Skip to main content
English Français

All Results

Generic filters
Search in title
Filter by Product type
simple

1-877-967-2726

Carolina Biological Products Named Best-in-Class for K to 12 Science Teaching and Learning in National STEM Awards

Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023 Awards recognize innovative STEM products for education that go above and beyond to inspire today’s teachers, students and science classes

BURLINGTON, NC, Aug. 30, 2023 – Carolina Biological is proud to announce that its products won a number of new science education awards. Leading K-12 science supplier Carolina Biological Supply Company won four prestigious national Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023 Awards and earned Finalist in two more categories. The awards are the only competition in which products are reviewed and judged only by STEM educators. Thirty-four awards total were given in thoughtful and important categories tailored to STEM education. The awards program, operated in partnership with the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA), MCH Strategic Data and the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT), spotlights innovative products, technologies, and services that are changing the world of STEM education.

Winners were chosen for qualities such as alignment with NGSS standards, the use of simulations, instructional support for teachers, and the flexibility of implementation for different modes of instruction across all STEM topics. Carolina Biological Supply Company was awarded for: Building Blocks of Science® 3D won “Bridging the Gap—English Language Learners: Science & Literacy,” Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™ won “Best of STEM: Most Comprehensive Culturally Relevant Teaching,” and Carolina® Healthcare Simulations Kit Series: Blood Typing Kit won “CTE Training: Health Science—Training Kits” and Carolina Distance Learning® Online Gateway HyFlex won a “Trailblazer Award: Hybrid Learning Superhero.” Carolina also received Finalist status for 3-D Earth and Space Science Kits for “Best of STEM: Environmental Science” and CRISPR in a Box™ Kit for “Trailblazer: Biotechnology Innovator.”

Products were judged first by an expert panel of judges. Then, more than 267,000 STEM educators were invited to evaluate the finalists via survey. For information about the awards program, visit www.bestofstemawards.com. Carolina has won eight Educator’s Pick Best of STEM awards over the last three years, demonstrating breadth and depth of high-quality products, curricula and teacher resources in K-16 education. Awards have been earned in such subjects as elementary and middle-school science, biology, chemistry, physical science, environmental science, career technical education (CTE), and anatomy and physiology.

“Carolina employees put their hearts and minds into developing new products to support science teachers at all instructional levels,” said Jim Parrish, CEO of Carolina Biological. “It’s rewarding to have those we care so much about affirm our work and mission with Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023 Awards.”

“Our development staff works closely with science teachers to develop products that will excite and engage their students,” said Mark Meszaros, Vice President of Carolina Biological’s Core Product Management and Innovation. “I am grateful that we were able to address these difficult to teach topics and be recognized by our peers in science education.”

“This recognition highlights Carolina’s dedication to fostering inclusive and effective learning environments that empower students in science and STEM, said Karen Stevens, Vice President of Carolina Biological’s Curriculum. “This is the second Best of STEM award for Building Blocks of Science® 3D, which reinforces Carolina’s commitment to support all students by ensuring that language barriers do not hinder students’ opportunities to excel. And we’re thrilled that Smithsonian Science for the Classroom™ was recognized for Most Comprehensive Culturally Relevant Teaching. Developed with support from the Smithsonian Institution — the world’s largest cultural institution – culturally relevant teaching is crucial for engaging students from diverse backgrounds and making STEM subjects accessible to all.”

“We are thrilled and honored to receive the Educators Pick Best of STEM® 2023 Awards, ‘Trailblazer Award: Hybrid Learning Superhero’ for our groundbreaking Carolina Distance Learning product for college, Carolina Online Gateway, HyFlex,” said Shannon McGurk, Vice President of Carolina Biological’s Carolina Distance Learning. “This recognition reaffirms our commitment to revolutionizing education through innovation and hybrid learning solutions. Carolina Online Gateway represents a new era of educational tools, providing educators and students with a comprehensive platform designed to elevate the college distance learning experience.”

All four of Carolina’s winning products and the two finalists are available now through Carolina. For information, visit carolina.com or call (800) 334-5551 to speak to a customer service or technical representative.

Carolina’s 2023 Best-in-Class Winners:

The first winner, setting the standard in 3D learning and 3D assessment, is the Smithsonian Science for the Classroom curriculum. It provides cohesive storylines, superior teacher support, and research-supported instructional design that is backed by proven results. Smithsonian Science for the Classroom is a high-quality core science and engineering curriculum program specifically developed to meet the NGSS. This elementary curriculum is designed to engage, inspire, and connect grades K to 5 students firsthand to the world around them through engaging and hands-on lessons.

