Microbes and You II - Two Day Presentation

Department of Biology

P.O. Box 4010

Atlanta, GA 30302-4010

Tel: 404-413-5421

biobus@gsu.edu

Microbes & You II – Two Day

Grade Level: 7, 9-12
Where Taught: In the Classroom
# Students: 30, plus one observer
Time needed for presentation: 45-60 minutes

Georgia Performance Standards (GPS)
Microbes & You II – Two Day Enrichment Activities

The Microbes & You II – Two Day module is designed to educate students about the diverse world of bacteria in their own environment – internal and external! It covers the helpful and harmful bacteria, their differences and similarities, and their relative importance in our world. We emphasize the importance of microbes within the human body which help keep us healthy. We also introduce the role of microbiologists in the modern workforce.

The module begins with a brief introduction to the origins and characteristics of bacteria, followed by activities and discussions that involve the students directly with common practices performed by microbiologists in their labs daily. The students will review the scientific method, learn about bio-safety, collect samples, streak plates, analyze and identify different types of bacteria, and even explore the cause and effect relationship associated with epidemiology.

This module requires two days for completion – one for the students to streak their plates, and another for them to read the incubated plates and discuss the results. We ask that times be scheduled between 9:00am to 2:00pm on consecutive days, and be coordinated so as not to be broken up by a weekend. If needed there can be one day, at most, in between scheduled visits. The time frame is critical because of the incubation time involved with the micro-organisms used. In addition, there will be no pathogenic bacteria used in this experiment. All bacteria used in the experiments will be collected from the student’s direct environment.

This advanced module will also demonstrate to students how different bacteria are able to survive and thrive on several different nutrients. Students will examine the biochemical aspects of bacterial growth, and how these impact pathogenic vs. non-pathogenic bacteria.

The Bio-Bus Project will supply all the needed material. However, we do ask that the classroom be organized into a maximum of six workstations with four to five students per station. We thank you in advance for your cooperation in planning your schedules around these requirements.

Download a Copy of the Microbes Presentation

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