At Penn-Trafford High School, Mr. Michael Bowen’s Biology students recently conducted a hands-on experiment to determine the effectiveness of different handwashing methods. With guidance from student teacher Madison Forsythe, students prepared agar plates to measure bacterial growth and compare results.
To begin, students collected samples from their hands before and after cleaning with either soap and water or hand sanitizer. The cultures were then incubated, allowing bacterial colonies to grow.
Once the plates were ready, students analyzed and counted the colonies from “dirty” and “clean” hands. They then computed class averages to evaluate the data. The results revealed that hand sanitizer is just as effective as traditional soap and water in reducing bacteria.
Student Teacher, Miss Madison Forsythe, prepares agar plates for the experiment
9th-graders Kiera Mann, Michael Madigan, and Annabelle Mason verify data to be graphed
9th-graders Caleb Lander, Kenzie Lindsay, Noah Nicholson, and Olivia Donovan compare bacteria growth between the control and experimental plates
Preslee Greenier, Arianna Bonnell, Joseph Campbell, and Thor Young count bacteria colonies