Next, Carolina Biological’s second winner, Building Blocks of Science 3D provides hands-on unit kits for students in grades K to 5. This complete, phenomena-based program combines interactive investigations, literacy components, and digital resources to teach students science content and investigative skills in manageable 30-minute lessons. The program also integrates engineering into every grade and includes everything teachers need for their entire class for every lesson with hands-on materials, print, and digital simulations.

In addition, the third winner, Carolina® Healthcare Simulations Kit Series: Blood Typing Kit, is a Career Technical Education (CTE) series that asks students to practice clinical skills, techniques, and procedures. While performing a series of investigations, in addition to gaining an understanding of human anatomy and physiology, students learn and practice skills that can be used in a healthcare setting using safe simulated samples. Each activity includes a case study that provides students with background information about a patient who presents with relevant symptoms. The series consists of Blood Hematocrit, Blood Glucose, Blood Typing, Urinalysis, and a Vital Signs Kit. More real-world CTE kits in the series are coming soon.

The fourth winner, Carolina Distance Learning® Online Gateway HyFlex, is for college level and includes lab kits and materials that produce great results for college students, at home or on campus. A HyFlex class allows students to attend class in person, synchronously online, or asynchronously online. That flexibility gives students the opportunity to attend class who, due to circumstances, might not otherwise be able to do so. It also gives institutions the opportunity to increase enrollment and the number of courses they can offer.

Which Electrophoresis Kit Is Right for You?

Use this companion guide to compare kit characteristics so you can prepare yourself and your lab accordingly.

Electrophoresis of DNA is a fundamental technique in biotechnology that covers a variety of subject material on the structure and function of DNA. Carolina makes the study of electrophoresis attainable for any classroom by offering a number of kits that include valuable teacher resources.

Use this guide to compare kit characteristics so you can prepare yourself and your lab accordingly. No matter what your needs are, we have the right kit for you. If you already use Carolina kits, you might discover a new kit to try with your students!

Type of Samples # of Samples Restriction Digest Required Type of Enzyme Restriction Type of Stain Equipment Included
Beginner Kits
Exploring Electrophoresis of Dyes dyes 6 none none
Best for teaching: The Principles of Electrophoresis.
Scenario: Use dyes and subject them to electrophoresis to determine their relative size.
Exploring Electrophoresis and Forensics Kit DNA 4 none CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: The Principles of DNA Fingerprinting.
Scenario: Analysis of crime scene whereby DNA evidence is collected from the crime scene, victim and two suspects.
Exploring Electrophoresis of DNA DNA 3 none CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: Demonstrate the action of restriction enzymes on DNA.
Scenario: Analyze banding pattern of pre-digested DNA when compared to uncut DNA samples after electrophoresis.
Introductory Gel Electrophoresis dyes 8 none none
Best for teaching: The Principles of Electrophoresis.
Scenario: Use dyes and subject them to electrophoresis to determine their relative size.
Type of Samples # of Samples Restriction Digest Required Type of Enzyme Restriction Type of Stain Equipment Included
Intermediate Kits
Nature’s Dice – A Genetic Screening Simulation DNA 24 lyophilized CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: Mendelian genetics and inheritance, using molecular biology.
Scenario: Perform and analyze a genetic screen on a fictitious family tree. Discover either an Autosomal Recessive or Sex Linked Trait.
Exploring Restriction Analysis and Electrophoresis of DNA DNA 4 lyophilized CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: Demonstrate the action of restriction enzymes on DNA.
Scenario: Setup restriction digests of lambda DNA using three different enzymes. Separate the digested samples by electrophoresis and analyze.
Restriction Enzyme and DNA DNA 4 lyophilized CarolinaBLU & GelGreen
Best for teaching: Restriction Analysis of Bacteriophage DNA.
Scenario: Lambda DNA is digested using three separate enzymes and analyzed.
DNA Restriction Analysis DNA 4 wet CarolinaBLU & Ethidium Bromide
Best for teaching: Restriction Analysis of Bacteriophage DNA.
Scenario: Lambda DNA is digested using three separate enzymes and analyzed.
Restriction Mapping of Plasmid DNA DNA 4 none CarolinaBLU
Best of teaching: Restriction Mapping of a Plasmid using DNA fragments.
Scenario: Use restriction analysis to piece together a plasmid map from digested DNA fragments.
PCR Forensics Simulation DNA 6 none CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: Demonstrating the concepts of DNA fingerprinting and PCR.
Scenario: Use a real world scenario to solve a crime by analyzing two loci in a DNA fingerprint.
Outbreak! Fingerprinting Virus DNA DNA 3 none CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: DNA Analysis of fictional virus.
Scenario: Play the roles of epidemiologists and identify an unknown virus strain using electrophoresis and fragment analysis.
Restriction Enzyme Cleavage of DNA DNA 3 none CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: Concepts of electrophoresis and restriction enzymes.
Scenario: Perform an electrophoresis with predigested samples with respective enzymes and analyze results. Determine fragment size, calculate relative mobility and use drylabs in this classic lab.
Fast Gels DNA 6 none CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: Electrophoresis in 15 minutes, using a real world scenario!
Scenario: Choose from two impactful scenarios: Fish DNA fingerprinting or Colon Cancer Testing.
Type of Samples # of Samples Restriction Digest Required Type of Enzyme Restriction Type of Stain Equipment Included
Advanced Kits
Forensic DNA Fingerprinting DNA 4 wet CarolinaBLU & GelGreen
Best for teaching: Advanced techniques in forensic DNA fingerprinting and analysis.
Scenario: Perform plasmid isolation, restriction analysis and electrophoresis of samples taken from a “crime scene” then compare the DNA profiles for a match.
Restriction Mapping of Lambda DNA DNA 3 wet CarolinaBLU
Best for teaching: Restriction Mapping of Lambda DNA using restriction enzymes.
Scenario: Assemble a map of the lambda virus using fragments of DNA digested with three different restriction enzymes.

