Mighty Microbes

Summary
An introduction to bacterial characteristics and basic microbiological techniques.

Objectives
• Students will identify the key characteristics of bacterial cells.

• Students will recognize the role of Gram-staining as a microbiological tool.

• Students will be introduced to bacterial characteristics such as cell shape, Gram reaction, and growth on media.

Suggested Grades
4th Grade
5th Grade
6th Grade

Excerpt
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms. Micro means small. There is a variety of organisms, but we will focus on bacteria. Bacteria are composed of single, prokaryotic cells. Prokaryotic cells are characterized by their lack of a nucleus. Prokaryotic cells also have a cell wall in addition to a cell membrane. Many prokaryotic cells are motile, which means they can move. This is usually done by way of flagella. Flagella are whip-like structures that may be scattered over the surface of a cell or concentrated at the ends.

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