Teaching the Lifecycles of Bacteriophages Using a Modified 5E Approach in the Undergraduate Microbiology Classroom

Bacteriophage lifecycles are a core concept in the undergraduate microbiology classroom. However, teaching this intricate topic passively can overwhelm students. Since bacteriophage lifecycles are not easily relatable to other real-world processes, providing students with a lived experience is essential when teaching this material. By modifying Bybee’s 5E model to fit the college classroom, students can engage by visualizing the phenomenon through a short video, exploring the concept by acting out the lifecycle, receiving an explanation via a brief (mini) lecture, elaborating on the material by organizing images of the lifecycles, and participating in evaluation, both formative and summative—with formative evaluation using classroom feedback and summative assessment conducted through an exam a week later. When surveyed, 76.2% of students found the experience to be a good use of classroom time and helpful for understanding the material. Teaching the bacteriophage lifecycles in this manner also enhances the instructor’s classroom experience.