Introduction to Prokaryotes: Archaea
Carolina LabSheets™ Overview In this lab, students are introduced to Halobacterium, a representative of the Archaea, one of the three domains of life (along with Bacteria and Eukarya). Halobacterium is an extremophile, requiring a hypersaline environment for its growth. At the saline levels found in the human body, Halobacterium will lyse. This makes it one of the safest microbes for […]
Introduction to Sterile Technique
Carolina LabSheets™ Overview In this lab, students practice transfer of a bacterial culture using sterile technique. The lab is intended as an introductory microbiology activity. Before conducting the lab, ensure that students are familiar with standard lab procedures, including the use of gas burners and personal protective equipment. Download Student Lab Sheet Needed Materials 155155 […]
Cheese Making
An Interdisciplinary Science Exploration Evidence suggests that people have been making cheese for at least several thousand years. In the 1970s, an archeologist named Peter Bogucki excavated a site in Poland and found fragments of pottery left by people who had lived there approximately 7,000 years earlier. The fragments he found, like some pottery found […]
Microbiology Buying Guide
This buying guide is intended to help instructors and lab managers who are new to running a microbiology lab or program. If this is you… read on. Safety Practices What organisms will you be working with? Make sure you know the BSL number for all organisms and follow the appropriate guidelines for working with that […]
Popular Microbiology Labs
Quick Links Basic Microbiology Techniques Biochemical Test of Bacteria Medical Microbiology Food Microbiology Basic Microbiology Techniques Biochemical Test of Bacteria Medical Microbiology Food Microbiology Below is a list of popular microbiology labs and some resources that Carolina has available to help support those labs. Procedures for several of these lab activities are available in our […]
Isolating Bacteria from a Mixture
Carolina Labsheets™ In this lab, students are introduced to a basic technique used in the study of bacteria: isolating a single species of bacterium from a mixture. Environmental surfaces are often sampled and the samples streaked on plates to isolate bacteria. In this activity, students practice the technique by using a mixture of bacteria of […]
Investigating Phenomena: How Do Bacteria Survive Harsh Conditions?
Carolina Phenomenon Phenomena-driven science! Phenomena are observable, naturally occurring events that are everywhere and spark student questions and investigations. Ask students to observe the DCI-linked phenomenon in the video and complete the attached student sheet prior to remote learning discussions. Observations: Carefully watch the bacteria survival video. Gather all the evidence you can from the […]
Bacteriophages in Human Disease
Friends and Foes Bacteriophages are viruses that infect bacteria. They are a major agent of horizontal gene transfer between bacteria–a concept covered in AP® Biology and other biology classes. What students may not be aware of is the role bacteriophages play in human disease. Bacteriophages play a critical role in some human diseases You would […]
12 Safe Practices for the Microbiology Laboratory
These best practices will help you safely contain microorganisms in your lab. Treat all microorganisms as potential pathogens. While the majority of microorganisms are not pathogenic to humans and have never been shown to cause illness, under unusual circumstances a few microorganisms that are not normally pathogenic can act as pathogens. Treat all microorganisms–especially unknown cultures–as […]
Biological Media Guide
Carolina offers microbiological media for laboratory use, including pre-poured media and melt-and-pour bottles. The biological media you choose for your lab can depend on factors such as budget, time constraints, and availability of refrigerator and autoclave space. We offer biological media options that address those factors and help you maintain cultures in a microbiology classroom. […]