3 things to consider before you purchase electrophoresis kit(s)

1. What equipment do I already have available?

Before performing electrophoresis, consider what type of equipment (if any) you have available. Whether you have equipment from our biotechnology line or none at all, we have a kit for your classroom. Look for a checkmark in the “Equipment Included” column.

  • All of the electrophoresis kits we sell are compatible with our biotechnology equipment.
  • Our Exploring Electrophoresis kits include all of the equipment and materials to run an electrophoresis.

2. Which electrophoresis topics do I want to teach?

Our labs cover numerous topics within electrophoresis, including the basic principles of electrophoresis, restriction enzymes, DNA fingerprinting, and PCR. Kits may include a combination of these subjects. Check out the “Best for teaching” recommendation.

3. What skill level are my students?

Consider both skill level and appropriateness of subject matter when choosing a kit. For instance, if your class has loaded undigested DNA and run an electrophoresis, but has not performed a restriction digest, choosing a kit that requires students to piece together a plasmid map from DNA fragments will not be a good fit. A kit that requires you to run pre-digested samples and discuss the action of restriction enzymes on DNA would be an appropriate kit to develop your students’ skills. Look for kits in the appropriate skill level section for your class.

Kit scenarios

You may also want to consider the investigative scenario demonstrated in each kit. Many of our kits offer real-world scenarios. Students can play a forensic scientist recreating a crime scene, an epidemiologist investigating the origin of a virus, or a medical professional tracking heritable diseases, to name a few. Using this criterion can be especially helpful when you’re covering cross-curricular concepts–a forensics class with the crime scene scenario, for instance, or a statistics class with the epidemiological scenario.

Choosing the right type of DNA stain has implications on the equipment you’ll use, and more importantly, your and your students’ safety. Carolina offers ethidium bromide-free alternatives such as the CarolinaBLU™ and GelGreen™ dyes that use a white light box and LED blue transilluminators, respectively.

Check out our free video resources for a how-to guide on preparing and pouring a gel and loading a gel for electrophoresis.

Owl Pellets in the Classroom: Safety Guidelines

The dissection of owl pellets can provide a valuable learning experience for students at all grade levels. The following guidelines will help to ensure that this activity is done in a safe fashion.

Owl pellets contain the remains of small animals that the owl has ingested and can be a source of bacterial contamination. Carolina’s individually wrapped owl pellets are heat sterilized at 250º F for 4 hours to eliminate most bacteria, including salmonella bacteria. We do not treat them with chemicals. Keep them wrapped until time to use, to prevent insect infestations or contamination.

Supervise dissection activities.

A teacher or other adult(s) must oversee students’ owl pellet dissection activities to ensure that they perform the activities safely.

Complete dissection activities in one day.

Afterwards, promptly dispose of the owl pellets, plus all disposable materials used in the activity, and remove them from the classroom.

Handle owl pellets, even sterilized ones, as though they could be a source of bacterial or viral contamination.

This is good advice for any and all lab work involving biological materials. The students should learn the importance of good laboratory practices. It will serve them well throughout their academic career and beyond. Caution in the form of good laboratory practices is of great importance whenever one is working with biological materials or chemicals.

