Past projects 6
Helping Students Do Innovative Research on Factors Affecting Spirulina Growth
Funded May 2, 2024Thank you for supporting my students with doing innovative hands-on research. Your donation enabled my AP Biology students to work with a local scientist at MIT, to learn how to build growth chambers to harvest spirulina (a photosynthetic algae), and to take a project from the early stages of brainstorming to the final stages of data analysis and conclusions.
As a science teacher, I often find it hard to develop ways for my students to do interesting hands-on experiments. There are many cookie cutter experiments for students to do. However, giving them the chance to explore experiments that have direct real world relevance is hard. I saw a local scientist on a news program last fall. The scientist was trying to find ways to increase the efficiency of growthing photosynthetic bacteria at home to be used as a food source. This type of bacteria, known as spirulina, can be purchased in dehydrated form at stores like Whole Foods. It contains many helpful nutrients, and has been consumed by some indigenous populations for centuries.
After reaching out to them, the MIT scientist agreed to work with me and my students to investigate factors that could increase spirulina growth and increase production of this super food. However, getting all the supplies was expensive. Your generous donation enabled my students to do this project. They spent the last several weeks doing background research, and then setting up their apparati to investigate the effect of different types of light (natural light and LED light) and varying amounts of light on the growth of spirulina. Each day they used tools to measure the population of the spirulina (spectrometers, secchi disks, microscope cameras, etc.). Seeing them come in every day knowing what to do and acting like professional scientists was very exciting for me. During these last few weeks, they shifted out of being students and shifted into being proactive scientists. These types of experiences are what inspire young people. Whether they become a scientist or whether the inspiration sends them somewhere else, what matters to me is that they are inspired by the excitement of doing an innovative hands-on project with real world applications. Your donation helped make that happen!”
With gratitude,
Mr. Conneely
Research in the Biology Classroom: Spirulina Cultivation Project
Funded Jan 21, 2024I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to thank you for donating to the Spirulina Project, and to give you an update.
Since the project started, I have met with the MIT scientist via Zoom several times to design activities and prepare for their visit to our school. About a month ago, the scientist visited our school. About 10 students stayed after school on a Friday afternoon to meet the scientist, and learn how to build the Spirulina growth chambers. This involved measuring out all the nutrients for the growth media (a solution of salts and other nutrients the Spirulina need to live). They then added the growth media to the Spirulina brought to our school by the MIT scientist. Then we let the Spirulina grow. Students continued to add growth media once a week.
This past week, the MIT scientist returned and worked with the students. In this second meeting, students learned how to harvest the spirulina by straining them through microfiber sheets and letting them dry for 1-2 days. This is the same process used when Spirulina is grown and harvested for consumption. The scientist also brought a high powered microscope and a spectrophotometer machine to teach students more about monitoring the growth of the spirulina.
I am continuing to work with the MIT scientist to design independent projects the students can do to investigate how different factors affect Spirulina growth rates. My AP Biology students will be doing those project for about 4-5 weeks starting in the middle of May.
Your generous donation has helped my students grow and develop by engaging in real life scientific inquiry. They are learning a powerful method for growing a type of food, while also developing skills in a model to measure growth rates.
I am very grateful to you for providing the funds to make this happen.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Conneely
Antibiotics, Bacteria, and Evolution
Funded Aug 14, 2019I am writing to thank you for contributing funds to this project. We just used the resources you funded to implement an exciting experiment in which students tested the effect of different antibiotics on two types of bacteria. Before we did the experiment, students learned about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. They also learned about the difference between gram negative and gram positive bacteria. They learned that gram negative bacteria, due to the fact that they have an extra cell membrane, tend to be more resistant to antibiotics. Students then chose an antibiotic for their experiment. They researched whether the antibiotic was more effective against gram negative or gram positive bacteria.
Students then did the experiment. While students worked on a case study in their groups, I called one group up at a time to do the first part of the experiment. It involved using sterile technique (passing forceps through a flame to kill any bacterial cells), and then carefully placing antibiotic disks equidistant around a petri plate with agar and a type of bacteria. This was a little challenging and also fun for the students. They had first hand experience with the importance of keeping everything sterile in the lab setting. Students rotated the tasks of placing the disks on the plates and eventually placed a total of twelve disks on two different plates (one with E. coli bacteria and one with B. cereus bacteria). Once all groups implement this part of the experiment, the bacteria plates were placed in an incubator so the bacteria would grow quickly overnight.
