Crisis inspires innovation! We developed Crafty Microbiology to teach essential microbiology skills at home using safe, common, cheap craft supplies and disposable lab tools. A.M. Estes, A.S. Jozwick, and J.E. Kerr 2021 How can you teach students fundamental microbiology skills at home – safely? The COVID-19 pandemic has been quite the disruptor for educators and students alike. To stop the spread of this virus, we human hosts need to stay away from each other! SARS-CoV2 is super tricky since many infected people don’t show symptoms or have mild symptoms. So what do you do when the skills your students need to learn can’t be done face-to-face? In-person Microbiology Labs Microbiology laboratory, in particular, is tough to teach to students at home. Typically students learn how to grow and test non-disease-causing bacteria in the Microbiology teaching labs on campus. Growing bacteria requires special media “food” for the bacteria, incubators to keep the cultures at the right temperature, and lab equipment – including Bunsen burners and special tools for moving the bacteria. A fundamental skill is learning “Sterile” or “Aseptic” technique. Students learn how to grow only the non-pathogenic, Risk Group 1 microbes they are given. Sounds easy – right? Well, no.