Inquiry-Based Laboratory Activity to Investigate Physical Growth Requirements of Microorganisms

Abstract

Standard "cookbook" laboratory activities that are used to teach students the optimal physical growth conditions of microorganisms should be modified so that they more effectively foster student's higher order cognitive skills and attract student interest. This paper describes a laboratory activity that engages students in an inquiry-based approach to studying the physical growth requirements of microorganisms. In this activity, students design and implement an experiment to obtain pure cultures of specific microorganisms, with distinct growth properties, that are provided to them in a mixed culture.