Using microbiology activities in the classroom is an effective way for teachers to address National Standards in the life sciences.  However, common microbiology activities that involve swabbing doorknobs and hands are too risky due to the likelihood of culturing human pathogens. In addition, making sterile media and maintaining sterile conditions can be difficult, and activities requiring aseptic techniques are particularly challenging for the lower grades.

To address these problems, we have developed a microbiology system that focuses on a specialized class of microbes that can live under extreme hypersaline conditions.  The high salt content of the media eliminates the need for sterilization and aseptic techniques, and rules out the possibility of culturing bacterial pathogens. furthermore, the activity has been developed with the use of low-cost, common household materials.