Looking at both prepared slides and living samples of microbes under the microscope.

1. Cell Biology and
Disease
Unit 36C: Looking for Signs of
Micro-Life
December 8, 2014

2. Activity 36C: Looking for Signs of Micro-Life
December 8, 2014
Getting Started: How could you figure out if something is a microbe?
Introduction: Read pg.C-27 RACE: What makes people sick?
L ooking for Signs of Microbe-Life
If someone asked you what makes you sick, you might
answer that germs, bacteria, or viruses make you sick.
During the early 1900’s, some people thought an
infectious disease like th flu could be caused by
nakedness, contaminated food, irritating gases in the
atmosphere, unclean clothing, open windows, closed
windows, old books, dirt, dust, or supernatural causes.
What does cause infectious diseases? You can…
What kinds of microbes can you find?
36C
Challenge: Rewrite the challenge question in your own words.

3. Key Words: disease, microbe
Procedure: Have you read and do you understand the
procedure on pg. C-28? Write one
sentence that describes what you will be
doing.
Results: Common Microbes
Drawing Organizer 35.3
Discussing our results
Analysis: Answer Analysis Questions 1 through 5.
Reflection: Imagine that you are a researcher studying microbes.
Would you choose to study a disease causing microbe or one that
does not cause disease? Explain you reasoning.

4. Common Microbes

5. Drawing Organizer 35.1

6. Discussion of observations
• What characteristics did you look for to
determine if something was a microbe?

7. • Could something that doesn’t move still be
alive?

8. • Were plants or algae moving?

9. • Is it possible some microbes exist that are
smaller then we can observe? How could we
collect evidence to prove or disprove your
theory?

10. Where would you expect to find microbes and what do
you think they might be doing there?
• Most microbes are free-living (non-parasitic)
• They live on almost every environment on
Earth, including:
– Inside rocks - in hot springs
– In the soil - crude oil
• They are vital parts of the food web
– decomposers - scavengers
– Carnivores - herbivores
– Parasites - producers

11. Bacteria Cell Structure
• Cell Wall
• Cell Membrane
• Cytoplasm
• Ribosomes – produce protein
• No Nucleus; genetic material floats in the cytoplasm
• Shape
– Rod
– Sphere
– Spiral

12. Bacteria v Animal Cells
Bacteria Cells

13. Question 2
• Develop three rules you will use the next time you
do microscopy drawings:
1. Make an exact copy of what you see
2. Do not draw everything you see.
3. Label the drawing.
4. Give the magnification.
5. Focus on the object with low power before using high
power.

14. Question 3
As a scientist, you are asked to describe two of
the microbes that you saw to someone who
has never looked through a microscope.
Write a short paragraph describing the
microbes you observed.