Each group needs:

• 3 cotton-tipped swabs (Q-tips)
• 1 Petri dish, already plated with nutrient agar
• marker
• masking tape
• Wastewater Treatment Laboratory Investigation Worksheet, one per student
• How Septic and Sewer Systems Work Article, one per group
• Septic and Sewer Systems Question Sheet, one per student

To share with the entire class:

• incubator, large enough to hold all Petri dishes (see ideas for incubator alternatives in the Troubleshooting Tips section)
• computer with internet connection to show online video
• (optional) projector to show video
• bleach, for ensuring all bacteria are destroyed, and for clean-up
• bucket, to hold bleach/water solution for soaking/cleaning Petri dishes
• soap and water, for clean-up

For teacher to prepare liquids for Jars A, B and C:

• two 500-ml beakers
• 1/4 raw chicken breast
• graduated cylinder, to measure water
• 3 clear glass jars with lids, each large enough to hold ~ 100 ml
• masking tape and marker, to label jars
• broken twigs, pebbles, grass blades
• liquid food coloring (for drops of blue, yellow, green, red)
• 3 spoons or glass stirrers
• tap water
• hot plate, for boiling water
• timer, to measure boiling time