Germs Experiment

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Germs Experiment

Dec 15 2015

Source: starkey23

Summary Information

Keywords:

Germs, personal hygiene, health, experiment, control, potato

Topic:

Earth Science

Workplace Skills:

Raising Questions

Problem Solving

Planning investigation

Use of Data

Discussion

Recording & Reporting

Teamwork

Independent Thinking

Estimated Time Required:

less than 1 hour

Target Grade (Ages):

Grade 5 (Ages 10-11)

Grade 6 (Ages 11-12)

Grade 7 (Ages 12-13)

Grade 8 (Ages 13-14)

Diversity Indicators:

This lesson is most suitable for middle school students as germs and personal hygiene are very important at this point in their lives. They should understand the effects germs can have on the human body, not only for themselves, but for other people including their classmates.

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LESSON

Goals and Prerequisites

Goals:

Students will be able to:

perform a science experiment using four potato slices
learn the role of a "control experiment" in scientific experimentation
learn how germs form
make predictions and record observations
learn the importance of good personal hygiene and washing hands

Prerequisites:

I think most students will have a basic prior academic knowledge of personal hygiene at this point (middle school). In terms of experimentation, this may be relatively new to them so it is important to teach key vocabulary in regards to the experiment, such as control, data, and even the word experiment. This experiment is low level skill so there are no prerequisites that the students need to complete this experiment.

Instructional Objective(s)

Students should be able to see the growth of germs on the potato slices at the completion of this experiment. There will be four potato slices used in which they will be exposed to different germ environments, so they will be able to see the effect those germs have on the potato slices at the end of the lesson. Hopefully this is a great lesson to not only provide them with an experience to experiment, but also realize the importance of washing hands and having good personal hygiene.

Instructional Resources

Background:

The teacher will have some preparation prior to beginning this lesson. Potato's must be purchased and sliced into quarters so you end up with 4 slices of the potato. Each group will receive 1 potato, or 4 slices. The small group will also receive 4 plastic bags to place and seal each potato slice into following the experimentation aspect of the lesson. The student does not require much background information other than basic knowledge of germs and their effects on the human body.

Materials:

Materials needed to complete this lesson:

4 plastic bags per small group
masking tape
markers, pens, pencils
waxed paper
a potato cut into 4 slices of equal size
tooth picks
worksheet

Procedure:

Divide the students into small groups of 3-4 students. Provide each group with 4 plastic bags and markers so they can label each bag with the following:
- Bag 1: Handled by group members
- Bag 2: Rubbed on surface of ___
- Bag 3: Blown on by group members
- Bag 4: Control
Cover each group's area with waxed paper and place their potato slices on the waxed paper. (Note: Do not touch the actual potato part, only the skin covered part). Tell students to not touch the potato at this point.
Ask the students to pass around the potato slice. Each group member should have time to thoroughly inspect the potato. Once every has a chance to look at the potato slice, the last student should place that potato slice into Bag 1.
Have the students rub the second potato slice on a selected surface in the classoom (floor, desktop, sink). Fill in the blank on the bag so they remember the surface the potato was exposed to. Then place that potato slice into Bag 2.
Show students how to use a toothpick to handle the next potato slice. It is very important that this potato slice is not exposed to any surfaces. Each student should take a turn blowing on this potato slice for ten seconds. This potato slice should be placed in Bag 3.
For the last potato slice, have one student from each group pick up the potato slice with a clean toothpick and place it directly into Bag 4. This is the control bag.
Ask the students to record on their worksheet what they have done, and also what they predict will happen to these potato slices. For example, they can predict which potato slices have the most germs, and which have the least.
Have each small group bring their 4 bags with the potato slices and have them place them into a dark closet for a week.
At the end of the week, each group will retrieve their 4 plastic bags and record their results. Which potato had the most germs? Which potato had the least? Why would that be? How close were your predictions? How is control important in a science experiment?
Students will finish this experiment by completing a written statement about what this experiment taught them about germs and the importance of having good personal hygiene

Assessments and Rubrics

Evauluate students on their observations and discussion of the experiment's questions.

External Resources

To provide additional context to this lesson, reading a children's book about germs would be an idea.

RESOURCES

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