Materials List:
The Mystery of the Contaminated Water – An Engineering Challenge!
Each group needs:
- laptop, tablet, or computer
- Case File Sheet with Suspect Cards
- Student Handout Part 1, one per student
- Student Handout Part 2, one per student
- glass jar (60 ml) with 40 ml of water sample “evidence” (see below)
- case file: copies of storyline, suspects with their motives,
- PPE such as gloves, aprons, goggles
- poster paper or large sticky notes
- 3-4 colored markers
- 3-4 sheets of Lab Notebook Paper
- blank microscope slides (2 per group)
- 8 petri dishes with agar, 1 per group
To share with the entire class:
- 8-10 rulers
- Freshwater Master test kit from Carolina Biological, https://www.carolina.com/tanks-and-accessories/freshwater-master-test-kit/672278.pr
- 100 pack of 2 oz. plastic cups with lids
- plastic pipettes
- microscopes (class set)
- stickers (optional, for voting on “Most complete protocol”)
To make each water sample evidence:
- 5 12 oz. glass jars with lids - quantity will vary depending on the number of student groups
- distilled water
- Introductory Bacteria Set, Living, Tube Cultures (Item #: 154755) from Carolina, https://www.carolina.com/bacteria/introductory-bacteria-set-living-tube-cultures/154755.pr
- Mixed Protozoa Demoslide Set, Living (Item #: 130865) from Carolina, https://www.carolina.com/protist-viewing-supplies/mixed-protozoa-demoslide-set-living/130865.pr?question=130865
- Desmid Mixture, Living (Item #: 151261) from Carolina, https://www.carolina.com/algae/desmid-mixture-living/151261.pr?question=151261
- any fertilizer
- any herbicide or pesticide
- inoculation loop or a cotton swab
