific Instrumentation

 Overview of the Virtual Lab tool  NASA connection  How to use the Virtual Lab  Select Specimens  Lessons

Do you use microscopes in your classroom? √ Yes X No

 Physical microscopes in the classroom are great because ______________.

 My worst struggle with using microscopes in the classroom is _______________.

 The Virtual Lab is a NASA-funded project created at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology.  Provides access to a variety of sophisticated scientific instruments  90 specimen samples are available  Content area: Earth and Space Science, Life Science, & Physical Science

 Free Downloadable  High School  Students can operate a virtual device to examine real specimens  Students control magnification, position, focal length, filters and other parameters.

 Too large and too costly for classrooms  Atomic Force Microscope  Fluorescence Light Microscope  Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)  Energy Dispersive Spectrometer for the SEM

Atomic Force Microscope Physically taps the surface of a silicon wafer with a microscopic probe to determine its height at every point

Fluorescence Light Microscope Uses special filters to illuminate specimen with a specific wavelength of light

Scanning Electron Microscope High resolution 3-D images created from the interaction between electrons and electromagnets

Energy Dispersive Spectrometer 13 Uses x-ray spectral data for elemental analysis

14

 How the instrument works  How it is used at NASA  How the specimens are prepared  Instruction videos on how to use the software  Career videos

Let’s pause for questions from the audience.

 Accelerometer  Beetle  Euglena  Firefly  Gecko Toe  Hookworm  Human Aorta  Human Blood Cells  Kidney Stone  Lichen  Lunar Dust  Martian Dust  Meteorite  Moss Leaves  NASA Heat Tile  Penicillium  Pentium Chip  Starfish  Tick  Voltage Regulator

18

 I will go to my desktop to show Virtual Lab to you.

 Website focused on the integration of NASA’s Virtual Lab in science classrooms  Offers  Virtual Lab download  Animations & Videos  Specimens to download  Lesson plans  Quizzes & Rubrics  Educational Games

 Install, Learn, Teach, and Share the Virtual Microscope with others  Download from website  CD of Virtual Lab available from Theresa Martinez 

Let’s pause for questions from the audience.

Extension Ideas

Beckman Institute has an outreach program called BUGSCOPE. You provide the bug, schedule the time, and students control the scanning electron microscope remotely.

Bugscope: What is it? Problem as it relates to NASA: How to scale and sustain a remote scientific instrumentation project? Solution: Build a software system that automates repetitive processes; develop a repeatable framework for delivering remote sessions; and gather a large, diverse, and extremely talented team that values the benefits of educational outreach for everyone. Bugscope session at Crown Academy in Chicago, IL. Credit: Chicago Tribune Instrument resources: 2-4 hours/week No cost to classrooms for participation Frequency: every week An educational outreach program that provides real-time, web-based access to ITG's Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM), so that children around the world can look at 'bugs.'

A teacher or teacher educator submits an online application, which includes a project proposal, for her or his classroom. Classroom is selected for participation and a time is scheduled for remote use of the instrument. Classroom mails in insect specimens. Schedule a testing session with the classroom teacher. Bugscope team prepares specimens, inserts these into the microscope, and interacts with the students throughout the session. Images acquired by the classroom are automatically stored in an online, publicly- accessible database. Bugscope: How it Works? Bugscope team members from University High School, IL “Bug Farm”

Let’s pause for questions from the audience.

Sign in or sign up Video Tutorials explorerschools.nasa.gov

Video Tutorials Lesson Library

Browse all lessons Search Finding the Guide

Guide Live Seminars Video Collection High- Powered Microscopes: The Virtual Lab

Search for: NASA Explorer Schools on facebook Follow us on Collaboration Making Teaching Easy

NEON NASA Educators Online Network

38 Thank you for participating today.

Thank you to the sponsor of tonight's Web Seminar: This web seminar contains information about programs, products, and services offered by third parties, as well as links to third-party websites. The presence of a listing or such information does not constitute an endorsement by NSTA of a particular company or organization, or its programs, products, or services.

National Science Teachers Association Dr. Francis Q. Eberle, Executive Director Zipporah Miller, Associate Executive Director Conferences and Programs Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director e-Learning LIVE INTERACTIVE YOUR DESKTOP NSTA Web Seminars Paul Tingler, Director Jeff Layman, Technical Coordinator