Joe DePalma teaches biology and chemistry at Dublin Coffman High School. He recently took his General Biology students through a pGLO bacterial transformation lab. DePalma placed the students in small groups and arranged the groups in a circle in the classroom, allowing them to talk through each step before moving on. Out of the 16 groups that plated bacteria, 13 ended up with the transformed pGLO bacteria. “I was impressed with the success level!” said DePalma.
In addition, he found the majority of students were able to explain the results, but were also able to make “good or perfectly correct predictions” after being exposed to the background information.
DePalma said, “I think the students, especially in a general biology class, were excited to be able to do something hands-on and found it really cool that they could actually make a GMO in the classroom! It definitely brought to life the material we had been covering in lectures and daily activities. We will definitely be completing the activity again next year!”