Curated OER
Hazards of Defrosted Food
Peas spoilage hot, peas spoilage cold: examine the bacterial growth on newly defrosted peas versus peas that have been defrosted for 24 hours. Using the session one questions in the "Microbes and Food Spoilage" PDF, learners will make...
Nuffield Foundation
Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria in Root Nodules of Leguminous Plants
Fixin' to add a great resource to your plans? Scholars perform an experiment to investigate nitrogen-fixing bacteria from plant roots. Along the way, they learn about the concepts of symbiosis and mutualism.
Nuffield Foundation
Investigating Anti-Microbial Action
Join the fight against bacteria. An open investigation shows pupils different aspects of antimicrobial substances, such as disinfectants, deodorants, or plant oils. They design and conduct their own experiments on the effectiveness of...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
The Effects of Colloidal Silver on Microbial Growth: Investigating Snake Oil Science
Can your classes solve the problem of the smelly sweat sock? Young scientists complete a lab investigation that begins by using electrochemistry to generate colloidal silver. They use their solutions to test the rate of microbial growth...
Southwestern Medical Center
Field Epidemiology: Investigation of an Unknown Disease
More than 90 percent of the people in a building have come down with an illness, and it is your job to investigate. Teachers give scientists the data needed to decide what is important and how they can solve the mystery. The exercise is...
Exploratorium
Salty Pits
Yuck, does my deodorant kill that? To test whether deodorant is anti-bacterial, class members use petri dishes to grow control bacteria and bacteria from sweat, and then compare them to see if deodorant effects the growth.
Curated OER
Smears
In this biology worksheet, young scholars are shown how to prepare a smear and then answer some review questions that address the proper preparation of a sample.
Curated OER
The Identification of Bacteria
Young scholars are given a two week period to put to use the knowledge they have gained while studying bacteria. As a culminating activity, students each receive three unknown bacteria to identify.
Curated OER
Micro-Ecosystems
Students create a sustainable, self-contained ecosystem in a ten-gallon aquarium.
Curated OER
Dirt Life
Students select and collect soil samples from a variety of locations (schoolyard, home, etc.). They do this lab after an interest-generating discussion about "dirt" and microbes. Students make a dilution in sterile water, plate it on a...
Curated OER
Bioinformatics
Students are exposed to the tools and databases currently used by researchers in molecular and evolutionary biology. They gain a better understanding of gene analysis, taxonomy, and evolution.
Curated OER
Invent PCR: You May Win a Nobel Prize
Students gain an appreciation for the simplicity, but also complexity and elegance of PCR. They comprehend all components of the protocol. Students explain exactly how CPR works, and why, after the third cycle, the predominant DNA being...
Curated OER
Operating the spectrophotometer
Working in small groups, students explore the operation of spectrophotometer. Using the spectrophotometer, they investigate Beer's Law with everyday items.