Digital Video Database

Digitize Your Lecture

Create a custom DVD to accompany your lab manual. Our DVD database includes video on lab safety, microscope use, Gram staining, pH testing, pipetting, diffusion and osmosis, respirometer use, and more. Video clips can be combined in any order to match your lab manual, or customized with new video created just for you. Adding content to existing DVD material or writing new DVD script can earn you, your department, or your school royalties. The professional videographers at Bent Tree Press can shoot video at your location, or use our biologists to shoot video for you—all at incredible cost-saving pricing!

VIEW CLIPS OF OUR DVD VIDEOS:

Microbiology • Biology • Marine Biology

Microbiology

• Lab Safety
  Covers basic lab safety, including use of fire extinguisher and fire blanket, location of First Aid kit, use of eyewash station, disinfection of workstation, disposal of sharp and contaminated materials in the SHARPS and biohazard containers, and location of MSDS information.
• Parts of the Microscope
  Identifies and discusses uses of the ocular eyepieces, diopter ring, rotating nosepiece, objective lenses, stage, condenser, condensure apeture diaphragm, daylight filter, base, light source, X & Y travel controls, fine and course focus knobs, arms, and power switch.
• Use of the Microscope
  Shows proper transport and setup of microscope, cleaning of ocular and objective lenses, placement of slide, magnification, adjustment of eyepiece plates, proper focusing procedure, and oil immersion viewing and focus, as well as microscope cleanup and storage.
• Aseptic Technique
  Covers labeling a culture, turning on and adjusting the Bunsen burner, flaming the loop, transferring organisms from a broth, and inoculating an Agar slant.
• Smear Preparation
  Demonstrates the steps in making a bacterial smear from both broth and Agar, including aseptic technique for obtaining and transferring bacteria to a slide, drying a slide, and properly heat-fixing a slide.
• Simple Stain
  Shows how to stain a prepared slide and provides examples of how a correctly stained slide looks under oil immersion, as compared to stains that are too thick or too thin. Discusses how to avoid sampling error, and provides examples of proper interpretation of a stain.
• The Gram Stain
  Provides history of the Gram stain and discusses positive and negative results obtained from the procedure. Shows the 4 reagents used in the Gram stain, and discusses their roles in the staining process, as well as how to avoid sampling error. Demonstrates the steps of the staining procedure and shows examples of correctly stained slides, as well as interpretation of slides.
• Streak Plate Technique
  Discusses reasons for using dilution technique and shows labeling, T-streaking, examples of properly and improperly streaked cultures, and how to avoid sampling error.
• Serial Dilutions Using Serological Pipettes
  Shows the setup and labeling of test tubes, aseptic technique for obtaining a pipette, attaching a pipetting device, aspirating liquid, filling test tubes with water and broth, mixing and serial transferring of liquid from one tube to another, and disposing of used pipettes. Shows labeling of sterile Petri dishes, transferring broth from test tubes to culture dishes, and steps in proper spread plate technique.
• Serial Dilutions Using Micropipettors
  Shows setup and labeling of microcentrifuge tubes, and micropipetting of water and broth into each tube. Demonstrates mixing and serial transferring of liquid from one tube to another. Shows labeling of sterile Petri dishes, transferring of broth from test tubes to culture dishes, and proper spread plate technique.

