The Diverse World of Protists—an Ideal Community with which to Introduce Microscopy in the Microbiology Teaching Laboratory

Protists and other eukaryotes are present in diverse terrestrial and aquatic environments. They can easily be collected from local ponds and streams. Although they are typically larger in size than prokaryotes, making them easy to study with even basic microscopes, microbiology laboratory courses often do not discuss them in detail and may only dedicate a short time to observing preserved samples. This laboratory exercise allows students to develop microscope skills, experience real world application of collecting and processing field samples, and delve deeper into the diverse world of protists and other microbial eukaryotes. Students may also engage by sharing their findings on the website iNaturalist to contribute to the scientific knowledge collected around the world. This laboratory module was initially designed for in-person learning but has been successfully adapted to remote learning and can also be applied to a complete online learning environment.