A Resource for Growing Algae to Make Biofuels
Lesson Plans
This page contains lesson plans and videos that you can use to teach your middle, high school, or college level class. All lesson plans were adapted from a summer camp about algae and are a work in progress. They can be modified however you would like to fit your classroom.
Getting Started for Teachers
This Word Document lists hyperlinks and descriptions for our YouTube videos. These videos can also be found on our video page on this website!
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Algae Collection
This Word Document goes over the materials needed and procedure for collecting your algae. It also provides prompt questions to ask your students about the algae's natural environment.
Preparing Algae Growth Media
This section contains an Instructor Plan, Student Lab Packet and PowerPoint. They cover what algae needs to survive and how we are able to meet those needs when use a laboratory setting. The recipe for our growth media is included within the Word Documents.
Bioreactor Setup
These Word Documents cover the materials needed and procedure for mkaing the bioreactors for your classroom. The Instructor Plan also provides some opening questions to get your students focused in on this lesson.
Algae Diversity & Dichotomous Key
This lab includes the Instructor Plans, the Algae Diversity and Survey Mix PowerPoint, a Practice Dichotomous Key that uses soda to teach students how to use the keys, and Survey Mix Picture Key.
**The picture key may differ from your specific survey mix, make sure you check the key that comes your mix before you hand out our key**
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Introduction to Algae as a Biofuel
This PowerPoint introduced the issues with our current forms of energy. It provides information on solutions, algae in particular. This PowerPoint also contains a hyperlink to a YouTube video about algae as a biofuel.
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Centrifuging Algae Samples
This Word Document covers what materials are needed to centrifuge your algae samples. It also provides procedures and prompting questions for your students.
**Reminder that procedure may vary based on centrifuge model**
Plating Algae Samples
This lab contains a copy of the Instructor Plans that outline the procedure for plating the students algae samples. It also includes the procedure for making the agar plates and a hyperlink to our YouTube video, which can also be found on our videos page on the website.
**Use caution with lab as it uses a busen burner/flame**
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Microscope Basics
This section includes the Instructor Plan, Student Lab Packet and a PowerPoint that can be used to follow along. The lesson goes over microscope safety, how to use a microscope and practice with different parts of the microscope. The lab uses the letter "e", colored thread slides and a few mystery slides.
Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)
This Instructor Plan and Student Lab Packet covers the topic of maximum sustainable yield. The Instructors Plan includes a link to our MSY video, which can also be found on our videos page on this website. This lesson covers exponential and logical growth and teaches about the best time to harvest algae so it doesn't deplete the population.
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Hemocytometers: Direct Cell Counts
This lesson includes the Instructor Plans, Student Lab Packet and a PowerPoint. Possible prompt questions are provided and it covers how to perform direct cell counts with your algae. A link to our hemocytometer YouTube video is also provided; it can also be found on our videos page on this website!
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Spectrophotometry: Indirect Cell Counts
This lesson includes the Instructor Plans, Student Lab Packet and a PowerPoint. The lesson also provides possible prompt questions and the procedure for using the spectrophotometer.
**Reminder that procedures with this lab may vary based on the spectrophotometer model**
Stressing Algae
This lesson includes an Instructor Plan and Student Lab Packet. It pvoeices background information that will help show the importance of stressing algae for increased lipids to the students. This lab also includes different procedures that we have used in the past, as well as some ideas we have not yet tried.
Fluorometry: Lipid Analysis
COMING SOON!
Dewatering & Extraction
This lab includes the Instructor Plans, Student Lab Packet and a PowerPoint. It provides possible prompt questions to get students thinking about the problems we are facing producing efficient biofuels. Classroom procedures for different dewatering techniques are provided. It is more difficult to try extraction within the classroom setting, so no procedure for that are included. We are currently working on making a video for this lesson.
Volta Experiment
This is a fun experiment that we like to do at our summer camps. It involves lighting methane that collects at the bottom of silty ponds/marshes. It is great at demonstrating how we have abundant energy resources available, but they may be hard to harvest or are just overlooked. A hyperlink to our YouTube video is also provided in the Word Document, or it can be found on our videos page on this website.
**Use caution with this lab as it involves lighting flammable gases**
Kilowatt Study
COMING SOON!
Micropipette Tutorial
This lesson includes the Instructor Plans and a Student Practice Sheet. Included in the Instructor Plans is a link to video with detailed instructions on how to properly use a micropipette.
