If I brought GIANTmicrobes to school...

[Emily]

If I brought my GIANTmicrobes to school, they'd probably tell me to not take them anymore. We are not allowed to have stuffed animals at school, no matter how educational or awesome they are.

I think this is uncool. Don't you guys think they should let me bring 'em?

[Nichol]

I DO bring my GIANTmicrobes to school. But since I am the teacher, I do not get in trouble for it. I show them to my students and let them pass them around while I talk about microbiology.

Try talking to your teacher about sharing your GIANTmicrobes with your classmates. Show him/her the website for the "toys" so they know GIANTmicrobes are not just toys. If he/she gives you permission, then it should be OK.

[kskerr]

I brought one of mine in to class with not problem, but then I was and am a college student... I brought strep throat into lab after we isolated strep from our own throats, no one had pathogenic strep in my class. The year before someone found out that she had it that way, the teacher told her to show the plate to her doctor. It was so cool, educational show and tell!

[superbugeyes]

I'm doing a presentation on bioweapons and wanted to know if there are any pathogenic microbes I can get. I think they would be great visuals.

[kskerr]

I'd go with the plague, that one is cool and I think there is a fear that it will be used as a bioweapon. Many of the stuffed microbes are pathogens but not used (that I know of) as bioweapons. Oh wait I think there was a case of salmonella being used by some religious cult on the west coast. Then you could always see if one is the same shape as a bioweapon and use it instead.

[superbugeyes]

Thanks. I will probably do that. :)

[kskerr]

I used one (strep throat) as a visual aide in my speech class as an undergrad, it was an autobiographical speech and I used it to represent my future career as a microbiologist. I managed to incorporate microbiology into all but one speech, the last (a group debate speech) was only because I did not pick the topic and my group did not see the light. We would so have been better off if we had chosen my topic about controling antimicrobials and not the stupid political science major's topic, the patriot act, how boring can you get! It was the dumbest topic and pretty much everyone was against the bill and so there was a huge debate/fight on who would argue for it, the two that did spent the whole time prefacing their postition with "I'm argueing pro but I am really con", I was about to strangle them. My topic would have been perfect since I was able to make an outline for both sides and none of them knew enough to have an opinion and so could be assigned a side and a particular aspect to argue (the pro control side of course would be right:) ). Oh well, I was able to get all the other speeches on topic and had an option for the last one so technically I met my geeky goal :D .

[Ebola Cactus]

I think if you knew they weren't going to take them, then taking them once wouldn't hurt. Being told not to bring them anymore isn't that bad ^_^ Compared to having them impounded.. poor microbes! aww.. :( I'd bring mine to school with me for health class presentations.

[Vireyda]

I don't take mine to school they aren't really relevant to my majors of Geography and Anthropology, but if I ever had the chance to take them to class, I would.

[kskerr]

Microbes are very relevant to geography and anthropology! Certain diseases are endemic to certain regions (lyme disease, rocky mountain spotted fever, African sleeping sickness, ect), and diseases are important in every culture :D. Perhaps if you talk to your teacher and explain how educational they are she might work them into a lecture (if she teaches any form of science or health) and then you could bring them legit and not have to worry about any trouble :).

[GERMan]

Good point!
I once talked a teacher of mine into not omitting virology if I gave a talk about viruses. Now imagine if I would've had cuddly flu with me then to swing opinion for this topic :D

You could as well go for sickle cell anemia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaria)'s prevalence in tropical countries. Since it deforms red blood cells (in which plasmodiae live, in turn) it helps in a way to fend off the disease. In northern hemispheres, however, the variation is not as prevalent as it shows only mild downsides there (no malaria, but still you can't breathe as well).
Funny point: While the cells deform, crystallizing proteins build up needles that actually "pin up" the plasmodium :o Mean, isn't it?

[kskerr]

As far as I know the blood cells start out as deformed and the paracites are never able to infect them because of it, I have never heard anything about them being pinned by a protein. It is interesting how a disease trait that would normally be selected against had the opposite happen to it because of a disease, a disease selecting for a disease.

[Giardia]

I brought my first batch of micobes to school right after Christmas break, and showed them to my science teacher. He loved them! He asked me to do a presentation in front of the class that day. I accepted, and everyone in my class thought they were cool! I just brought in another batch today, and he wants me to do another presentation tomorrow (today is February 27/06)!:D :D :D

[Askor]

I have never brought my microbes to school, but i have a friend who did. He named it Jimmy the Ulcer cell, and the teachers almost took it away.:mad: :(

[kskerr]

Microbes descrimination I say! Call her a microphobe or something (though not to her face, she is still the teacher and deserves respect). Next time your friend should explain the educational potential of the plush and perhaps offer to let her use if she is going to give a lecture on something involving bacteria. Also if he was being disruptive with it that is microbe abuse, tsk tsk!

