6th Grade · Science · Activity · shared by Luke Morgan
Investigate a bacterial colony collapse caused by bacteriophages in this 6th Grade Science activity. Learn about viruses and their role.
Mystery Investigation: The Case of the Silent Laboratory Crash
The Situation: You are a junior researcher at the Bio-Balance Institute. Your team has been culturing a specific population of Micro-B bacteria in a controlled environment for three weeks. These bacteria were thriving, doubling their population every few hours. However, yesterday morning, the entire colony crashed. Every single bacterium is dead, yet the lab records show that no antibiotics or chemicals were ever added to the tank. Your task is to investigate the evidence and determine what caused this sudden biological collapse.
Key Facts Reference: Use these scientific facts to help guide your investigation.
Bacteriophages (Phages): Specialized viruses that only target specific types of bacteria. They look like "lunar landers" with geometric heads and thin, leg-like fibers.
Specificity: Phages are highly specific and only land on a certain host cell, leaving other types of microbes unharmed.
Lysis: The process where a bacterial cell becomes so full of newly built phages that it suddenly bursts wide open, releasing a fresh army of phages.
Homeostasis: A natural state of balance. When a bacterial population grows too large, the number of phages hunting them also rapidly increases to bring the population back down.
Genetic Hijacking: Phages inject genetic material into a bacterium, forcing the cell to stop its normal functions and become a factory for building more phages.
Phase 1: Evidence Collection
Read the following three clues discovered by the lab technicians. Analyze what each clue tells you about the state of the Micro-B colony.
Evidence Source
Discovery Notes
Microscopic Scan
Under high magnification, the remains of the Micro-B cells do not look shriveled or poisoned. Instead, the cell walls appear to have…