12/14/2014

BreedingBacteria&GrowingMicroorganismsFunScienceExperimentsforKids

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Enjoyfunscienceexperimentsforkidsthatfeatureawesomehandsonprojectsandactivitiesthathelp
bringtheexcitingworldofsciencetolife.

GrowYourOwnBacteria
Bacteriaareafascinatingtypeofmicroorganismthatplayalargeroleinour
liveswhetherwelikeitornot.Trygrowingyourownsampleofbacteriawhile
monitoringhowitreproducesinashortspaceoftime.Compareyouroriginal
samplewithothersandgetproofthatbacteriatrulyareeverywhere!

Whatyou'llneed:
Petriedishofagar
Cottonbuds
Someoldnewspaper(towrappetriedishwhendisposing)

Instructions:
1. Prepareyourpetriedishofagar.
2. Usingyourcottonbud,swabacertainareaofyourhouse(i.e.collecta
samplebyrubbingthecottonbudonasurfaceofyourchoice).
3. Rubtheswabovertheagarwithafewgentlestrokesbeforeputtingthelid
backonandsealingthepetriedish.
4. Allowthedishtositinawarmareafor2or3days.
5. Checkthegrowthofthebacteriaeachdaybymakinganobservational
drawinganddescribingthechanges.
6. Tryrepeatingtheprocesswithanewpetriedishandswabfromunderyour
fingernailsorbetweenyourtoes.
7. Disposeofthebacteriabywrappingupthepetriedishinoldnewspaperand
placingintherubbish(don'topenthelid).

What'shappening?
Theagarplateandwarmconditionsprovidetheidealplaceforbacteriatogrow.The
microorganismsontheplatewillgrowintoindividualcolonies,eachacloneofthe
original.Thebacteriayouobtainedwiththecottonbudgrowssteadily,becoming
visiblewiththenakedeyeinarelativelyshorttime.Differentsamplesproduce
differentresults,whathappenedwhenyoutookaswabsamplefromyourownbody?
YouwillfindbacteriathroughouttheEarth,itgrowsinsoil,radioactivewaste,water,
onplantsandevenanimalstoo(humansincluded).Thankfullyforus,ourimmune
systemusuallydoesagreatjobofmakingbacteriaharmless.

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