Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Active Ingredient Screening Test for Plants

For Teachers 9th - 11th
Students explore the growth of bacteria. They determine if various plant materials contain active ingredients that inhibit the growth of bacteria. In addition, they complete a student data sheet.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students conduct an experiment to demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down society's wastes exist in nature among the decomposers in a compost pile. They culture compost bacteria on starch agar to examine the...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

E.coli and their Human Environment

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers observe how environmental changes (antibiotics) can affect the growth of E.coli, the rod shaped intestinal bacterium. They use the "F" test for statistical analysis. Students
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The City From the Ooze

For Teachers K - 9th
Students investigate the life in the mud found around ponds. They create Ooze City using pond mud. Students investigate the various layers that form and what type of organisms are in the mud.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How Clean are the Laboratory Tables?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students participate in an experiment in which they test the cleanliness of the lab tables. They practice using different materials and analyze their results. They answer comprehension questions to end the activity.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Disease

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners study the differences between viruses and bacteria. They educate others to the harms and benefits of each by making a newspaper ad, pamphlet or informative article.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cavern Life: The Food Web

For Teachers K - 12th
Students explain the importance of elements on a food web. They realize that without light there can be no life. They perform various activities based on grade level.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Palm Use in Biology

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students view bacteria through a microscope. They draw and label the bacteria using microbiology software loaded onto their Palms.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Can Bacteria Arise from Non-living Things?

For Teachers 4th
Fourth graders, in groups, determine whether bacteria arises from non-living things,
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Micro-organisms

For Teachers 5th - 6th
Students examine how micro-organisms are living organisms that are often too small to be seen. They explain that micro-organisms may be beneficial or harmful.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Cleanliness

For Teachers 1st - 5th
Learners identify ways that staying clean contribute to good health. They perform an experiment involving potatoes and washed and unwashed hands, observing the results. They complete a cleanliness chart, checking off each healthful habit...
eBook
Biology Pages

Kimball's Biology Pages: Antibacterial Agents

For Students 9th - 10th
This site lists the different antibiotics, tells how they disrupt the life cycle of the bacteria, and give examples of where in nature the antibiotic is from- i.e., penicillin -> bread mold.
Article
BBC

Bbc News: What Is Anthrax?

For Students 3rd - 8th
Find out about the deadly bacterial disease Anthrax, and understand the symptoms and how it can be treated.
Handout
City University of New York

Cell Biology: An Interactive Journey

For Students 9th - 10th
This interactive website about microscopes and microbes provides students with an introduction to cellular biology.
Handout
City University of New York

Brooklyn College: Direct Microscopic Counts

For Students 9th - 10th
Guidelines for an activity through which you, acting as a research assistant for a wine merchant, work to grow a microbe under different conditions.
Activity
Michigan State University

Michigan State University: Digital Learning Center for Microbial Ecology: Microbe Zoo

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the "many worlds of hidden microbes" in different areas of the Microbe Zoo: DirtLand, Animal Pavilion, Snack Bar, Space Adventure, and WaterWorld. A fun and informative resource that sheds light on the role of microbes in our...
Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Cyanobacteria

For Students 9th - 10th
General information on the cyanobacteria, the blue-green algae and the features that make them different from prokaryotic bacteria. Also included are pages that point to more specific info, like life history and fossil records.
Handout
University of California

Ucmp: Introduction to the Archaea

For Students 9th - 10th
Berkley offers an introduction to archaebacteria--ancient bacteria--including the history of the topic, scientific findings, and where to find archaeans. Includes images and links.
Website
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Career Profile: Microbiologist

For Students 9th - 10th
Microbiologists spend their careers peering through microscopes in their study of microorganisms. They have plenty to look at since these are Earth's most common life-forms. Science Buddies outlines the education requirements as well as...
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Project Ideas: Is the Gold in My Jewelry Real?

For Students 9th - 10th
In this science fair project, determine if the oligodynamic effect of gold on bacteria is strong enough to differentiate between jewelry of different karats. The Science Buddies project ideas are set up consistently beginning with an...
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Germ Invasion

For Students 6th - 8th
Microbes are everywhere in our environment, but for the most part they escape our notice. This project shows you how to safely culture and study common bacteria from your everyday surroundings.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Bacterial Transformation Efficiency

For Students 9th - 10th
Is it possible to take advantage of microorganism's sophisticated makeup, short doubling times and cheap growth media to mass produce medically and commercially useful proteins? This is possible with a few simple genetic manipulations....
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: Yogurt Cultures

For Students 3rd - 5th
Find out in this experiment how good bacteria can turn milk into a treat by investigating the optimal starter cultures for making yogurt from whole milk.
Activity
Science Buddies

Science Buddies: The End Zone: Measuring Antimicrobial Effectiveness

For Students 9th - 10th
Antimicrobial agents are chemicals that are used against bacteria. There are many such agents available. Because there are many different situations where bacterial control is important, no antimicrobial agent is effective in all...