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PLEASE HELP ME!

Types of help that might be given if it is in the realm of experience of the mentors backing this web-site:

Protocols for future experiments

Classroom experiments
I have a general idea for lab exercises.
What other teachers are sharing as new field studies.
Projects for individuals or small groups of students
Because of the nature of NOVEL studies that advance the cutting edge of science, the compilation of a "wish list" of desirable projects rapidly goes out of date. Our own "wish lists" are in the student sections shown on the PROJECTS PAGE
However, there are a number of web-sites filled with ideas and suggestions, though most do little to help with developing NOVEL studies that advance the cutting edge of science. Nevertheless they are good starting points:
I can't get this method or thing to work. Please HELP me QUICKLY!

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A.P. BIOLOGY LAB EXPERIMENTS!

In this rapidly developing category on this page, there is currently one experiment:
It deals with things we do not yet understand about TRANSPIRATION

FAVORITE CLASSROOM EXPERIMENTS!

(This site is under continuous rotation.)

If you have a really favorite newly invented experiment that you would like to share with other teachers, fill out the appropriate items on the REGISTRATION PAGE.

THE PROPERTIES OF WATER

A general set of experiments that was submitted by a professor of introductory biology at Chowan College, Murfeesboro, NC. Three components of this set are expanded significantly as mentioned in the next three points:
SURFACE TENSION is presented as a temperature dependent property of water. The equipment needed for this are a hot plate, a collection of sewing needles, a candle, a thermometer and a pan. Graphing practice is also called into play.
VISCOSITY is also a temperature dependent characteristic of water, and makes use of a device costing approximately US$0.70 each. At that price, a class can have ten or more of them so as to test aqueous solutions of salt, detergents, alcohol, etc.
OSMOSIS and semi-permeable membranes are an extremely important aspect of several branches of science, in addition to biology. There is reverse osmosis for converting sea water into drinking water. There are osmotic devices for electricity generation. But this experiment is one that combines a number of osmotic attributes all into one set-up such that each student group can do the whole group of activities of showing fluid movement, exclusion of large molecules, and permeability of small molecules.

A large set of microbiologically-oriented experiments spanning from kindergarten through high school is available HERE!

Major Public Health Project: Controlling the spread of disease in schools. It is known that the survival of bacteria and viruses on surfaces depends greatly upon the nature of the surface. Many metals such as copper, but not aluminum, rapidly inactivate the micro-organisms. Have your student go throughout your school building using sterile swabs to wipe suspected areas of high contamination and then wipe the swab onto the surface of a nutrient agar plate. Do brass door-knobs and railings inhibit the spread of disease? What about chrome bathroom fixtures? Do different paints kill bacteria? This is a project that will attract the attention of school officials, as well as cause schools to have slightly different design. (This might also be an excellent project for high school students who are mentoring lower level students.)

Railway Safety at Grade Crossings. This is a project proposed by the National Association of Railway Safety Consultants and Investigators who believe that some very bright and imaginative child will create a grade crossing design that will impress upon motorists that trying to beat a train can be deadly. On average every 90 minutes a train rams into a vehicle on the tracks. There are 620 fatalities and 3,200 injuries per year. Testing of effectiveness comparing before and after placement of the test signs, gates, or other devices would make a good class or school project. Your contact person is Dr. Les Hinds, pres.

Keep off Railway Property! This project is also sponsored by the National Association of Railway Safety Consultants and Investigators. There is a reason for the laws prohibiting trespassing in rail yards and other railway properties - THEY ARE DANGEROUS. A great number of railway workers get hurt each year, and they know when trains are moving nearby. Children on the premises do not! However, the Association believes that children are the best designers of safety posters, that can be tested for effectiveness as a class or school project. Your contact person is Dr. Les Hinds, pres.

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Favorite FIELD Studies!

(This site is under construction.)
If you have a really favorite NOVEL field exercise that you would like to share with other teachers, fill out the appropriate items on the REGISTRATION PAGE.
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Equipment and Supplies

This site is under construction.

Many sophisticated pieces of equipment are readily available in local shops. Examples:
Autoclave: use a pressure cooker (it's just not "auto")
Sodium lamp for monochromatic light: put a large lump of NaCl atop a burner and you'll get a very bright sodium emission spectrum.
Incubator: convert almost any cupboard into an incubator using household thermostats and a very small heater.
Contact the owner of THIS SITE if you wish to post an advertisement on this page.
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Constructing Your Own Equipment
and obtaining alternative supplies!

Simple "gradient makers" for column chomatography and electrophoresis: Click here.
Electrophoresis power supply for less than $20 from common components available throughout much of the world.
Electrophoresis units for horizontal gels for less than $20
Racks for drying gels for less than $20
Slow shakers for developing gels after electrophoresis
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RESULTS!

This site is under construction.
If your class completed a rather "neat" experiment and would like to share it with the world, please fill out the appropriate items on the REGISTRATION PAGE.
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SUMMER ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS!

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MENTORING OPPORTUNITIES on this Web-Site!

This site is under construction.
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"Gradient Makers"
These devices allow the steady and constant addition of ever more dilute materials to the top of a chromatography column (or for pouring "gradient gels") What will be described here is called a "linear" gradient maker because a graph of the concentration as the fluid flows out of the device drops in a straight line. Two of the beauties of this device are that one can easily make gradients of almost any total volume, and it is very CHEAP.
Determine the total volume you will need, and the maximum and minimum concentrations of the solutions needed. And find a cylindrical container that is just SLIGHTLY larger than the total volume. This might be only a small centrifuge tube, or a 4000 ml graduated cylinder - all dependent on the volume you need.
Make up half-volumes of each solution.
Add them very carefully to the cylinder such that two layers are formed - the less dense one obviously is above the less dense one. A trick to this is to dump the less dense one into the cylinder first, and then using a very long-stemmed funnel add the dense one to the bottom - underlayering it, as it were. You should be able to plainly see the interface between the two layers.
Stopper the cylinder in a special way: the stopper should have a small hole in it and then it is pushed in so far that it completely displaces all the air atop the liquid (this is NECESSARY!).
Find a surface that is TILTED at just the correct angle such that when your cylinder is laid upon it with the stopped end up high, the interface between the two liquids make a COMPLETE diagonal from one 'corner' of the cylinder to the other. Carefully adjust the tilt so that this is precise.
Place the cylinder at this angle at one end of the tilted surface, and RAPIDLY roll the cylinder to the other end (0.5 seconds for three feet). PRACTICE first with cylinders of water; don't push the cylinder to roll it, instead 'pull it' by placing your hand on it and rolling it from the heal of you hand to off the fingertips. In this way, your hands will be in front of the rolling cylinder to...
Catch the cylinder as it rolls off the end of the tilted surface and IMMEDIATELY bring the cylinder upright. Voila! You'll have a linear gradient in the cylinder.
And don't forget this especially if it is to be centrifuged! - take the stopper out - or you soon will be the laughing stock of all around you! (Talk about learning by traumatic experience!)
You can either syphon the liquid out (syphon must reach the bottom of the cylinder), or have a little tap at the bottom to allow the liquid gradient to flow out into your chromatography column or whatever.
That's it, a linear gradient within in a minute or two!