Foldscope

We are the makers of Foldscope, the original paper microscope! Working to globally expand access to microscopy & the wonder of science.

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

🔬 Free microscopes + teacher training!

This fall we’re relaunching our Fast & Curious tour — bringing free Foldscopes (paper microscopes), workshops, and lesson plans to educators across the United States.

Each educator will receive free training, a Foldscope to keep, plus extra Foldscopes for their students and communities, FOR FREE 🌎✨

📅 Applications are now open. To apply, visit https://t.co/YCTndJ6ep2 or scan the QR code in the video.

⚡ This program is a partnership between the Prakash Lab (Stanford University) and Foldscope Instruments, with coordination led by Paola Moreno-Roman, and is open only to schools and organizations in the US.

✉️ Any questions? Email us at [email protected]

#foldscope #fastandcurious #stem #education #science #teachers #training #free #microscopy #scienceeducation #educators #professionaldevelopment #microscope #scienceforall #school

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Listen to what these students have to say about their Foldscope microscope experience at Kinston High School!🔬🙌

Thank you to Crystal Payton Demry for letting us stop by her classroom!

Interested in Foldscope? 🔗Tap the link in our bio or go to https://t.co/bx9bHAcRjb

#foldscope #affordablescience

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Career Day at Richmond Drive Elementary School in Rock Hill, SC was a BLAST! 🔬🙌

From Pre-K through 5th grade, every 10 minutes brought a new group of 20+ curious minds ready to explore the microscopic world with a Foldscope.

There were nonstop “WOWs”, smiles, and students completely surprised by their discoveries. 🌱🦠

But the quote of the day came from one young student who looked at plant cells under the Foldscope and said:
“It’s like seeing a galaxy of stars hiding inside the blade of grass.”

That’s what Foldscope is all about! We want to help students realize there’s an entire universe hiding in the everyday. 💫🔍

Thank you to the students and teachers of Richmond Drive Elementary School for an unforgettable day of curiosity, wonder, and science.

✨To learn more about Foldscope, tap the link in our bio!

#FoldscopeMicroscope #CareerDay #STEAM

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

🥳 Congratulations to our April 2026 Foldscoper of the Month, Martha Levey! 🥳

As the Digital Teaching and Learning Specialist for Wilson County Schools in North Carolina, Martha Levey is helping educators and students discover the power of hands-on science through Foldscope. Through her enthusiasm for innovative learning experiences, she has introduced Foldscopes to educators across the district and demonstrated how these paper microscopes can be integrated into classrooms at every grade level.

During a recent training with central office staff, Martha introduced participants to the Foldscope and demonstrated how our paper microscope can inspire creativity, spark curiosity, and enhance STEM learning across a variety of grade levels and subject areas.

Reflecting on the experience, Martha shared, “We were thrilled to show some of our central office staff how to use Foldscopes and how they can be used across all grade-level bands. They enjoyed creating trading cards and sharing them with co-workers.”

Martha also brought Foldscopes to the Wilson County Schools STEMposium event, which welcomed K–12 students from across the district for a day of STEM exploration and discovery. By allowing students to investigate the microscopic world firsthand, she helped create meaningful experiences that encouraged scientific curiosity and engagement. We deeply appreciate her dedication to making STEM accessible and interactive for students in her school district!

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

🥳 Congratulations to our March 2026 Foldscoper of the Month, Mo Pandiarajan! 🥳

📚 Mo works as a teacher at a small primary school in the village of Muthupatti in Tamil Nadu, India. In the early 90s, the Indian government started a literacy movement. Mo joined the movement and founded the Eden Science Club, a group for school-going and drop-out students in Muthupatti that organizes events and lectures to promote scientific exploration for all.

🔬 When Mo was in school, there was only one expensive microscope, and it was a highly protected piece of equipment to be shared by a large group of people. When he did get the chance, even to see samples, they weren't clear, and he didn't even know what they were.

🧫 When Eden Resource Club received its first Foldscope in 2015, they took an ant as their first sample. From the moment Mo took a closer look at the microscopic world, he felt like he had unlocked the secrets beyond the naked eye.

💡When asked what the Foldscope meant to him, Mo replied, “Foldscope is the skin of every micro explorer.”

🌟 Today, Mo continues to share the excitement of the microscopic world by providing Foldscope trainings for over 100,000 people and counting. This includes Mo’s children, who he says “eagerly use their Foldscopes every day!”

📸 Follow his work:
Facebook: @MoPandiarajan
Instagram: @mopandiarajan

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

@aramanujaa @paolamr90 Yes! FundooLabs is one of our distributors 😊

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Our Fast & Curious Tour visited Kinston, NC, where educators had the opportunity to learn about the Foldscope 2.0!

