Today the 5th graders got a refresher (for some) of the Western Scientific Method to prepare for designing their own experiments after the break. Then they got to try their hand at an awesome lab that I did in graduate school! The students first learned about leaf stomata, their job, and what they look like. They then painted the back of a leaf with clear nail polish and allowed it to dry. Next, they adhered clear tape to the dried nail polish and carefully peeled it away leaving an imprint of the back of the leaf on the tape. Lastly, they stuck the tape onto a glass slide and trimmed the edges of the tape. 

They then got to view their prepared slide through their foldscopes and see all of the stomata on the back of the leaf! Some students took some awesome photos of their slides! Unfortunately, due to some technical difficulties with our new iPads, we weren't able to get their photos uploaded to their Book Creator Portfolios this week. However, the problem has been sorted out, so they will definitely be able to add photos of the experiments they design next time they are in class!