[Shark's Protein]

If I brought my GIANTmicrobes to school, they'd probably tell me to not take them anymore. We are not allowed to have stuffed animals at school, no matter how educational or awesome they are.'em?

Technically, they aren't stuffed ANIMALS...

[kskerr]

Shark is right, we should not insult them by calling them animals ;)!

[puffazoid]

well, i homeschool so it's perfectly fine with my mom (who also loves them.) to bring them to school, because it is my house... :confused:

[kskerr]

If I get into the lab I want I might get an extra pimple plush and hang it over my lab bench at school since it is a relative of what would be my research organism...

[GERMan]

I don't take them to the lab, so they can't get stained/contaminated and stay huggable.
Seriously, I wouldn't risk having any of them confiscated but that's just me... ("My... precious!") Now if a science teacher likes them, that's cool!

Also wanted to let you know I used pictures of Mono in a current presentation. It was "customer action shots" from a geek cubicle/household stuff retailer online, and I used it to illustrate Mono transmission via kissing :D
Still, the place for me to buy my microbes remains science museums or the original websites.

[kskerr]

That is why I was thinking about getting an extra for the lab, and putting it up high above the bench :).

I put a pic of pimple into my presentation that I am giving in seminar today since I am giving it on a Propionibacterium, theonii not acnes but I figured close enough!

[Tuburculosis]

:d :d :d :d ohh

[Pollock II]

I was thinking of bringing my Microbes into my Human Bio class, but I'm going to e-mail my teacher first.

[kskerr]

They do make for great visual aides :D!

[Pollock II]

We have already discussed numerous ones, and now we're learning about the major organ systems, so I know more are bound to come up.

[kskerr]

Sounds like a great class :D!

[Tuburculosis]

yes,it does!!!!!!!!

[Pollock II]

Sounds like a great class :D!


Our teacher is great! It's one of the few times I've managed to actually enjoy a science class.

The other fun part is that the class roughly synchs up with my Biopsychology class, so we'll cover things like PKU in biology, and then learn about them in my biopsych class from another angle. :D

[Tuburculosis]

my science teacher is SO boring,but we ARE doing cells now!

[anemone]

I cnt take them either

[kskerr]

Our teacher is great! It's one of the few times I've managed to actually enjoy a science class.

The other fun part is that the class roughly synchs up with my Biopsychology class, so we'll cover things like PKU in biology, and then learn about them in my biopsych class from another angle. :D

It is always interesting when there are two classes that synch like that, I have not had too many but it is fun when they do. Of course I generally enjoy my science classes, obviously ;)

[sceptor]

In fact, today I brought my neuron with me and my Health teacher wanted me to give it to her.

[Tuburculosis]

I brought one in once, the teacher didn't care! maybe thats because I had it at the bottom of the backpack the whole time and never took it out. It might still be there... poor tummy ache must have a tummy ache from all those textbooks...

[supergerm]

I always brought my germs and my teacher liked them and i just let them sit on my desk all day and some of my friends have some too and everyone loved them:D

[mazuac]

I always brought my germs and my teacher liked them and i just let them sit on my desk all day and some of my friends have some too and everyone loved them:D
I wish I had the audacity to do that! It sounds awesome O:!

[supergerm]

I have a new teacher this year so im not sure if I can do that again

[mazuac]

Ohh, that stinks~! Ah well, you could always put 'em in your locker or something XD!

[FluffyBugs]

I'm a science teacher in training, and I have used my microbes as a great visual aide! I wouldn't keep them in my class though, I have a feeling they would go missing!

[mazuac]

I'm a science teacher in training, and I have used my microbes as a great visual aide! I wouldn't keep them in my class though, I have a feeling they would go missing!
Sweet! And yeah~ They probably would. I would keep them open to the class while you were in the room, but at the end of the day, take them home with you and what not. Ya' know?

[10825]

Hi!
I bring mine to school ALOT!

So far everyone really liks them!:)

[mazuac]

Hi!
I bring mine to school ALOT!

So far everyone really liks them!:)
Ohreally? Can I ask what grade your in?

[10825]

I'm in 5th grade.:)

[kskerr]

I want them to make a line of probiotics so I can buy a set to show off when I do micro demos. I don't like doing demos that only show the pathogenic side of microorganisms, while important that is such a small part of the subject overall.

[Stomach Ache*Special]

Probiotics? You mean like yogurt? Or like milk? :confused:

[Adenine]

You're right that yogurt is a probiotic substance, but kskerr likely means the probiotic bacteria that are found in those products like Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. :)

[Stomach Ache*Special]

Oh! Well then I was right! I forgot a word in my last post! Sorry! ^-^"