Microbes Rule!

Classroom Activities

Sickweather Activity (Infectious Diseases)

While reading the Mashable Blog I discovered an app that students can download to their smartphones or iPads called Sickweather (it is located in the iTunes store, or the website version, sickweather.com). Sickweather identifies any areas in the United Sates that have outbreaks of infectious diseases and alerts you any time you enter the area. Once downloaded, this app produces reports and allows for a long term project or group classroom activity about pandemics, epidemics, and the different types of activities. Users can see up to 23 different symptoms and illnesses on a map, which are grouped into four categories: respiratory, gastrointestinal, environment and childhood. When passing through a sick zone, the app user can touch the notification bubble to view the illness report and see how close they are to the area. The data could be used in various ways and with several different teaching strategies. This would be an excellent small group activity (I would use small groups because all students do not carry an Apple brand cellphone). This unit can be integrated into an infectious disease unit using prior knowledge and requiring the students to know the definitions and differences between viral and bacterial infections. Make sure students know which category (viruses, bacteria, or, fungi, or pathogen) that each illness falls into. A long term homework project could be created; perhaps an analysis of data, location, time of year, and creation of a poster project, eBook, or power-point. Students should also comment on the possible fallacies in the app and discuss the applications of future updates and apps in disease outbreak control health benefits. Additional questioning should include validity of data, accuracy of locations, and overall effectiveness of application. The desktop address is sickweather.org.

uBiome Activity (Microbiology, Biotechnology Careers)

This activity integrates uBiome.com with talking points for a group activity and class discussion about an online website. This biotech startup called uBiome uses online crowdsourcing to map the human microbiome which of course is the complex ecosystems of bacteria living intimately with us. The website is very well constructed with many keywords used in this unit. The text on the website states that scientists can analyze your microbiome to check and determine if it is balanced or needs some medical attention. This will be a good opportunity for students to investigate the website and its offerings and determine if the services are worth the almost $90.00 fee. The students should discuss the services offered in groups, give background information from prior knowledge, and how the offerings relate to the digestion and processing of food into energy. The rubric would cover use of the Food and Energy unit vocabulary words, other terms, and validity of the results, and of course, writing abilities. The web address is uBiome.com

Geologic Time Scale and Mass Extinctions Activity (Geology, Evolution, Microbiology)

As I mentioned and cited above, scientists at MIT have discovered evidence for a mass extinction that occurred 252 million years ago. This mass extinction was one of the greatest in the earth's history. This event is commonly called The Great Dying. I realized this would be perfect for creating a lesson about theories of how and why extinctions occur. According to MIT scientists, this mass extinction occurred because of a huge increase in carbon dioxide in the oceans at the time. Evidence suggests that a change in Methanosarcina allowed methane production to increase and sediment samples show an increased amount of nickel deposits. The researchers believe that Methanosarcina acquired this ability to produce extreme levels of methane through gene transfer (sex) with a different microbe. The Methanosarcina needed the right nutrient to proliferate so quickly with the nickel as a nutrient. This activity, in conjunction with the article, can be used in a larger unit on chemistry, oceans, microbes, and genetic variation and evolution. An effective writing prompt or essential question for this unit would be: How can changes in environmental conditions affect the survival of individual organisms and species of life on Earth? Geology also relates to this activity. The address is:

Science Fiction Story about Giant Microbes Activity (Infectious Diseases, Evolution)

I intend writing (literacy from the core curriculum) to be a large part of this CU. Creating a science fiction story or project about giant viruses recently found in the permafrost (from a Mashable online article) would be a creative way for students to learn about potential outbreaks of infectious diseases for which humans have no defense. The outbreaks could arise from global warming scenarios, as well as astronauts bringing back some strange diseases from other planets and asteroids. Students will need to know the differences in viruses, bacteria and infectious diseases from prior lessons. The link below is to a reading from a Mashable blog entry:

Oceans Review Activity: What kinds of microbes are in the Ocean and what's going with them? (Oceans, Global Warming, Ecosystems, Carbon Cycle, Renewable Resources)

Seawater contains viruses, bacteria, and other microscopic organisms. I believe an engaging and relevant activity would be to create a demonstration and observation using tap water to simulate seawater that would allow student groups to discuss and guess the number and types of microbes in a 2 liter bottle of simulated seawater. Students can learn based on readings the relationships between bacteria and viruses and how they create oxygen and control carbon in the atmosphere. A Socratic seminar could be used to recover prior knowledge and discussions in class. Students could create an eBook using information from prior knowledge, previous videos, Power Point presentations, readings, and peer discussions in groups relating to the seawater activity. Listed here is an excellent link to a pertinent Power Point covering the substances in seawater:

Smelling each other's shoes activity… (Microbiology, Infectious Diseases)

You know how sneakers become during those hot summer months when you wear them all the time, sometimes without socks? They get kind of ….stinky. This is especially true if you get them wet in the creek one day and then forget to place in out the sun to dry properly. Wet, dirty sneakers can really smell funny. Does that smell, though, mean that your sneakers have microbes in them and are unsafe to wear?

In this experiment, you'll be checking out your students' sneakers to see if they smell and then using swabs to collect samples of any microbes that are present. You'll need to obtain petri dishes that contain nutrient agar before you begin your experiment. You can get these at a biological supply company, or another science teacher might be able to give you a few. Round up some objects that you want to test, and the nastiest pair of sneakers you can find. Be sure to choose a variety of objects, such as the pencil you use to do your homework, the doorknob of your front door, the inside of your bathroom sink, and so on. Cellphones have been reported to contain more bacteria than the bathroom toilet. Test as many places as you like, as long as you have a petri dish in which to transfer any bacteria you collect.

Bacteria are everywhere, from mountaintops to the bottom of the oceans. Bacteria have even been found in rocks in Antarctica. When you start the activity, make sure to record detailed observations about the objects you're testing, including the following such as; is the shoe clean or dirty? Does the shoe smell bad? Where was the object located?

Using a clean cotton swab, wipe the surface of the object you're testing, and then wipe the swab across the surface of the petri dish. Be sure to label each dish, so you know which object the sample was taken from. Cover the dishes and put them in a warm, dark place where they won't be bothered. Check them twice a day—once in the morning and once at night—for a week, and record your observations about what's happening. After a week, you'll be able to see which items you tested contained the most bacteria. Were they the dirtiest-looking items? The smelliest ones? Make a chart on which to record your findings, then be sure to dispose of the petri dishes according to your local school system rules. Reading is from