Microbial biodiversity and its rich arsenal of natural products is an important and complex biological concept. We propose the use of Streptomyces , one of the most diverse bacterial genera and a major inhabitant of soil, as a model to explain the relevance and importance of this concept. Students will perform experiments ranging from isolation and selection of Streptomyces species, to performing fungal and bacterial challenge assays to evaluate their biocontrol capacity, to screening for specialized metabolic properties such as the production of lipases, amylases, and cellulases. Accompanied by active discussions on the experimental process and results, and integrated into the general microbiology curriculum, this real-life discovery-based lab exercise engages students in current topics concerning natural product discovery and reinforces their understanding of several important concepts in microbiology and biotechnology.

We designed two NGSS-aligned middle school classroom experiments to investigate the effects of biochar on plant growth and soil respiration. Biochar is a carbon-rich material, produced by heating organic matter under limited oxygen, that is added to soils to improve fertility, to promote plant growth, and as one possible strategy to help mitigate climate change. The experiments offer an ideal case study for students learning fundamentals of soil and plant interactions. Soils and biochar are accessible, are connected to global issues such as agriculture and climate change, and are the focus of ongoing research in soil science. These classroom experiments promote authentic science because students design replicated experiments, collect and analyze data, discuss variability in the data, and interpret their results in the context of recent research.

In this inquiry activity, community-level physiological profiling (CLPP) with EcoPlates is described to quantitatively depict the community of microorganisms situated in a natural environment. Students can develop their own hypotheses and carry out experimentation about the makeup of microbial communities using EcoPlates. There are many independent variables that can be assessed or changed to determine how environmental differences can play important roles in the types of microorganisms that are found in an environment.

When describing biogeochemical transfers, textbook authors have often overstated the role of soil while neglecting the role of carbon dioxide. Unfortunately, these errors align with naive biogeochemical intuitions. This article aims to increase awareness of the prevalence of such misconceptions and offers countermeasures. Avoiding these misconceptions becomes increasingly important as concerns over carbon emissions grow. In addition, because an accurate understanding of biogeochemical cycles can transform deeply held beliefs, successfully teaching this topic can have the collateral benefit of inspiring lasting interest in science.