Biology

• Using the Computer
  Shows how to turn on the Apple eMac computer, log in, and gain Internet access. Discusses how to obtain course information and use weekly links buttons for Web-based lab information. Shows how to turn off the computer at the end of lab.
• Safety
  Discusses lab safety rules for food and clothing, lab procedures for backpacks and phones, emergency phone and phone number location in the lab, as well as eyewash station location and use, First Aid kit location, fire extinguisher location and use, and biohazard material disposal.
• Introduction to the Microscope
  Shows proper transport and setup of the microscope, and identifies the oculars, stage, objectives, course and fine focus knobs, slide clip, stage manipulators, power switch, dimmer dial, and iris.
• Using the Microscope
  Demonstrates how to place a slide, adjust the objective lenses and eyepieces, focus under low power, increase magnification, and adjust with the fine focus. Shows proper technique for preparing the microscope for storage and transporting it back to the shelf.
• Obsertainer
  Discusses what an obsertainer box is, where to locate the box number, and how to use the obsertainer in lab.
• Cheek Cell Preparation
  Shows how to clean and prepare a microscope slide, apply methylene blue dye, obtain a cheek cell scraping, apply a coverslip to avoid bubbles, dispose of the used coverslip, and clean and store the slide for future use.
• pH Testing
  Discusses pH and the pH scale, and shows how to test a sample and read a pH strip.
• Cell Chemistry: The Test for the Presence of Starch
  Demonstrates how iodine reacts with starch in a potato, and shows how to prepare test tubes and unknowns for the presence of starch and two other biomolecules. Shows how to setup and conduct the experiment for the starch assay and how to perform the Benedict’s test for sugar and the Biuret test for protein.
• Enzymes
  Shows how to prepare and label a spot plate for the amylase enzyme test. Demonstrates how to add iodine to each well and test for starch breakdown in the wells over time. Shows how to time and take samples and read results, including negative and positive controls. Discusses variation in results due to heating, cooling, diluting, or changing pH.
• pH Effect on Enzymes
  Shows the effect of exposing the enzyme amylase to acid, and demonstrates the spot plate test with the altered enzyme.
• Diffusion and Osmosis
  Discusses the movement of molecules by diffusion and osmosis and demonstrates the effect with red dye, water, and temperature. Demonstrates how to prepare dialysis tubing with soaking, folding, clipping, and filling. Shows how to tare the dialysis tubing and perform the experiment.
• Cellular Respiration: Respirometers
  Shows how to make a respirometer by filling and inverting two differently sized test tubes. Demonstrates how to prepare three tubes for the experiment, including the negative and positive controls, by adding the yeast, water, and glucose to the tubes. Shows the instructor adding the toxic sodium azide and the addition of phenol red. Demonstrates inversion of the experimental respirometers.
• Fermentation Tubes
  Demonstrates the steps for testing the effectiveness of various respiratory fuels, and shows proper technique for working with a fermentation tube.