This workshop allowed educators to take Foldscopes with them to share with their communities and students. This workshop distributed a total of 310 Foldscope 2.0s! 🙌

Thank you to everyone who joined us. It was inspiring to hear how Foldscope will be used to engage students in new and exciting ways. We can’t wait to see where curiosity takes your classrooms next. 🌱

📌 APPLY FOR THE TOUR! https://t.co/wOq0QqVA1f
Even if you are not in the DC, MD, or VA area, we HIGHLY encourage you to apply if you are located in the United States!

Tap the link in our bio or get a set of Foldscopes for your classroom here!👇
https://t.co/V8MdD2uWNa

#FastAndCuriousTour #HandsOnLearning #EducatorWorkshop

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

💳 $200 in Foldscope Gift Cards for Your Classroom!

The SACP + SSP Foldscope Grant gives K–12 educators in the U.S. and Canada the chance to bring the microscopic world to life. Use the gift card to get Foldscopes and classroom materials that turn textbook lessons into hands-on, interactive exploration. 🦠🔬

Open to any educator teaching science, even if you’re not officially designated as a science teacher, this grant is about more access, more curiosity, and more students discovering science up close.

Learn more and apply here: https://t.co/wJzd5l3FM0

Discover Foldscope products and resources: https://t.co/JbrJGkMfRU
🌱

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

🎉 Congratulations to our February 2026 Foldscoper of the Month, La Tonya Miles! 🎉

📚 La Tonya Miles is a Student Support Specialist and 21st Century Site Director with over 10 years of experience in Pender County Schools. She has held diverse roles—from assisting in AIG and EC programs to planning and directing STEM camps—and brings energy, curiosity, and a love of learning to everything she does. She is also a wife and proud mother of twin boys and is passionate about creating engaging, hands-on educational experiences for her students.

🔬 Her research journey began in 6th grade when she studied the planets and created a diorama, sparking a lifelong love of science and a path of exploration and learning.

🧫 La Tonya’s relationship with the microscopic world was rekindled through using the Foldscope, which she found exciting, portable, and perfect for hands-on classroom activities.

💡 Introduced to Foldscope through the Fast and Curious Tour, La Tonya uses it to bring science to life for her students. The paper microscope provides a fresh and fun way to explore and experiment as students engage directly with the microscopic world.

🌟 For La Tonya, Foldscope represents learning and exploring on the go, helping her students discover new worlds beyond the classroom while fostering curiosity, wonder, and a love of science.

📸 Follow her work:
Microcosmos: https://t.co/IftFo78sJN
Facebook: https://t.co/CC4T5LDFo9
Facebook: https://t.co/P5zCzjd34T

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

🙌 We’re excited to share that Holly Stuart, our Educational Specialist, will be representing Foldscope at the NCMLE Moving the Middle Forward Conference this Monday and Tuesday (March 23rd & 24th) in Charlotte, NC!🔬

She’ll be connecting with educators and leaders to showcase how Foldscope is making hands-on science more accessible, engaging, and impactful in classrooms all around the globe.

If you’re attending, be sure to stop by to learn how we’re helping magnify curiosity, one microscopic discovery at a time.

✨ More info about the @NCMiddle conference: https://t.co/8LqQYrvG4A
✨ More info about us: https://t.co/bx9bHAcRjb

#MovingTheMiddleForward #NCMLE26

[Dr. Anupma Harshal W @dranuharshal]

When Collaborator/Trainee Dr.AlkaPanda becomes the trainer its a collab that has achieved the message u want to share, reaching a large base stakeholders specially if she works for #SCERT #Raipur n believes that the tool can ignite curiosity in students its a win @TeamFoldscope

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

A whole hidden world—ready to explore in seconds!🔬

Foldscope’s Prepared Slide Box Sets make microscopy effortless, engaging, and instantly accessible—no prep, no waiting. Each kit is thoughtfully curated, bringing science to life the moment they’re placed under a Foldscope.

From plant tissues to microscopic organisms, these slides reveal hidden worlds that spark curiosity and invite closer inspection. Perfect for classrooms, workshops, or at-home discovery, they remove barriers and make hands-on science possible anywhere.

Purchase now on https://t.co/bx9bHAcRjb!

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

FOLDSCOPE 101 ONLINE TRAINING! (March 31st, 2026)🔬✨

Sign up here! 👉 https://t.co/EuVIRpHAs5

Get the most from your Foldscope by learning from our experts! This 90‑minute online session covers the basic skills needed to explore the microcosmos with the first and only paper microscope. In this live training, you will:

✨Learn the parts of a Foldscope and how it works.

✨Examine a prepared slide and practice focusing and panning.

✨Couple your Foldscope with a phone for imaging.

✨Make your own slides from everyday samples.

✨Ask questions during a live Q&A if time permits.

