Cells: Under a Microscope

by Penny Norman PhD, Ann Einstein MAT (Editor)

Overview

ScienceWiz® Cells: Under a Microscope uses a breakthrough, clip-on microscope to convert a mobile device into a high-performance microscope. With 200 - 400 X magnification, children of all ages can view a microscope slide with need to squint down a long tube.

                  NO FOCUSING REQUIRED!

The fully illustrated 40 page book explores the microscopic world of cells — the building blocks of all life on Earth. Children learn to prepare their own microscope slides. They view and investigate onion cells, plant leaf cells and their own cheek cells. They watch pond scum and primitive single celled organisms swim in and out of view. They learn about the incredible and nearly indestructible tardigrades. They go water bear hunting.

They learn what makes a cell, a cell, and what makes animal and plant cells different from bacterial cells. They learn what ALL cells have in common and the housekeeping chores they ALL have to accomplish. 

They learn about LUCA, the last common ancestor to all living cells on Earth. When did LUCA exist? What do we know about the likely genetic makeup of LUCA. This is the ultimate family tree of life. LUCA is the universal mother of all living things.  The process of decoding LUCA's genetic make-up is a detective story.

Life is strange. It is not as you might think. Every cell alive today has always been alive for at least four billion years — that is the logical conclusion of every cell coming from another cell!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781958398111
Publisher:	ScienceWiz
Publication date:	01/10/2016
Series:	Sciencewiz Book-Kit
Pages:	44
Sales rank:	575,538
Product dimensions:	8.13(w) x 10.25(h) x 1.44(d)
Age Range:	8 - 14 Years

About the Author

AUTHOR: Penny Norman, Ph.D. earned a doctoral degree in Biophysics from U.C. Berkeley. She became involved with the development of primary grade science materials through volunteer work, which she began as her own children started school. During this process she became deeply concerned about the limited exposure of elementary age students to the physical sciences. 

Her concern has translated into a 20 year effort to test and revamp science materials for the primary grades. Her work with children developed into a product line initially under the auspices of grants from the National Science Foundation and the Franklin Foundation. Her published titles reflect Dr. Norman’s extensive testing and involvement with children and teachers and her love and commitment to both.

EDITOR: Ann Einstein, M.A.T. from George Washington University in Washington D.C., was a teacher in the Berkeley Unified School District. She has been involved with the education of children for most of her adult career as a director of early childhood education programs, as a teacher in gifted and talented programs and most recently as an elementary education teacher. She has been an editor of the ScienceWiz™ Books since 1994 when she edited the ElectroWiz™ Electricity book.  Ann brings a clarity of mind and the capacity to see things through a child’s eyes to the editing process. 

To quote an Einstein of an earlier generation:

“We never cease to stand like curious children before the great Mystery into which we were born.” - Albert Einstein

Editorial Reviews

I own this microscope and use it on my LG Stylo smartphone.. I originally saw it demonstrated at an Oakland scientific group who had a room of donated expensive microscopes. The members of the group were universally very impressed, as their slide images looked the same on the Science Wiz microscope as on the expensive ones. Also, because the Science Wiz microscope is connected to a smart phone camera, the camera does automatic focusing making it easier to use than the expensive microscopes. And, of course, there is sometimes the added capability that you can take a picture. I think this is a remarkable product, especially for the price. — Amazon Reviewer

Bought this at a store for a Christmas gift for my science loving daughter. I didn't expect much for the price, but it actually works great. My daughter thinks the views are better from her Droid Turbo phone than her old ipad, but it still worked well on both. She just received a set of 25 slides from Amazon and has been excitedly viewing them today. It's definitely better than the cheap, worthless one a cyberschool sent us a few years ago. — Mother of three, reviewer

From the Publisher