Science and Our Food Supply: Investigating Food Safety from Farm to Table

Get the students started by asking: 

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Are there bacteria in this classroom? Where? 

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Where else might they be living around the school? 

Make a list of the responses. 

Some probable answers: 

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Soda machines, door knobs, desks, trash cans, door handles, water fountains, 

faucet handles, bathroom stall doors, toilet seats and flush handle, biofilm in 

sink drains, paper towel dispenser handle, lab tables and counters. Allow the 

students to mention things at home, but tell them: For today, let’s investigate 

bacteria here at school. 

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If they haven’t mentioned their hands, under fingernails, etc., ask: What about 

you? Could bacteria be on you? Now ask: What do bacteria look like? (Let them 

discuss this.) Can you see them? If you can’t see them, how can you tell that 

bacteria really exist? This leads us into today’s lab. We’re going to design  

labs that allow us to “see” bacteria. 

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