Bacteria Growing Kit - Petri Dishes One of our most popular science fair project kits. email to friend
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You can smell a good science project a block away. In this case, multiply the fun by six and you have one of our most popular science fair project kits. You'll get six large Petri dishes, 10 cm (4 in) in diameter, a microwave safe plastic beaker, cotton swabs and the highest quality nutrient agar. This is the same nutrient agar used by microbiologists to grow really funky stuff in the lab. The instructions give you great suggestions for collecting samples and ways to gross out your parents. Recommended for children ages 6 and up.

What's included?

• 6 large, 10 cm (4 in) diameter Petri dishes
• 6 cotton swabs
• 5 grams of Nutrient Agar
• 1 600 mL plastic beaker
• 1 activity guide

What does it teach?

Bacteria Growing Kit - Get ready to get grossed out! With this kit you have all the makings to see the unseen bacteria all around you!

How to make the Bacteria Growing Kit into a science fair project:
Examples of Independent Variables: (choose only ONE independent variable to test)

• Door Knobs -
  • Start up question - Which door knob has the most bacteria?
  • Variations to the independent variable: bathroom door knob, your bedroom door knob, your front door knob
• Mouths -
  • Start up question - Which mouth is the cleanest?
  • Variations to the independent variable: your mouth, your mom’s mouth, your teacher’s mouth, your dog’s mouth
• Dental Care -
  • Start up question - How clean does my mouth really get?
  • Variations to the independent variable: no brushing, brushing, brushing and mouth wash OR test different toothpastes - before brushing/after brushing with Colgate, before brushing/brushing with Crest, before brushing/brushing with Arm & Hammer, etc.
• Experiments - Growing Bacteria in Agar Petri Dishes

Product FAQ

• Is it dangerous? 
  It is growing bacteria and bacteria is not something that you really want around.  Always keep your lids on.  You don’t want the spores to get everywhere and grow places where you don’t want them to.  Also, throw the petri dishes away, or at least dispose of the agar if you want to wash the dishes.  You don’t want to keep it because you are creating an environment for bacteria to grow and you don’t want for it to get out of hand.

• How long does it take to grow?   
  Our little scientists were seeing results in about a week.  Your results will be dependent on the environment.

• Is there a test for the type of bacteria?
  No.  The lesson here is to not really be able to identify which type you are growing but instead to record that there is growth.

• Is your agar made from seaweed?
  Yes and no. By definition agar is a seaweed derivitive. However, our nutrient agar also contains beef nutrients to help facilitate bacteria growth.