The second day was even more exciting because students could see the bacterial growth and they could see how the different antibiotics affected the two bacteria in different ways. Some antibiotics were highly effective at reducing bacterial growth while other antibiotics were much less effective. Students had to measure the zone of inhibition around each antibiotic disk, which involved using a ruler to measure (in mm) the diameter of the circle around the disk. For some, the zone of inhibition was zero, which meant the antibiotic was ineffective against the bacteria. For others, it was 10-20 mm, which meant it was very effective against the bacteria. Students rotated to different groups to see how the different antibiotics worked. This was exciting to students because they could see the growth of the bacteria and the effect of the antibiotics. It was real science.
Students are currently writing a lab report on this experiment, including constructing electronic data tables and graphs. They will be reflecting on the mechanism of action of the antibiotic that their group chose, as well as on the importance of antibiotics and the challenges we as a society are faced with increasing antibiotic resistance.
Interestingly, next week students will also be learning about the microbiome in the digestive tract, and how important bacteria are in our overall health. They will also be doing a project where they will find a recent article about the microbiome in human health and making a presentation about it. This is a powerful continuation of the antibiotic experiment. When it is all done, students will have a strong sense of the importance of bacteria and antibiotics, and both the challenges and benefits bacteria pose to us. This also sets a powerful stage with which to discuss the topic of natural selection and how changes in bacterial populations (e.g., antibiotic resistance) are a natural occurrence that we, as a society, must navigate in order to maintain a healthy human population.
Thank you so much for helping to make this happen.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Conneely
This classroom project was brought to life by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and 9 other donors.Chalk Markers to Help Students Learn Science
Funded Dec 25, 2018I am writing to thank you for your kind donation to help me purchase the pain markers for my students. I first learned about paint markers last year when one of my colleagues used them to help her students paint diagrams on desks. Students were wildly enthusiastic about being able to paint on their desks (and later being able to remove the paint with moist paper towel). They found it satisfying. This is what inspired me to apply for funding to purchase markers for my students. The attached photos were taken a few weeks ago when my students used the markers to diagram the digestive system.
Students loved using the markers. Most of them had never seen such markers before so they were confused at first. Then when they saw how they created beautiful, vibrant colors, they immediately got to work. They were laughing and talking about the content in order to create diagrams that were correct. It was an excellent and fun way to review the material before their exam.
The fun is not over, though. We will soon be using the markers to do a review of the steps of photosynthesis and cellular respiration. These processes are complex and challenging for students to learn. Giving them the chance to create beautiful diagrams with the markers on their desks (and then to explain them to classmates) will continue to enhance their learning and their experience of joy.
Thank you so much”
With gratitude,
Mr. Conneely
This classroom project was brought to life by Someone Who Cares and 3 other donors.Authentic Science: Learning How Antibiotics Affect Bacteria
Funded May 23, 2017Thank you for making a donation for my project. My students have used these resources to implement an exciting project on antibiotic resistance in bacteria. They grew two different strains of bacteria with different antibiotics and they measured the effect of the antibiotics on the two types of bacteria. They did background research, implemented the experiment, and then presented the results of the experiment to teachers at the school. Your funding helped the students implement a series of trials to reinforce the importance of having many trials in a science investigation. Your funding also helped them repeat the experiment in order to deepen their understanding.
The students loved the materials because they recognized they were doing "real science." I reminded them many times that the materials you donated are actual materials used by professional scientists. This project was exciting to them because the real world connection (antibiotic resistance) was tangible to them.
The next steps for my students is to submit a research paper related to this project. They will be completing it in the next week. The paper contains a literature review using scientific sources, and an analysis of their results. In the end, they will have had a thorough and rigorous scientific experience similar to something science majors experience in college. Thank you for giving my students this opportunity.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Conneely
Help Students Explore the World of Bacteria
Funded Dec 17, 2010Thank you so much for donating money so my students can do experiments on bacteria. As I wrote in the funding request, it is important students have hands-on experiences in order to understand scientific concepts. Bacteria are easy to work with. However, we always have to work with them safely.
Due to your generosity, students were able to do an experiment in which they transferred the DNA into the bacteria in order to make them glow. We brought an outside organization (The Dolan DNA Center) to help us facilitate it because they have special supplies that we do not have in school.
We waited a few days and the bacteria glowed under UV light. The students laughed and they enjoyed seeing the change in the bacteria.
After one week we needed to safely dispose of the bacteria. Students took the bacteria plates out of the refrigerator and placed them in the pressure cooker, which your money helped us purchase. They then turned on the pressure cooker. Steam came out at first. Then they closed the valve and the pressure increased.
We enjoyed putting the bacteria plates in the pressure cooker. Most importantly, it allowed us to safely kill the bacteria and disinfect the room.
My students and I deeply appreciate your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Mr. Conneely