Photos by Rome City Schools
Freshmen in Rome High School science teacher, Lori Davis’, classroom enjoyed a special visit from Georgia State University’s Bio-Bus, which is comprised of graduate students studying in the biology field.
This is the fourth-year that graduate students from Georgia State University have visited Rome High School on the Bio-Bus. The college students visiting included Verdy Jocelyn, a Bioinformatics and Computer Science student; Edward Nguyen, a future dentist; Tung Le, biology graduate student and Jason Gilmore, a medical student.
This year’s module was named “Microbes and You,” which consisted of a full day speaking to RHS students about microbiology and conducting experiments based on the lesson plans.
“In the previous years, I have had the Bio-Bus come out and do a module on forensics and the nitrogen cycle. Today we are learning about microbes,” said Davis.
After a quick presentation, the students jumped into two fun experiments that the members of the Bio-Bus prepared for them.
The first experiment the students participated in was an experiment testing cellular respiration and carbon dioxide production. The students received a beaker filled with either sugar water or filtered tap water. As they poured yeast into the beaker, they followed by attaching an uninflated balloon to the top of the beaker, in hopes of inflating the balloon. The goal was to inflate the balloons with carbon dioxide that is a by-product of the active yeast.
Perhaps the class favorite experiment, however, was learning about how a virus is spread.
Each student received their own vile of solution. Members of GSU’s Bio-Bus then instructed them to pass a few drops of their vile into someone else’s, and then receive solution from a different person’s vile in hopes of not becoming “infected.”
At the end of the experiment, the Bio-Bus members came around and tested each student’s solution to see who ended up infected with the virus. RHS students Abigail Huggins, Joanna Cordle and Nathan Carey’s viles all turned a pink color, indicating their infections. It was then decided that Nathan’s vile was patient 0, or the vile which infected everyone.
“This is an honors level class, so my students get the experience of working with graduate students, as well as the hands-on and inquiry-based experiences with several experiments. I think having them here is amazing and we are so thankful that GSU offers our school this opportunity,” said Davis.
Special thanks to Georgia State University for taking the time to visit with our Rome High School students. Go Wolves!
