Cyanobacteria and Algae


Phases

  1. Expedition and collection
  2. Examination and sketching
  3. Identification against the slide set

Expedition

During the expedition we will collect anything green and relatively slimey.

Laboratory: Sketching Phase

Upon return to the laboratory, assist in the set-up of microscopes. We will attempt to set up various compound microscopes and a single dissecting microscope.

Set up, view, and sketch each of the green compounds.  You will have to move around the laboratory in order to see all that we have collected.  Make careful sketches.  Note whether the substance moves or not (motile or non-motile).   Sketch everything you see that appears to have chlorophyll!  In some samples you might have multiple organisms.  Remember that you might need to "spread out" the material or change the lighting setup of the microscope for best viewing of the material.

Later you will use your sketches to help identify what you have found.  Work from lowest magnification to the highest working magnification on your microscope. 

When done: clean up and help with putting away the microscopes!

Laboratory: Identification Phase

Set up slides from the Carolina® Botany Study Slide Set.  Use the slide to attempt to identify your substances.  Cross check your tentative identifications made by viewing the study slide set by refering to your laboratory manual.

Save your sketches.  We will learn how to scan these sketches into the computer and make a web page utilizing one of your sketches in another laboratory.


Instructor: Dana Lee Ling

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