Page 269 - Microsoft Word - LessonPlan-Overview.doc

Activities and Experiments

Lesson 1: Prokaryotes

Experiment: Finding Bacteria in Yogurt

Although we often think of bacteria as things that cause disease, some
bacteria are very helpful. In fact, if you like to eat yogurt, you are eating

helpful bacteria all the time! See for yourself in these two activities.

1. Place a very small portion of plain yogurt onto the slide, and add
one drop of water. Place the coverslip on top.

2. Under low power, find a section where the yogurt is pretty thin; this
is where you will find the bacteria.

3. Switch to high power (400X for most microscopes) for a better view

of the bacteria.

4. Make a sketch of your view under different magnifications.

Experiment: Grow Your Own Bacteria

Bacteria, both good and bad, are all around. In fact, there are more
bacteria in your mouth than people on Earth! See where you can find

bacteria in the activity below.

1. Prepare your petri dish of agar.

2. Using your cotton ball, swab a certain area of your house. (Think
about what areas might have a lot of bacteria.)

3. Rub the swab over the agar with a few gentle strokes before putting
the lid back on and sealing the petri dish.

4. Allow the dish to sit in a warm area for 2 or 3 days.

5. Check the growth of the bacteria each day by making a drawing and
describing the changes.

© 2011 Supercharged Science www.ScienceLearningSpace.com

671