Folding Microscope

From a flat kit of parts, students create a fully functional folding microscope (based on Kenji Yoshino's excellent design called Infinite Scope) using wood, 3D-printed components, a simple convex lens  and an LED light source. They explore the physics of light — how lenses bend and focus it — and test their instrument on real-world specimens such as chicken feathers or collected leaves. Along the way, they connect engineering design with scientific observation. This three-hour session includes guided assembly, magnification measurement, and a TEKS-aligned lesson on optics and measurement. Students take home both their microscope and a quick-reference guide for continued exploration.

 The Austin STEM Center (ASC) is a central hub for hands-on STEM learning in the Austin community. We support FIRST Robotics teams, provide a facility for pre-workforce development, host community-led classes, and is home to Austin School for the Driven. Our classrooms and maker spaces are tools to bring people together to learn, build, and share knowledge. ASC is not a school — it’s a community resource designed to support and amplify STEM education.