Discovering Life Below the Sea Floor

Discovering Life Below the Sea Floor

Students highlight these elements in a reading about a marine microbial biochemist named Beth Orcutt to learn how she conducted her science. Students are then introduced to the Science Flowchart and plot the steps Beth took to see an example of how science is a non-linear process that involves creativity, new invention, collaboration, and more.

Tagging a Microbe

Tagging a Microbe

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.