CULTIVATE YOUR OWN MICROORGANISMS

 In this activity, you will create models of microorganisms using various craft materials and place them in petri dishes to simulate "cultures." Follow these steps carefully:

Materials Available

You can use the following materials to build your microorganisms: modeling clay or playdough, beads or necklace pieces, pompoms, cotton balls, pipe cleaners, toothpicks, straws, glue or tape.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Understand the Microorganisms

• Before starting, think about the different types of microorganisms: bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi.

• Remember their basic shapes:

• Bacteria: Rods, spirals, or spheres.

• Viruses: Complex shapes with spikes or geometric structures.

• Protozoa: Irregular and varied shapes, often with "tails" (flagella).

• Fungi: Branching structures or spore-like shapes.

2. Plan Your Design

• Decide which microorganism you want to build.

• Think about its shape, structure, and features.

3. Create Your Microorganism

• Use the materials provided to construct your microorganism.

• Be creative but accurate—try to make it look like the real thing!

• Combine materials (e.g., use beads for the nucleus, cotton for the membrane, or pipe cleaners for tails or spikes).

4. Prepare the Petri Dish

• Write the name of your microorganism on a label and stick it on the petri dish.

• Place your completed microorganism model inside the petri dish.

Let’s have fun and explore the tiny world of microorganisms together!