Turning Everyday Materials into Living Microscope Slides

Teachers have reported that students enjoy growing plants but that logistical constraints such as limited space and inadequate lighting make it difficult to incorporate living plants into their classrooms. We present a method that takes familiar materials from the students’ world – trading-card holders – and uses them to make interactive, cost-effective “plant pouches” that can function as living microscope slides. Students grow plants in card holders and are able to observe both the roots and shoots for several weeks, including making observations with a compound or dissecting microscope. The plant pouches require minimal space or resources, and the system is flexible enough to accommodate different types of plants and is amenable to experimentation.