 | ||||
Microscopic Pond Life
HOME LIFE SCIENCE OBSERVATIONS
Observations, Activities & Guide to Tiny Freshwater Organisms
Kid Science from Science Prof Online
Observing pond life with a microscope is a fun way to introduce children to the world of tiny living things around us, as well as helping kids develop scope skills and a love of science.
Microscopic Freshwater Pond Life: Observations & Activities
SPO VIRTUAL CLASSROOMS
| ||||||
Page last updated
10/2014
More Micro Pond Life
Info & Activities:
Algae
This is the main page for our explorations of microscopic, freshwater life. It will feature a growing photographic guide, pond life coloring page, word search, videos and links to some excellent web resources. Check back frequently, as we will be continually developing the information on this new topic page.
Please contact us if you see any misidentified organisms so that we can fix our mistakes!
Freshwater Pond Life Resources from Kid Science SPO
FRESHWATER POND LIFE PHOTOS
(We are currently building our pond life photo library. Check back soon for more free photos.)
FREE PRINTABLE POND LIFE ACTIVITIES
More Freshwater Pond Life & Kid Science Resources
Viewing specimens through a microscope is fun for children of all ages!
Below is a poem about Antonie van Leeuwenhoek by Maxine Kumin, from the fantastic book of science-related poetry The Tree That Time Built.
The Microscope
Anton Leeuwenhoek was Dutch.
He sold pincushions, cloth, and such.
The waiting townsfolk fumed and fussed
As Anton’s dry goods gathered dust.
He worked, instead of tending store,
At grinding special lenses for
A microscope. Some of the things
He looked at were: mosquitoes’ wings,
the hairs of sheep, the legs of lice,
the skin of people, dogs, and mice;
ox eyes, spiders’ spinning gear,
fishes’ scales, a little smear
of his own blood, and best of all,
the unknown, busy, very small
bugs that swim and bump and hop
inside a simple water drop.
Impossible! Most Dutchmen said.
This Anton’s crazy in the head!
We ought to ship him off to Spain!
He says he’s seen a housefly’s brain!
He says the water that we drink
Is full of bugs! He’s mad, we think!
They called him dumkopf, which means dope.
That’s how we got the microscope.
VIDEOS: POND LIFE & MICROSCOPE TUTORIAL
SPO VIDEO Tutorial on Compound Light Microscope Parts & Operation
SPO VIDEO Planaria Winter Eggs & Baby Flatworms
Go to > Flatworm Dugesia Main Page
SPO VIDEO Planaria Dugesia Flatworms Swimming
SPO VIDEO Planaria Flatworm Regeneration & Movement
Tabellaria diatom algae.
Anabaena blue green algae.
Spriogyra filamentous green algae, order Zygnematales.
Cymbellum diatom algae.
Green algae from freshwater pond in Kalamazoo, MI.
Green algae from freshwater pond in Kalamazoo, MI.
Protozoans
Fresh water amoeba from pond in Kalamazoo, MI.
Same fresh water amoeba.
Cyclidium, a freshwater protozoan ciliate.
They like to rest in the corner of the tank.
Flatworm winter eggs.
SCIENCE VIDEOS
| ||||
SPO HOME SCIENCE PROJECT
BULLFROG METAMORPHOSIS
We've raised bullfrog tadpoles and documented their metamorphosis into adult frogs.
Meet "Lumpy" our baby bullfrog!
Click here to take a look!
| ||||
SPO HOME SCIENCE PROJECT
PLANARIAN FLATWORMS
We are keeping Dugesia! These cute, cross-eyed "immortal worms" have an almost limitless ability to regenerate. Even a small piece of one can grow onto a new worm!
to meet our flatworms!
Multicellular Microscopic Pond Life
Non-biting midge larvae, genus Chironomus.
- Home & School Science for Kids from Science Prof Online: The home experiments of a science teacher and her grade school-age children: tadpole metamorphosis, planaria flatworm experiments, microbiology for kids and links to child-friendly resources for exploring science.
Volvox algae, stained on a fixed slide.
Ceratium, a dinoflagellate @400xTM.
Formanifera 100xTM.
Euglena @400xTM.
Obelia, 40xTM.
Hydra budding 40xTM.
Mixed Microscopic Pond Life, stained on fixed slide @ 100xTM
- Online Pond Life Identification Kit, free from Microscopy UK.
- "Pond Life", a printable microscope exercise and guide from Cal State Monterey Bay.
- Pond Life Identification Sheet from Biology Corner.
- Pond Life Digital Video Library from Nikon.
- Pond Life Digital Video Library from Olympus Microscopy Resources Center.
| ||||
Our Fav New Kid Science App!
Amoeboid
Free, fun and addictive, this slyly educational app teaches kids about microbes. The game takes place in a Petri dish where Phoebe the Amoeba encounters many types of protists who help her earn points.
| ||||
Young children are natural born scientists, full of curiosity! Join the at-home experiments and explorations of a scientist mom & her kids.
The SPO website is best viewed in Microsoft Explorer, Google Chrome or Apple Safari.