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Wareham students describe hands-on microbiology work during Woods Hole trip
Summary
Students and a teacher presented a slideshow to the Wareham School Committee on April 3 describing a three-day visit to the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole where students performed microbiology lab work, sampled local beach sites and presented findings.
Students and staff from Wareham described a three-day, hands-on science experience at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole during the April 3 School Committee meeting.
Miss Giuffrida, who organized the trip, introduced students Sam, Will and Lane and said the group toured rare book collections, conducted shore sampling, and ran microbiology experiments in teaching labs. Students said they prepared culture medium, swabbed their own tongues and other samples, used microscopes (including camera-equipped microscopes), and presented results at the end of the visit.
Sam said the group collected water, sand and moss samples and examined microorganisms under microscopes. Will described experiments comparing the effects of mouthwash and salt on oral bacteria: "We found that mouthwash kills all like, most of the bacteria," he said. Lane said the laboratory experience felt like college-level lab work and called seeing growth on culture plates "super cool."
Miss Giuffrida and committee members praised the students' presentations and noted MBL's local educational resources. One committee member described the MBL as "an extraordinary asset" and urged other students to consider the program; students recommended the trip especially for those interested in science but said it was valuable for many students.
Nut graf: Committee members suggested the district explore additional partnerships with local marine and environmental organizations, including the Buzzards Bay Coalition, to expand hands-on learning opportunities.
Ending: Students and staff said they hope the district can provide similar experiences to more learners and thanked Miss Giuffrida and MBL staff for the opportunity.
