Here's a sampling of basic science pictures captured with a simple low-end digital camera (Canon PowerShot Digital Elph 200). Some were obtained by holding the camera up to the eyepiece of a 40x dissecting microscope or similar instrument.
Table salt crystals (NaCl)
Molecular model of NaCl crystal, made by students from gumdrops and toothpicks. Colored marshmallows or styrofoam spheres can be used instead, and for other molecular modelling as well
Microscopic view of alga/seaweed scraped from Pioneer
Another microscopic view of alga/seaweed scraped from Pioneer
Artemia (brine shrimp, "sea monkey") eggs, can be hatched in class
Early larval stage of artemia
More advanced stage ("nauplius") of artemia, showing larval red eye
Same, seen sideways
Yet later in development...
Adult male
Adult female
Cupful of adult artemia, seen from above, with chlorophyll "poops" from digested phytoplankton
Salad-bar container aquarium for artemia, with mating pair. Sealed shut, and with only Sunlight coming in, the closed ecosystem of alga and artemia can sometimes last for generations. Makes the points that:
  • Sunlight powers ecosystems
  • atoms are reused - regenerated oxygen keeps animals from suffocating
  • recycle salad containers into interesting and useful objects!
A well-populated artemia salad-bar aquarium
An amphipod (relative of shrimp) from a fouling community from Pioneer's hull (as seen under a microscope)