High School, Microbiology Projects, Lessons, Activities (Page 2)

What Sugar And Tea Does a Kombucha Biofilm Prefer?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

You may have seen kombucha at the grocery store marketed as a healthy food choice. Did you know this drink is made with a special biofilm that ferments sugar into the tangy, fizzy drink? How does it do that? In this experiment, you'll learn how to make your own kombucha from a biofilm and what tea or sugar substrates you can change! Read more

Zapping Yeast with X-rays

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered how X-rays affect living organisms? You have probably had X-rays taken at the dentist's or doctor's office. These X-rays are considered to be relatively safe, but every X-ray exposes a person to some radiation, specifically electromagnetic radiation. Radiation is energy that travels through space as either waves or high speed particles. Watch this video to learn more about electromagnetic radiation. When the energy in X-rays encounters an object, it can… Read more

Can Garlic Prevent Crown Gall?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Crown gall is a plant disease caused by the soil bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. This project uses tomato plants to investigate whether garlic extract can prevent crown gall infection. Read more

Cinnamon Gum and Mouth Microbes

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Did you know that a scientific study has shown that chewing Big Red Gum reduces mouth microbes? (ScienceDaily contributors, 2004) The cinnamon oil in the gum is a natural defense against mouth bacteria that cause tooth decay and bad breath. Conduct an experiment to compare products with cinnamon essence in gum, candy, toothpaste, and mouthwash to see if they can decrease mouth germs. Do a before and after swab of the mouth with a Q-tip. Which treatments work the best? Can you find another… Read more

Disinfectants

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Disinfectants are products that kill harmful bacteria that inhabit surfaces. Disinfectants can be in household and personal cleaning products. Which products work best? Compare different household cleaning products, like bleach or Lysol, to see which ones kill the most bacteria. Compare different brands of antibacterial hand soap or dish soap to see which brand is the most effective. How do hand sanitizers work? Compare rub-on hand sanitizers to see if they work better than alcohol, or compare… Read more

Do Different Dilutions of Disinfectants Affect the Development of Bacterial Resistance?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

This is a project that illustrates the process of natural selection in action. You'll need access to a laboratory for working with the bacterial cultures used in this project. Read more

Is the Gold in My Jewelry Real?

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

Have you ever wondered if a piece of jewelry is real gold or if it's just some ordinary metal alloy? It turns out that some metals have a unique property; even in small amounts, they can be toxic to some organisms, including algae, molds, fungi, and bacteria, although it often takes many hours to see an effect. Can this phenomena, called the oligodynamic effect be used to tell whether or not the gold or silver in a piece of jewelry is real? Do bacteria react differently to pure, plated, and… Read more

Minimizing Bacteria in the Thawing and Cooking of Meat

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

How does your family thaw and cook meat? Have you ever wondered if it is the safest way? In this practical science project, you can find out and shed light on safe practices in the kitchen by investigating how many viable bacteria are present in samples of meat that have been thawed or cooked using different methods. Read more

Natural Antimicrobial Agents

Science Fair Project Idea

Scientific Method

What do pneumonia, ear infections and strep throat have in common? When they are caused by bacteria (instead of viruses) they are treated by antibiotics. That sounds simple enough, right? You have probably had antibiotics several times in your life. You go to the doctor because you feel lousy, if he or she determines you have a bacterial infection you get a prescription for antibiotics, and within the first day or so you often start feeling much better. Unfortunately, there is a large… Read more

Preventing the Zombie Apocalypse- Making Gene Therapy Safe!

Lesson Plan Grade: 9th-12th

Students become biomedical engineers and create model viruses for use in therapeutic applications, such as gene therapy. In constructing their models, students carefully plan for side effects and modify a virus that can be used to safely to deliver gene therapy. This process involves taking a "wild type" (or unmodified) virus so it can target a specific area of the body.Engineering Connection Genetic engineering is the artificial manipulation, modification, and… Read more

NGSS Performance Expectations:

HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.

High School, Microbiology Projects, Lessons, Activities (24 results)

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