TEACHING STRATEGIES, IDEAS, & RESOURCES FOR MICROBIOLOGY

A hallmark of what I consider engaging teaching to be is the use of diverse teaching strategies. Committing to incorporating a variety of teaching strategies keeps me developing as a teacher and ensures that my students will not get bored with my teaching. In the resources included on this website, I tried to highlight some of my favourite methods for introducing new ideas, consolidating big lessons, and challenging students to apply what they are learning to the world outside the classroom.

Did You Wash Your Hands?/Clean, Clean Kitchen? Labs

Mentimeter: This teaching and presentation resource allows students to text in answers to a question, creating a word cloud anonymously. Teachers can ask questions for diagnostically assessing their students prior knowledge or takeaways for a day, and this promotes the productive use of technology in class. Mentimeter is a way for a class to brainstorm collaboratively. In this lesson, Mentimeter is used to check in with what students think is covered in germs.
Video: Videos provide engaging visual and oral opportunities for students to learn. Ensuring that we include a wide variety of media and modes of learning in our teaching caters to the diverse learners in our classroom. In this lesson, students reflect on what they thought were the dirtiest things they touched in a day and are also shown proper techniques for swabbing a petri dish.
Labs: Labs are a great way for students to do what they are learning about in class. Since the labs in this lesson provide such visually and unappealing results, they are a great way to get students interested in what they are learning, especially if done before any theory.

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“Microbial Pie” Case Study

Case Study: Case studies present students with a complex, real-life issue related to a specific topic. In the process of exploring and trying to solve the case, students are exposed to content relevant to the subject area in an engaging and meaningful way. Case studies provide an opportunity for students to apply their learning to real-life situations and extends the classroom beyond the walls of the school. Case studies are a great way for students to develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Group Discussion: This approach allows students to share their ideas and to build off of one another’s. During the case study, students are asked to work with eachother. Before sharing with the class, there are opportunities for low-stakes sharing, allowing for a more vibrant class discussion.
Video: Videos provide engaging visual and oral opportunities for students to learn. Ensuring that we include a wide variety of media and modes of learning in our teaching caters to the diverse learners in our classroom. In this lesson, students use a Youtube video to learn the Kirby Bauer Disk Diffusion Method.
Labs: Labs are a great way for students to do what they are learning about in class. Since the labs in this lesson provide such visually and unappealing results, they are a great way to get students interested in what they are learning, especially if done before any theory. In this lesson, the lab results are applied to the case study.

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Ba-Ba-Bacteria

Podcasts: Like videos, podcasts provide an engaging way for students to learn. Podcasts are like listening to a really exciting story. With sound effects and interviews, podcasts are a great alternative to reading about information or watching a documentary. Usually between 30 minutes to an hour, podcasts fit perfectly into the space of a class period, unlike long documentary films. The natural rhythm of a podcast, like a story, lends itself well to intermittent discussion and/or analysis throughout and will leave students thinking about it long after it stopped.
Expert speakers: In the podcasts students listen to in this lesson there are several interviewees who are experts in their field. Linking learning to the world beyond the classroom helps to create interest and bringing in those who are passionate about their careers helps to provide role models that are important in helping students think ahead to their career plans and aspirations.
KWL Chart: This chart has columns for students to fill in what they Know, what they Want to know, and finally, what they have Learned for a lesson or unit. Its use helps to consolidate learning and to provide an opportunity for reflection. In this lesson a KWL chart is a valuable tool since students will undoubtedly learn something new, and the nature of the podcasts are intended to encourage many more wonderings.
Mind Map: Mind maps are effective learning tools in that students are in control of structuring information. Their mind map is a direct reflection of how their brain functions using associations, connections, and triggers. When learning a new concept that relates to something they already know, a mind map is a tool that students can use to connect new information to what they already know.

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"Harvest of Fear"

Online Learning Interactive: In this lesson, students use the Harvest of Fear interactive, published by PBS NOVA to learn about genetically modified food. Online learning interactive provide students with a learning experience that feels customized for them. Students are in control of the pace and order of events. Students can go back to something they need to look at again, or can skip over information they already know. Putting the students in control of the pace and sequence of their learning gives them the opportunity to build the skills to become self-directed learners.

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Other resources

There are endless resources when it comes to extending learning about microbiology. Since microbiology is an evolving field, there are always new resources being created. So many interesting topics exist, and resources have been created by a variety of individuals and organizations. The hardest part about teaching students about microbiology is finding time for all of these amazing learning opportunities!

Relating Microbiology to Current Events:

Bringing Home More than a Medal: An Olympian’s Battle Following Zika Virus Infection: This interrupted case study was inspired by the Zika virus outbreak that occurred around the time of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Hunting the Ebola Reservoir Host: This interrupted case study is based around a fictional story inspired by the compilation of several Ebola outbreaks in Africa. It is intended as an introduction to infectious disease.

Documentary: Spillover- Zika, Ebola & Beyond: This documentary examines three spillover viruses and includes links to other web-based resources including interactives, videos, interviews and articles. An educator’s guide for the film is also available.

STSE Links

Osmosis Jones: An animated movie about a white blood cell and cold pills mission to destroy a deadly virus. Rated PG, this movie showcases microbiology in a fun way!

Contagion: This dramatic live action PG-13 movie is about a fictional virus that starts an epidemic.

Resources for Understanding Basic Concepts

West Nile Virus- Vectors and Hosts Game: An activity designed to illustrate the complexity of viral infections that involve different vectors and hosts. Game cards and teacher materials are included.

Virus Explorer: An interactive tool for students to investigate the 3D structure, biology, and prevalence of 9 well-known viruses.