Do not use food consumption areas for owl pellet activities.

Owl pellets are not to be dissected in school cafeterias or other food consumption areas. Covering laboratory or classroom tables with an impermeable, disposable material such as aluminum foil will greatly diminish the likelihood of microbial infections. Also use disposable trays, paper, or plates as work surfaces for dissection of the pellets, and dispose of them promptly upon completion of the activity.

No eating or drinking in the dissection area!

During the activity, students must not be allowed to use drinking fountains or get water from sinks for drinking. Eating and drinking should take place before the activity or after the student has completed the activity and thoroughly washed his or her hands, and should take place outside the dissection area.

Use gloves and wash hands.

Give students disposable gloves and instruct them in how to use the gloves properly. Students should also be instructed to keep their hands away from their faces during the activity, and not to touch other surfaces and items away from the work surface and materials. Students should be shown that, when removing gloves, they must avoid skin contact with the exterior of the glove. Common practice is:

  1. Remove the first glove by grasping the cuff, taking care not to touch bare skin, and peeling the glove off the hand so that the glove is inside out.
  2. Remove the second glove while holding the inside of the first in the ungloved hand.
  3. Drop both into the disposal receptacle.

Immediately after the activity and after glove removal and disposal, students must thoroughly wash their hands with soap and warm water, rubbing them with lather for at least 20 seconds before rinsing (as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—see http://www.cdc.gov/cleanhands), and should dry them with clean paper towels. Be sure sinks are available and well stocked with soap and paper towels. A good antimicrobial foaming skin cleanser for use with water is BactoShield® by Steris. A waterless hand sanitizer can also be a very effective antimicrobial agent if it is comprised of at least 70% alcohol. This can be used in addition to hand washing or, if soap and water are simply not available, in lieu of hand washing (though hand washing is preferable). Do not use a waterless hand sanitizer that does not have this high alcohol content.

Owl pellet dissection provides a good opportunity to teach skills that will serve students well in their academic careers and, for some, in their professional careers or in volunteer activities. They can learn the importance of, and how to use, personal protective equipment (gloves in this instance) and how to protect themselves from microbial infections. Note: Latex gloves can cause allergic reactions in some individuals. Carolina recommends disposable vinyl exam gloves (such as Carolina’s items 706348, 706349, or 706350), or, for this activity with sterilized owl pellets, polyethylene gloves may be used (such as Carolina’s items 706345, 706346, or 706347).

Collect dissection tools, trays, etc., immediately after the activity.

Allow students to use only the tools provided; do not allow them to use pencils or other personal items that they will maintain in their possession after the activity. If possible, use disposable dissection tools and then throw them away. Otherwise, immediately sanitize tools using a bactericidal and virucidal cleaning agent according to its instructions, or by soaking the tools for 2 hours in a 10% household bleach solution or in 70% ethanol.

Wash and sanitize work surfaces immediately after the dissection activity.

Use a cleaning agent that is bactericidal and virucidal, and use according to label instructions. Alternatively, 70% ethanol may be used (be aware that it is flammable), or a 10% household bleach solution makes an effective sanitizing solution (be aware that chlorine bleach is corrosive and irritating to skin and may damage clothing). Use disposable paper towels and throw them away. Do not use sponges or rags that might hold and spread bacteria or viruses. After the students have washed their hands, sanitize the sinks and surrounding surfaces.

Owl pellet dissection is a safe and rewarding activity.

Through this investigation students learn about the food chain and the diets of owls. This activity also provides an opportunity to learn about safe laboratory practices and the importance of taking precautions. We want to reiterate that the owl pellets sold by Carolina have been heat sterilized. This would be expected to eliminate the risk of microbial infections such as salmonellosis. Just as is always advised when working with microbes in the lab, though, we need to assume that owl pellets could be infectious. We need to use good and prudent safety practices to minimize the possibility of any sort of microbial infection. Using sterilized owl pellets and enforcing safe practices make owl pellet dissection a safe and rewarding activity.

Save & Share Cart
Your Shopping Cart will be saved and you'll be given a link. You, or anyone with the link, can use it to retrieve your Cart at any time.
Save Cart & Generate Link
Send Cart in an Email Done! close
Empty cart. Please add products before saving :)

Back Save & Share Cart
Your Shopping Cart will be saved with Product pictures and information, and Cart Totals. Then send it to yourself, or a friend, with a link to retrieve it at any time.
Send Cart Email
Your cart email sent successfully :)