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...
Curated OER
Factors Affecting Microbial Growth
Students listen to a lecture on four factors that influence microbial growth and they discuss how to test the optimal growth requirements of a designated bacterium. They design and carry out laboratory investigations to test growth of...
Curated OER
Food Safety Lab
Students use the scientific method to investigate the role of temperature in microbial growth. In this food preservation lesson, students set up an experiment with fruit in room temperature and in a refrigerator. They record the...
Curated OER
Ice Mummies: Frozen in Heaven
Students conduct an experiment to investigate the rate of microbial growth at different temperatures. Students predict what will happen to the food at various temperature and test their hypotheses. Students describe the differences in...
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...
Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Winogradsky Columns: Microbial Ecology in the Classroom
Winogradsky columns are ideal for observing the role of bacteria and other microorganisms in an ecosystem. This student activity guide is complete with data tables for observations and analysis questions for processing what was observed....
Curated OER
Bacterial growth
Students explore the exponential growth and decay of microbial populations in relation to the organism tolerance ranges in their environment, They observe the impact of changing variables which can affect microbial populations.
Curated OER
Predicting the Growth of Microorganisms
Students determine where microorganisms might be found around their school. In this scientific investigation lesson, students collect cultures from various locations and place these in petri dishes. They incubate the cultures to see if...
Curated OER
The Wonders of Bacteria
Students explore the evolution and features of bacteria through a series of activities. In this biology lesson, students collect data and graph bacterial growth. They design a brochure about bacteria's role in society.
Curated OER
Is There Life Before 121?
Students observe microbial growth in the lab. For this biology lesson, students determine the conditions suitable for bacterial growth. They explain the methods of sterilization and bioburden testing.
Curated OER
"Where Do The 'Fungi's' Hang Out?"
Tenth graders engage in a lesson looking for the ideal conditions for microbial growth. The lesson is to be given once they have background knowledge about microbes. Students set up a lab in order to grow cultures over a period of two...
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...
Curated OER
Microbial Spoilers: The Impact of Microorganisms on the Shelf-life of Milk
Learners are inroduced to a commonly used microbial culturing technique. They explore the role of microorganisms in determining the shelf-life of food products.
Curated OER
Bacteria in Drinking Water And Water Purification
Middle schoolers explore how sewer systems can contribute to water pollution and perform an experiment to see how well a water purification technique can protect against water-born microbial illnesses. They compare the bacterial growth...
Curated OER
Food Safety Lab
Students determine the optimal living conditions for yeast and apply these results to microbes in food. In this microbiology lab lesson, students observe the reaction of yeast to elevated temperatures. They relate these results to safe...
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
Some Like It Hot, Some Like It Cold
Students are explained that thermophiles are organisms that have optimal growth temperatures above 50oC. They investigate the temperature ranges for the growth of common bacteria. Students answer the question of do either of these...
Curated OER
Inquiry-based Investigations into Pond Water Microorganisms
Learners become familiar with common microorganisms and experience exploring the microbial world.
Curated OER
Chemistry And The Nitrogen Cycle
Students investigate the factors that compose the nitrogen cycle. The harmful effects of acid rain and ozone depletion are also discussed in the lesson. Students define the nutrient that is often limiting to plant growth through...
Curated OER
Let's Grow Some Microbes!
Students investigate the effect that sterile and non-sterile environments have on growth of microbes. In this biology lesson, students observe the appearance of sample test tubes for 7 days. They explain why some test tubes' appearance...
Teach Engineering
Microbes Know How to Work!
Scholars harness the power of microbes with an engaging activity that uses yeast to break down sugar in water. Multiple setups of the same experiment lets learners determine which temperature results in the fastest rate of sugar...
National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network
Silver and Bandages: Assessment of Inhibition of Bacteria by Silver Colloid-Impregnated Bandages
Silver: more than jewelry, it's also a natural antimicrobial agent. An inquiry-based lesson asks collaborative groups to design and implement an experiment to test this property. Using samples of silver nanoparticles and a strain of...
Curated OER
Nutrient Cycling
AP environmental science or college-level ecology classes will glean a tremendous amount of information on nutrient cycles from this detailed PowerPoint. It covers nutrient requirements, biogeochemcial cycles, decomposition rates, and...
Curated OER
Sour Milk Experiment
Students experiment with milk to understand the importance of pasteurization. In this pasteurization lesson plan, students learn background knowledge about bacteria in milk and the process of pasteurization. They complete an experiment...