Microbe Mission

Description
Students are given time to move to as many stations as possible or given a packet while answering questions about microbiology.

The Stations
If there are stations, there will be 10-20 of them. They will be marked with roman numerals (I, II, III...) or they will be numbered (1, 2, 3...). There will be sections in your test corresponding to each of the stations with questions (the format of which is decided by the tester, and can vary widely from tester to tester). Students typically have a time limit at stations (i.e. 5 minutes per station, then rotate).

The Test
The test will pages/sections corresponding to the individual stations (if there aren't stations then it will be a normal test). It will have blank lines for you to record your answer. There will be no questions/diagrams in the packet, so all work must be done at the corresponding station. All answers must be recorded in the packet. Spelling does count in the packet. Points may also be taken away if the packet is not neat or legible. As you record your answers, make sure that you are recording on the right page/section/question. This may save you time and effort.

Please note that there may be lines for your team name, team number, or the participants' names on each page. No matter what, ALWAYS make sure you fill out that information on each page, for if you don't, they can take off points.

Materials
The only materials are a pencil along with a good eraser, a non-programmable calculator, and a 2 SIDED PAGE OF NOTES. NO OTHER RESOURCES ARE ALLOWED. Students must REMEMBER all Diagrams and study material. Make sure you print the guide to this event in the event info on soinc.org.

Preparing for this event
Make a binder! This will help you tremendously in preparing for this event. Even though you can't bring it in, it's a great way to keep all your information in the same place and to remember it.

With your notes page, include pictures and charts of things you need to remember. Also remember how your page is laid out and where you put everything. In a timed test, trying to find things on your notes page is a waste of time.

If you can acquire an AP Biology textbook, it will help tremendously with learning terms and concepts.

It is also very helpful to practice, because the type of questions can vary widely from test to test.

Covered Information
You will be tested on things relating to microbiology, ranging from different types of microscopes and microbes to learning about cell structure and uses for microbes.

Sample Exercise
1. Provide two differences between bacteria and fungi.

2. Using the following key, determine (from pictures) which cell, A, B, or C is considered an alga.

3. Based on the following graph, determine which organism is best suited for growth in acid environments.

4. A cell is observed through a light microscope at 4x magnification. The cell takes up about half of the visual field. What is the approximate length of this organism?

5. Students observe a Petri plate with many different colonies on it. Based on the color of the colony, how many different kinds of organisms do you detect? Which type of organism appears to be the most prevalent?

6. From the following picture, identify the organelle, provide its function, and state which type of microbe it is unique to.

7. What type of microbe is involved in the production of most breads? What type of organism is responsible for polio?

8. Based on the following graph, what will be the microbial population/ml after 3.5 hours of growth?

9. Provide two distinctive properties of viruses, then provide the name of two diseases that are caused by viruses. As a variation on this type of question, match the disease with the type of microbe that causes it.

Useful links

 * The official site of the Anatomy event
 * Disease information
 * US National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
 * The national institute of drug abuse
 * The text and some images from Gray's Anatomy
 * Detailed, interactive diagrams on parts of the systems
 * Scioly Test Exchange
 * National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
 * Great tutorial on the human skeleton
 * More disease information
 * Gives simple, printable diagrams