Tagging a Microbe
Grades: 7-12
In this activity, students use Lego blocks to learn one method microbiologists use, called Fluorescence In-Situ Hybridization (FISH), to “tag,” identify, and study microbial diversity found deep below the sea floor. Students use the Lego pieces to build genetic strands of different bacteria and the probes that will tag them. This activity can be used with very little student background knowledge if pre-activity explanation is simple and vocabulary is kept to a minimum. It can also be used concurrently or after material on RNA base paring is taught.
Download Teachers Guide (Adobe PDF)
Download Students Guide (Adobe PDF)
