ProQuest Standards-Based Learning Activity

GO WASH YOUR HANDS:

Exploring the Kingdom Monera (Bacteria) -- Teacher Procedures
APPROPRIATE FOR: Science, Grades 9-12
TIMELINE: Three class periods
SCIENCE STANDARDS ADDRESSED THROUGH THIS LESSON
NSTA: http://www.educationworld.com/standards/national/science/index.shtml
CONTENT STANDARD A: ABILITIES NECESSARY TO DO SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should:
IDENTIFY QUESTIONS AND CONCEPTS THAT GUIDE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS.
Students should formulate a testable hypothesis and demonstrate the logical connections
between the scientific concepts guiding a hypothesis and the design of an experiment. They
should demonstrate appropriate procedures, a knowledge base, and conceptual understanding of
scientific investigations.
DESIGN AND CONDUCT SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS.
Designing and conducting a scientific investigation requires introduction to the major concepts in
the area being investigated, proper equipment, safety precautions, assistance with
methodological problems, recommendations for use of technologies, clarification of ideas that
guide the inquiry, and scientific knowledge obtained from sources other than the actual
investigation.
USE TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS TO IMPROVE INVESTIGATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS.
A variety of technologies, such as hand tools, measuring instruments, and calculators, should be
an integral component of scientific investigations. The use of computers for the collection,
analysis, and display of data is also a part of this standard. Mathematics plays an essential role in
all aspects of an inquiry. For example, measurement is used for posing questions, formulas are
used for developing explanations, and charts and graphs are used for communicating results.
FORMULATE AND REVISE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATIONS AND MODELS USING LOGIC AND
EVIDENCE.
Student inquiries should culminate in formulating an explanation or model. Models should be
physical, conceptual, and mathematical. In the process of answering the questions, the students
should engage in discussions and arguments that result in the revision of their explanations.
These discussions should be based on scientific knowledge, the use of logic, and evidence from
their investigation.
RECOGNIZE AND ANALYZE ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATIONS AND MODELS.
This aspect of the standard emphasizes the critical abilities of analyzing an argument by
reviewing current scientific understanding, weighing the evidence, and examining the logic so as
to decide which explanations and models are best. In other words, although there may be several
plausible explanations, they do not all have equal weight. Students should be able to use
scientific criteria to find the preferred explanations.
COMMUNICATE AND DEFEND A SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENT.
Students in school science programs should develop the abilities associated with accurate and
effective communication. These include writing and following procedures, expressing concepts,
reviewing information, summarizing data, using language appropriately, developing diagrams and
charts, explaining statistical analysis, speaking clearly and logically, constructing a reasoned
argument, and responding appropriately to critical comments.

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CONTENT STANDARD E: ABILITIES OF TECHNOLOGICAL DESIGN

As a result of activities in grades 9-12, all students should:
IDENTIFY A PROBLEM OR DESIGN AN OPPORTUNITY.
Students should be able to identify new problems or needs and to change and improve current
technological designs.
PROPOSE DESIGNS AND CHOOSE BETWEEN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS.
Students should demonstrate thoughtful planning for a piece of technology or technique. Students
should be introduced to the roles of models and simulations in these processes.
IMPLEMENT A PROPOSED SOLUTION.
A variety of skills can be needed in proposing a solution depending on the type of technology that
is involved.
EVALUATE THE SOLUTION AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.
Students should test any solution against the needs and criteria it was designed to meet. At this
stage, new criteria not originally considered may be reviewed.
COMMUNICATE THE PROBLEM, PROCESS, AND SOLUTION.
Students should present their results to students, teachers, and others in a variety of ways, such
as orally, in writing, and in other forms--including models, diagrams, and demonstrations.

LEARNING EXPECTATION/OBJECTIVES

Students will explore the kingdom Monera with the assistance of ProQuest.
Students will discover the method by which bacteria are transferred with the assistance of ProQuest.

MATERIALS (needed per group**)

1 or 3 petri dish(es) with Luria broth agar per group, depending on whether the optional activity is
undertaken
1 incubator/ heat lamp
Hand soap
Printer and computer with access to eLibrary, eLibrary Science, SIRS, or Platinum

ACTIVITY PROCESS: DIRECTIONS TO THE TEACHER

Description of Activity
Students will learn about bacteria with an introductory experiment that is hands-on, relates to everyday life and
maximizes its impact by disproving some common myths about hand washing. Once the students are drawn in,
ProQuest will be used to springboard into more independent and in-depth studies of bacteria. First, students will
use ProQuest to sample the spectrum of bacteria and find those that are associated with disease. Second,
students will use ProQuest to investigate specific bacterium via articles and easy-to-find photos.

