Digital Camera / Video / Microscope

Digital still photography and video have an important role in Science lessons. Referring to images and videos taken throughout an investigation can be a useful teaching tool within the plenary.

Digital Cameras
Digital cameras are an invaluable resource that can be used to record pupils’ observations during investigations.

Ideas for using a camera

• Images used in pupils' presentations
• Different stages of an investigation
• Take a picture of the shadow of the sunstick every hour – how has it changed?
• Record of how fruit decays each day
• Record plants around the school
• Record growth of seedlings
• Images of habitats at different times throughout the year.
• Order pictures of filtration
• Images of different materials found around the classroom / school.
• Images of light sources

Recording the shadow of the sunstick.

Computer Microscopes
The Intel QX5 microscope (first allocated to schools in the QX3 version as part of Science Year 2002) features time-lapse photography, enabling pupils to record processes such as the germination of cress seeds.

Video Cameras
The Digital Movie Creator allows you to create your own movies and take hundreds of digital images! It is ideal for recording experiments in real time, contributing to pupils’ recording of their work.

Ideas for using a Video Camera

• Record of observations made during an investigation
• Record of phase of the moon each evening.
• Record the movements eg opening a bottle.