My First Lab Duo-Scope

Priced to fit most budget, this 2-in-1 microscope with 50 accessory pieces is an excellent beginner microscope for younger students. Two light sources allow for viewing both slides and solid objects, including coins, plants, stamps, insects, jewelry, and more. This scope features capabilities that would normally require the use of 2 instruments--a basic biological scope to look at specimens on a slide (light shines from underneath) and a traditional stereo- or dissecting microscope to view solid objects at lower power (light shines down onto the specimen). The Duo-Scope easily handles either application! Cordless battery power makes it portable for field study. Featuring real glass optics, we like the fact that it maximizes magnification at 400x (10x ocular x 40x objective lens), which is typical for most science classrooms - in contast to some toy scopes that claim to have 1200x power. It isn't cheap, but clearly in the You Get What You Pay For category. Probably most suitable for grade school through early middle school.