Background Information
What are we trying to accomplish by washing our hands before eating? Many students will suggest that were
trying to get rid of the germs we pick up during our daily routines. What are those germs and does washing our
hands really remove them?
The introductory experiment is pretty straightforward. Have each group of students label one petri dish with their
group members names and todays date. As well, have students draw a line down the middle of the petri dish,
labeling one side before and one side after. Each student should then press his/her thumbprint onto the side of
the groups petri dish labeled before.
Have students then wash their hands using soap (just as they would before eating). Return and have each
student press his/her thumbprint onto the side labeled after. After 24 hours, results should yield large bacteria
colonies. Roughly 70% of the class will have more bacteria after washing hands than before. Even if before
and after are about the same, this result should still be quite surprising to most students.

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The explanation for this unlikely-seeming result is simple. Using soap breaks down the oil that allows bacteria to
attach to your fingers. As you wash your hands you are breaking down the oil, allowing more bacteria to transfer
easily to and from your hands. While a simple wash may remove noticeable dirt, it does not completely remove all
of the bacteria.
No prior information is required for this lesson plan. Ideally, it should be scheduled for an appropriate time in the
calendar year to discuss the kingdom Monera. However, if the scientific method is the primary goal, this
demonstration can be used at any time.

OUTLINE OF PROCEDURES -- DAY ONE

A simple way to begin is to ask students, Why do we wash our hands? Write their responses on the board to
generate a list that uses both scientific and informal terminology. Typical responses include germs, dirt, bacteria,
preventing sickness, disease, etc. After the list is compiled, transition into a short discussion on bacteria,
indicating that these little organisms are the source of the problems theyve just finished brainstorming. Possible
extensions include encouraging the students turn to their neighbors and discuss how they would convey the true
size of bacteria to their parents. After the discussion introduce this simple yet shocking experiment, which they
will soon conduct.
1. In groups of three or four, have students label the back of the petri dish with the group members names
and the date of the experiment. Carefully, using a marker, they should draw a line down the middle of the
petri dish, labeling one side before and one side after.
2. Have students make simple observations on the cleanliness of their own hands. Can they see evidence of
the germs they mentioned in the opening discussion?
3. Being sure not to expose the plate to air for a long period of time, have one student hold the plate upside
down with the agar facing the ground. (Bacteria exist in the air and it is important that the primary source
of bacteria in this experiment is the students hands.) Remove the cover and have each student in the
group place a thumbprint on the side labeled before. Students need only press lightly on the agar plate.
Agar is gelatin and will split if too much pressure is applied. Return the lid to the dish.
4. Have each member of the group wash their hands. Provide no further instruction except to use soap.
Encourage students to perform the type of activities they might normally carry out before dinner but after
theyve washed their hands (for example: drying their hands on their shirt, or picking up a pencil to take
down a phone message). These activities will simulate the real life of our hands between the time we
wash them and the time we use them to eat. It is fine for students to vary in the amount of time and the
use of soap or paper towels.
5. Repeat the hand cleanliness observations. Can they see a difference between what their hands look like
before and after washing?
6. Have students carry out the same thumbprint procedure as in step three except that this time the
thumbprint should be made on the side labeled after. Again, be sure to keep the face of the plate down.
7. Place plates in an incubator at 37 degrees Celsius or under a heat lamp for 24 hours. Bacteria will be
noticeable only after 24 hours. Colonies of bacteria replicate once every 20 minutes to an hour. Large
white or yellow colonies will be seen on the plate after 24 hours.

OUTLINE OF PROCEDURES -- DAY TWO

Begin by having students examine their colony plates. Approximately 70% of the plates will exhibit more growth
on the after side, demonstrating that there were more bacteria transferred with the hands that had just been
washed! Where did these bacteria come from? Have students suggest possible reasons for the event. List them
on the board. Students often suggest that more bacteria came from the water, the soap, the plate itself, or even
paper towels.
Next discuss the following resources on the importance of hand washing to prevent the spread of infectious
diseases. These websites were selected by ProQuest editors:
Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/hq00407

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Center for Disease Control: http://www.cdc.gov/cleanhands/

Finally, students will begin their own research of bacteria using ProQuest in order to complete the activity sheet. If
time is running short, use the last few minutes as an introduction on how to use and search ProQuest and save
the actual research for the next day.
Using ProQuest:
Enter key words to begin you search.
Here are some key terms and topics that students might want to try when searching.
a. Hand washing
b. Bacteria infections
c. Disease Causing Bacteria
d. Beneficial Bacteria
e. E. Coli bacteria

OUTLINE OF PROCEDURES-DAY 3
Students should continue their research using ProQuest. Be sure to remind students to focus on the activity sheet
questions.

ASSESSMENT
Students will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
1. Did students use ProQuest to collect information regarding bacteria?
2. Did students successfully complete the activity sheet?

