Aseptic technique
Practice aseptic technique so you can grow a pure culture without contaminating it or yourself.
Numbered aseptic technique procedure, contamination routes list, explanation of why plates are kept closed, safety rules for cultures and waste, and contamination prediction sketch.
- 1Do thisPractice aseptic technique so you can grow a pure culture without contaminating it or yourself.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisPre-lab: Numbered aseptic technique procedure, contamination routes list, explanation of why plates are kept closed, safety rules for cultures and waste, and contamination prediction sketch.
- 4Submit it here
- 1CMSD website. Go to clevelandmetroschools.org and click the Clever button.
- 2Clever. Clever opens. Sign in if it asks.
- 3Microsoft (district) login. Use your district Microsoft account (the one for school).
- 4Schoology. Open Schoology, then your class, then Assignments, and find the file named below.
The file to submit is named: Genetics of Disease (Medical Interventions) › Aseptic technique, culturing, selection, resistance genes, and data reliability. › Pre-labOpen Schoology
- CER:
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning — make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
- SOP:
- Standard Operating Procedure — the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
- Tracker:
- Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
- myPLTW:
- The PLTW course site where you do the online activities — you open it through Schoology.
Minute-by-minute · 80-minute block
💡 Big idea: How does a scientist prevent unwanted organisms from entering a culture and invalidating every result?
- 0-10 minBrainstorm and list every possible contamination route: air, hands, tools, talking, surfaces
- 10-25 minRead or watch the aseptic technique steps; write them in numbered order in your notebook
- 25-45 minDry practice: simulate flaming a loop (without flame), lifting a lid briefly with wrist only, working near the lab bench edge away from air currents
- 45-58 minExplain in writing why you minimize the time a plate is open; connect to the contamination routes listed earlier
- 58-68 minWrite one safety rule for handling bacterial cultures and one for disposing of used materials
- 68-80 minDraw and describe what a contaminated plate would look like versus a pure-culture plate
- • Aseptic technique is the single most important skill in microbiology; without it, every experiment is meaningless.
- • Hospitals use aseptic technique to prevent infections during surgery; you will use the same principles Wednesday in this lab.
- • Today you learn and practice the motions before any live cultures are involved.
- • Exit goal: a numbered aseptic technique checklist in your notebook and a dry run of every physical motion you will use tomorrow.
- 1List the ways a culture could get contaminated, from air to hands to tools.
- 2Watch or read the aseptic-technique steps and write them in order.
- 3Practice the motions dry: flaming a loop, lifting a lid briefly, working near the flame.
- 4Explain why you minimize the time a plate is open.
- 5Note one safety rule for handling cultures and waste.
- 6Predict what a contaminated plate would look like versus a clean one.
- • You will be able to describe the steps of aseptic technique.
- • You will be able to explain how contamination happens and how to prevent it.
- • You will be able to handle cultures and waste safely.
- • Aseptic technique is a set of practices designed to prevent contamination of sterile materials and biological cultures.
- • Common contamination routes include: air currents, skin contact, talking or breathing near open plates, and unsterilized tools.
- • Contaminated plates grow mixed colonies that cannot be used to draw conclusions about a single bacterial strain.
Your PLTW work today
Aseptic technique, culturing, selection, resistance genes, and data reliability. · Aseptic technique
Day 2 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (reached through Schoology), then do the work below.
Do this: Open Activity 1.2.3 Attack of the Superbugs in myPLTW and review the culturing protocol before the lab.
Complete the pre-lab plan: aseptic technique steps, control wells labeled, and prediction of which antibiotic will produce the largest zone.
Monday CER should be posted; pre-lab plan due today.
Pre-lab plan with aseptic steps and prediction in notebook.
All PLTW activities are completed inside the PLTW course environment — this page only gives direction. Submit producibles on Schoology.
Today's PLTW tracker
Check things off as you work, then submit. This tells Mr. Mendoza how you're doing so he can help the class. It does not replace turning in your producible on Schoology.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
Aseptic technique, culturing, selection, resistance genes, and data reliability. · Aseptic technique
Open Activity 1.2.3 Attack of the Superbugs in myPLTW and review the culturing protocol before the lab.
Monday CER should be posted; pre-lab plan due today.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Practice aseptic technique so you can grow a pure culture without contaminating it or yourself.
- List the ways a culture could get contaminated, from air to hands to tools.
- Watch or read the aseptic-technique steps and write them in order.
- Practice the motions dry: flaming a loop, lifting a lid briefly, working near the flame.
- Explain why you minimize the time a plate is open.
- Note one safety rule for handling cultures and waste.
- Predict what a contaminated plate would look like versus a clean one.
Pre-lab: Numbered aseptic technique procedure, contamination routes list, explanation of why plates are kept closed, safety rules for cultures and waste, and contamination prediction sketch.
Submit on SchoologyUpload by 11:29 PM for full credit.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| List the ways a culture could get contaminated, from air to hands to tools. | _______ |
| Watch or read the aseptic-technique steps and write them in order. | _______ |
| Practice the motions dry: flaming a loop, lifting a lid briefly, working near the flame. | _______ |
| Explain why you minimize the time a plate is open. | _______ |
| Note one safety rule for handling cultures and waste. | _______ |
| Predict what a contaminated plate would look like versus a clean one. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- You will be able to describe the steps of aseptic technique.
- You will be able to explain how contamination happens and how to prevent it.
- You will be able to handle cultures and waste safely.
Teacher-posted resources
Classroom documents for this lesson. Ones marked “Open the file” open right here; the rest are posted in Schoology. Use the label on each card to choose the right move.
Use this if you were absent, got stuck, or need another pass before you submit the lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Culturing, aseptic technique, superbugs by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-1_How-to-Fight-Infection/00_Unit-Overview. Score 126. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
Open this when the class reaches this activity and use it to complete the required lesson artifact.
Placement rationale
Matched Culturing, aseptic technique, superbugs by path:Medical-Interventions/Unit-1_How-to-Fight-Infection/1.2_Antibiotic-Treatment. Score 126. Visibility: student-schoology (student-facing resource; link through Schoology rather than local path).
How to get there: open the CMSD website, click Clever, sign in with your Microsoft (district) account, then open Schoology from Clever.
Lab & supplies
WebXam practice
Cumulative WebXam review
A quick mixed-review pulling questions from earlier units plus today, so the WebXam material stays fresh.
Where this leads — careers
What today's skills lead to. These are real health-science careers this course builds toward. Tap one to see, on the US Department of Labor's O*NET site, what the job actually involves, what it pays, and how fast it is growing.
What to do if you were absent
Today is individual PLTW work, so do exactly what we did in class, from home: complete the same PLTW target above, then submit your Pre-lab.
Open Schoology (CMSD) and keep goingHow to get there: open the CMSD website, click Clever, sign in with your Microsoft (district) account, then open Schoology from Clever.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
CDC Antibiotic Resistance- CompleteEvery required part of the artifact is present, nothing left blank.
- AccurateThe science and the data are correct and match the evidence.
- Scientific reasoningYou explain your claim with evidence and reasoning (CER), not just an answer.
- Professional communicationClear, organized, labeled, and written the way a clinician or scientist would.
- SubmittedTurned in the right way (Schoology for routine work) and confirmed.
Drop your Fri, Oct 2, 2026 · Aseptic technique here. Use a clear file name (your initials + project). Routine work still goes to Schoology (via the CMSD portal).
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