Download bacteria webquest

Bacteria: Good and Evil
Name ___________________ Date ___________ Period __________ Score ______
Introduction: Bacteria are often maligned as the causes of human and animal
disease. However, some bacteria produce antibiotics such as streptomycin and
nocardicin; others live symbiotically in the guts of animals (including humans) or
elsewhere in their bodies, or on the roots of certain plants, converting nitrogen into a
usable form. Bacteria put the tang in yogurt and the sour in sourdough bread; bacteria
help to break down dead organic matter; bacteria make up the base of the food web in
many environments. Bacteria have been on earth longer than humans and will be here
when we are gone. They are adaptive to all environments and very important to
humans and all living things.
Purpose: In this WebQuest, the goal is to gain insight into the overall role
bacteria plays in relation to humankind. You will be directed to “click” down a preplanned trail of discovery. It is important that you follow the trail. This will aid you in
realizing your goal to discover the good and evil roles bacteria plays in the survival and
demise of humankind.
Process: Use the links below to find the answers to the following questions.
Evolution- http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacteria.html
1. How old are bacteria?
Ecology- http://www.microbeworld.org/microbes/live.aspx
2. Where are bacteria found? Give 5 examples of where bacteria are found.
Classification
http://www.microbeworld.org/microbes/archaea/default.aspx
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/archaea/archaea.html
http://www.biology.arizona.edu/cell_bio/tutorials/pev/page2.html
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Bacteria: Good and Evil
Name ___________________ Date ___________ Period __________ Score ______
3. What two kingdoms belong to the domain Prokaryote?
4. What characteristics place an organism in the domain Prokaryote?
5. What characteristics do Archae have that differ from Bacteria?
Kingdom Bacteria.
http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio106/bacteria.htm
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacteriamm.html
6. Bacteria have three possible shapes. Name each shape and draw a picture of each.
Bacteria cell structure
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacteriamm.html
http://www.cellsalive.com/cells/bactcell.htm#surface
7. Draw and label a picture of the bacteria cell.
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Bacteria: Good and Evil
Name ___________________ Date ___________ Period __________ Score ______
8. Give the structure and function of each of the following:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Cell wall
Capsule
Nucleoid
Flagella
Pili
Plasmids
Endospore
Gram Stain -http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacteriamm.html
9. What is the difference between a gram positive and gram negative bacteria?
10. How does the cell wall of a gram positive and gram negative bacteria differ?
Reproduction- https://micro.cornell.edu/research/epulopiscium/binary-fissionand-other-forms-reproduction-bacteria
9. How do bacteria reproduce? Draw a picture of this process.
How do bacteria get their energy?http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/bacteria/bacterialh.html
10. Bacteria can be aerobic, anaerobic, or facultative anaerobes? What is the
difference between these three types of bacteria?
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Bacteria: Good and Evil
Name ___________________ Date ___________ Period __________ Score ______
11. How do heterotrophic bacteria get their energy? What do these bacteria feed on?
12. How do autotrophic bacteria get their energy?
13. How do photoautotrophs differ from chemoautotrophs?
The ecosystem, both on land and in the water, depends heavily upon the activity
of bacteria. The cycling of nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur is
completed by their ceaseless labor.
14. Explain the role of each of the following and how bacteria are involved in each.
a.
Decomposition
b.
Cycling of nitrogen in the ecosystem
c.
Nitrogen fixation
d.
Denitrification
Now that you know some intimate details about bacteria, let's explore "the good,
the bad, and the ugly" issues of bacteria.
15. Go to Bugs in the News. Click on "What the Heck is E. coli? Read the article and
answer the following questions. http://people.ku.edu/~igmdoc/whatheck.html
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Bacteria: Good and Evil
Name ___________________ Date ___________ Period __________ Score ______
a. What does E. coli mean?
b.
Compare the "good and evil" E. coli.
c.
How do we acquire "good" E. coli?
d.
How do we acquire "bad" E. coli?
e.
How do we keep the good and avoid the evil?
16. Now we will follow the Internet trail to Microbe Zoo. Visit each of the main attractions at
the zoo and complete the activities below. http://commtechlab.msu.edu/sites/dlc-me/zoo/

Go to Dirtland: Select Root Cellar. Scroll down to Nitrogen Fixers. Explain how
the bacteria Rhizobia helps plants make protein.

Go to Animal Pavilion: Select Poo Corner. Discuss how human fecal matter is
recycled so that humans are not buried in their own waste.

Go to Snack Bar. Discuss the role of bacteria and other microbes in at least five
different foods you eat.

Go to Water World. Discuss pond life from a bacterium's point of view.
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Bacteria: Good and Evil
Name ___________________ Date ___________ Period __________ Score ______
17. Go to Microbe World, Every Day Roles, and click on the pictures to find 8 more
good things that bacteria do! List your findings.
http://www.microbeworld.org/know/everyday.aspx
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