Marine Biology

• Laboratory Safety
  Covers basic lab safety, including use of fire extinguisher and fire blanket, location of First Aid kit, use of eyewash station, disinfection of workstation, disposal of sharp and contaminated materials in the SHARPS and biohazard containers, and location of MSDS information.
• Introduction to the Microscope
  Shows proper transport and setup of the microscope, and identifies the oculars, stage, objectives, course and fine focus knobs, slide clip, stage manipulators, power switch, dimmer dial, and iris.
• Making Smears of Bacteria
  Demonstrates the steps in making a bacterial smear from both broth and Agar, including aseptic technique for obtaining and transferring bacteria to a slide, drying a slide, and properly heat-fixing a slide.
• Streak Plate Technique
  Discusses reasons for using dilution technique and shows labeling, T-streaking, examples of properly and improperly streaked cultures, and how to avoid sampling error.
• Oil Immersion Technique
  Demonstrates proper focusing procedure: adjustment of the iris diaphragm, condenser and rheostat, application of oil and rotation of oil immersion objective to minimize bubble formation, use of fine focus knob, as well as microscope cleanup.
• The Gram Stain
  Provides history of the Gram stain and discusses positive and negative results obtained from the procedure. Shows the 4 reagents used in the Gram stain, and discusses their roles in the staining process, as well as how to avoid sampling error. Demonstrates the steps of the staining procedure and shows examples of correctly stained slides, as well as interpretation of slides.
• Examples of Zooplankton
  Shows locomotion, behaviors, and morphological details of 17 living species of coastal mero- and holoplankton, concluding with 7 review questions. Onscreen questions prompt students to identify locomotory structures and consider their adaptive significance.
• Making Pressings of Seaweeds
  Demonstrates the proper techniques of mounting and labeling algae specimens on herbarium paper.
• Sponge Filtration
  Shows excurrent water flow through a large single osculum on a live sponge after the animal was injected with carmine solution. An onscreen timer allows students to estimate filtration rate.
• External and Internal Anatomy of a Cephalopod
  Provides an overview of dissection procedure. Demonstrates how to make the initial incision & remove the ink sac. Explains how cephalopod appendages are numbered, and directs students to find the hectocotylus arm. Demonstrates removal of skin to make a wet mount for microscopic analysis of chromatophores, and shows how to open the buccal mass and isolate the radula.
• Squid Congregation
  Shows nighttime reproductive aggregation of Pacific Market Squid (Loligo), featuring swimming and mating behaviors. Striking displays of chromatophore color change are seen, along with large expanses of the squid's egg masses attached to the sea floor. The reproductive biology of Loligo is described, and a bat ray (a squid predator) is seen swimming through the school.
• External and Internal Anatomy of a Crab
  Provides an overview of dissection procedure. Shows the exterior morphology of a crab, how to remove the carapace and hypodermis, and reveals the internal skeletal mechanism that opens and closes the chelipeds. Footage of living marine arthropods shows movement of maxillipeds and incurrent/excurrent respiratory water flow in the blue crab Callinectes; gill ventilation movements and the coordinated motions of chelicerae and gnathobases during feeding in the Horseshoe crab Limulus; burrowing and use of antennae by the mole crab Emerita (the ventral surface of a gravid female shows its modified appendages for burrowing). Remaining video segments show locomotion in juvenile and adult decorator crabs, and body shapes of 4 other crab species. Onscreen prompts direct students to think about structure / function relationships when comparing the external modifications of the various marine arthropods.
• Sea Urchin Laboratory
  Demonstrates how to safely remove an urchin attached to the walls of an aquarium, shows injection procedure and gamete collection, and how to prepare a dilute sperm solution for fertilization experiments.
• Sea Urchin Processing Center
  A visit to a seafood processing company in San Diego reveals how uni (a type of sushi) is prepared from the Pacific red sea urchin. Basic natural history and internal anatomy is discussed as we follow all stages of the production process (extraction, washing, draining, sorting, and packing).
• External and Internal Anatomy of a Bony Fish
  Identifies the fins, urogenital opening, and anus, and shows the sequence of incisions for opening the abdominal cavity. Demonstrates removal of abdominal fat from internal organs, and use of probe to identify the stomach.
• Oceanography Activities on a Pier
  Demonstrates several typical sampling and field analysis procedures for collecting oceanographic data (water sampling, nutrient testing, determining salinity and dissolved oxygen level, preparation of BOD collection bottles for transit, use of Secchi disk and plankton net).
• Fouling Community Study
  Shows dockside collection of epifaunal invertebrates. Samples are shown being sorted in laboratory. Footage identifies compound tunicates, shows byssal gland of mussel, and shows water circulation through a transparent solitary tunicate. Color images are provided of all the invertebrates shown in the Fouling Community chapter of the lab manual.
• Sandy Beach Studies
  Demonstrates procedures for conducting an elevational beach profile, using 5-meter and 1-meter increments; shows sand sample collection along the transect line, and demonstrates how to collect meiofauna from beach sand.
• Examples of Meiofauna
  Identifies the main body regions of a rotifer, showing feeding currents. Shows body flexibility and locomotion in ciliates, gastrotrichs, nematodes, oligochaetes, and tardigrades. Identifies the tardigrade stylet. Onscreen questions invite students to consider which locomotory mechanisms are employed by the various species.
• Behavior of Shorebirds
  Provides a virtual bird watching session for students to practice their observational skills on seven coastal bird species (Pacific Coast) as the birds forage, preen, and engage in interspecific antagonistic behaviors. Onscreen prompts ask students to compare and contrast behaviors seen. Video concludes with review questions to summarize observations.
• Teacher’s Modules: For each of the modules below, 15–18 examples (species, external or internal anatomical structures) are shown for students to identify.
  • Plankton Quiz: 18 species of coastal plankton.
  • Squid Dissection Quiz: 17 anatomical structures.
  • Crab Dissection Quiz: 16 anatomical structures.
  • Sea Urchin Anatomy Quiz: 16 anatomical structures.
  • Fish Dissection Quiz: 15 anatomical structures.
• Footage of Marine Invertebrates
  20 minutes of silent footage show prey capture and feeding, burrowing, locomotion behaviors in 47 species from 7 phyla. Time-lapse footage speeds up slow movements, making them more obvious to see.