Curated OER
Soil Microbiology- Nitrogen cycle
Students take a virtual trip to a Catfish Aquaculture Pond and analyze soil bacteria to determine how many nitrogen cycle bacteria are present. They graph the number of colonies present and use data to determine ammonium levels in the soil.
Curated OER
Should Soil Be Sterile?
Students determine if the sterilization of topsoil is beneficial to seed germination and plant growth. They grow plants alongside control groups, make and record observations of plant growth and measure plant biomass.
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
Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
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...
American Museum of Natural History
Microbes Coloring Book and Scavenger Hunt
Coloring pages showcase microbes—bacteria, viruses, and protists. Scholars have the option to download a coloring book and scavenger hunt or color the page directly on the computer. Three paragraphs describe each microbe.
Curated OER
What are the Chemical and Microbiological Effects of Run-off from a Catfish Pond on the Surrounding Soil and Water?
Students study data from a USDA catfish pond. They look for microbial populations and chemical concentrations in the runoff to determine the effectiveness of filter strips. They use their knowledge of biogeochemical cycles to explain the...
Curated OER
Selecting Soil Organisms in Compost
Students demonstrate that many of the enzyme systems needed to break down--and therefore clean up-society's wastes already exist in nature among the decomposers. They select the best starch-munching organisms by altering the environment...
Curated OER
Aerobic and Anaerobic Microbe Analysis in a Subarctic Setting
Students investigate the relationships between protozoa, algae and monera in freshwater, shoreline soil, and reindeer rumen. They publish reports of their findings.
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.
Curated OER
Through A Pinhole
Learners construct a pinhole camera using their knowledge of the physics of light. This interdisciplinary activity give students hands-on experience in understanding the production and processing of photographic images.