Ideal for educators, outreach leaders, and curious learners ages 8+.

⏰Date & time: Tuesday March 31st 2026 4pm PT / 5pm MT / 6pm CT / 7pm ET

🗓️Registration Deadline: Sunday March 29th 2026 11:59pm ET

Materials Required:
➡️Foldscope (Don't have one yet? Get it at our store!)
➡️Glass or Paper Slides
➡️Clear tape
➡️Scissors
➡️Recommended: Premade slides

Other Training Offerings

💻Consultation - Free 15-minute consultation to determine the best training resources for you

Groups of 5 or more receive a 10% discount, email [email protected] prior to purchase to arrange for discount.

For questions about the workshop or policies, contact [email protected]

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Foldscope is heading to the 2026 Catawba Regional Forum tomorrow!

We’re excited to connect with school counselors, career specialists, principals, WBL coordinators, and administrators and share all about our paper microscopes and our mission to magnify curiosity all over the world. 🌎 See you all very soon!

📍 Student Activity Center at Winthrop University
611 Myrtle Drive, Rock Hill, SC

Can't attend the event, but want to learn more? Read about Foldscope's mission here: https://t.co/MCb5Zuxw7A

#CatawbaRegionalForum #WinthropUniversity #Foldscope

[Holly Stuart @hollyastuart]

I want to send a big thank you right back to Caldwell County Schools! Thank you for inviting me to the CCS Mini Conference! I enjoyed working with your teachers and hearing their ideas for how they are going to use their Foldscopes in the coming weeks!

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

LaTonya Miles, a recent Fast and Curious Tour attendee, brought her Foldscopes into her classroom to do a fun "Foldscope Friday" activity with her students. The sand from the playground was a big hit! 🙌

We absolutely love seeing how teachers are using their Foldscope classroom bundles to magnify curiosity within their students. To read more stories like this, download the Foldscope app or go to https://t.co/kdtIvM7L6X! 🔬

Get your affordable classroom bundle now on https://t.co/bx9bHAcRjb or tap the link in our bio!

#foldscopeclassroombundles #magnifycuriosity

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Microscope Mysteries is now available nationwide on the 4-H online store!

This book is designed for intermediate-level youth interested in learning more about how microscopes work and the design and use of the origami-inspired paper microscope, Foldscope, to explore the tiny worlds around us. Includes microscopic observation and data recording about matter, pollen, soil, and pond life. This project requires a smartphone or tablet and the purchase of a Foldscope.

Created in collaboration with Ohio 4-H and The Ohio State University

Get your copy now! 📖 🔬 🕵️‍♀️
https://t.co/zXi40Q9igO

#microscopemysteries #foldscope #educationaltoolsforkids

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Many children do not have access to a microscope, but their curiosity to see the hidden world around them remains. Our paper microscope, Foldscope, was created to allow children to have the ability to magnify their curiosity in a way that is affordable, accessible, and easy to use.

Although the Foldscope is not just for kids, they are a valuable science tool for any curious person! 🔬

Go to https://t.co/2LQQlBunLW to learn more about us and our mission to put a Foldscope in every child’s pocket!

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Many children do not have access to a microscope, but their curiosity to see the hidden world around them remains. Our paper microscope, Foldscope, was created to allow children to have the ability to magnify their curiosity in a way that is affordable, accessible, and easy to use.

Although the Foldscope is not just for kids, they are a valuable science tool for any curious person! 🔬

Go to https://t.co/2LQQlBunLW to learn more about us and our mission to put a Foldscope in every child’s pocket!

[Dr. Anupma Harshal W @dranuharshal]

Thanks @PrakashLab #foldscope @TeamFoldscope #STEMEducation @LodhaEducationFoundation for this opportunity to share STEM concepts in a fun n exploration mode #HVTFoundation Indebted 2u team @GlobalAshoka @AshokaUniv 4the #LGP Mentoring role #Exploringthemicrocosm @KotakEducation

[Foldscope @TeamFoldscope]

Our Fast & Curious Tour visited the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where educators had the opportunity to learn about the Foldscope 2.0 and Foldscope Mini!

This workshop allowed educators to take Foldscopes with them to share with their communities and students. This workshop distributed a total of 599 Foldscope Minis and 1749 Foldscope 2.0s! 🙌

Thank you to everyone who joined us. It was inspiring to hear how Foldscope will be used to engage students in new and exciting ways. We can’t wait to see where curiosity takes your classrooms next. 🌱

📌 APPLY FOR THE TOUR!
https://t.co/JORjvBIlc2

Tap the link in our bio or get a set of Foldscopes for your classroom here!👇
https://t.co/V8MdD2uWNa

#FastAndCuriousTour #HandsOnLearning #EducatorWorkshop