OPTIONAL FOLLOW-UP EXPERIMENT

Have students develop and test a new experiment based on the list of variables that they initially believed to have
contributed to bacteria growth. (Note that if you intend to offer this activity, youll want to delay offering any
analysis of the first experiment in order to make this activity not just about proving but also about investigating and
exploring.)
a.
Have your students generate two lists: one listing all the factors that may have encouraged
bacteria growth in the first experiment, and a second listing all the factors that may have inhibited
bacteria growth.
b.
Review the process of designing an experiment and why it is important to isolate and test for
one variable at a time. Ask the students to volunteer explanations for the following terms:
i.
Control Group
ii.
Experimental Group
iii.
Independent Variable
iv.
Dependent Variable
c.
In either their original groups or similarly sized groups, students should agree on an
experiment proposal that would test one of the variables they brainstormed (and only one!). Each
experiment may only use two additional agar-filled petri dishes. Possible variables can be
determined by having students retrace their steps, looking back on exactly what they did and what
they touched before applying their thumb to the agar a second time. Visual diagrams are a
welcome part of any proposal.
d.
When a group comes to agreement on an experiment, a nominated spokesperson should
approach the teacher to apply for funding. This process is an opportunity to explain how science
research is also often financed by grants that are awarded through a similar proposal process. It
can be very healthy to ask the spokesperson to return to their group to clarify, improve or even
modify aspects of their proposal. (This often happens to real scientists who attempt to publish in
formal scientific journals!)
e.
Using the last two petri dishes, students will conduct their experiments to test their hypothesis.
Each group member should be able to explain how their experiment only allows one variable to
change at a time and why a control group is necessary or unnecessary for their experiment.

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GO WASH YOUR HANDS!

Exploring the Kingdom Monera Student Version
INTRODUCTION:
Observations in public restrooms have revealed that only about 68 percent of Americans
wash up before leaving. San Diego Natural History Museum, 2003
Does this disturb you?
Many parents -- maybe even yours -- make their kids wash with soap. Perhaps they explain
that hand washing kills germs so that the kids dont get sick. But are these parents right?
Were going to find out!
To be scientific, our hypothesis must guide our experiment and be very clear. Heres the
hypothesis we are going to test: If you wash your hands with soap, then you will remove all
bacteria from your hands.1
BACKGROUND:
Bacteria are single-celled organisms belonging to the kingdom Monera. Bacteria are
responsible for many different diseases and infections (including anthrax, salmonella food
poisoning, tuberculosis and tetanus), but they are also very important for our survival. One
bacterium in particular, E. Coli, is responsible for the release of several vitamins and minerals
in our large intestines. Without them, we would not survive for very long so never wash your
intestines with soapy water!
You will be using Agar plates to promote the growth of bacteria cells. Agar contains all of the
nutrients that bacteria love to consume, including salts, sugars and amino acids. Bacteria also
grow very well in warm conditions, so we will grow bacteria on your plates at a temperature
close to 37 degrees Celsius.
MATERIALS:
Agar Plate and Petri Dish
Pen
Soap
Paper Towels

Did you notice that our hypothesis used the word bacteria instead of germs? As you may know, bacteria are a
kind of germ (along with viruses, fungi and protozoa), but it will make our experiment simpler if we only deal with
bacteria. And we still want to make sure that hand washing kills bacteria germs, so the experiments premise
remains valid and important even with this understanding.
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GO WASH YOUR HANDS!

Exploring the Kingdom Monera
Student Activity Sheet

DATA CHART
Plate

Number Of Colonies
Before

Number Of
Colonies After

Difference In The Number

Of Colonies Between
Before And After

TIPS WHEN USING PROQUEST RESOURCES

Below is a list of possible key words to help you with your research:
Hand washing
Bacteria infections
Disease Causing Bacteria
Beneficial Bacteria
E. Coli bacteria

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GO WASH YOUR HANDS!

Exploring the Kingdom Monera
Student Guide & Activity Sheet
1. Many of our experiment groups had more bacteria after washing their hands. Do you have
any initial ideas of what might have caused this to happen?
You will use ProQuest to help answer the following questions. (See the attached hand-out for
suggestions to help get started in ProQuest.)
2. Determine the following about the transfer of bacteria and disease:
a. List one specific example of a disease caused by a bacteria.
b. What bacterium is responsible for this disease?
c. How is this bacteria passed from one individual to the next?
d. What measures can be used to prevent the transfer of these bacteria?
3. What is an antibiotic?
4. Can an antibiotic be used to fight the disease that you mentioned in above (2a)?
5. Are antibiotics useful in the fight of viral infections?
6. In the space provided, diagram the structure of your bacteria, including its basic cell
components. (If you cannot find your specific bacteria, do a general search using bacteria
structure as the key words.)

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