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3.1: Blood Typing Lab

  • Page ID
    138514
    • Katherine E. Brent and Sydney Quinn Chizmeshya
    • Explorations

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    blood cells,cells,human,electron microscope,scan,blood,microscopic,medicine,microbiology,free pictures, free photos, free images, royalty free, free illustrations, public domain
    Figure. Blood cells human electron microscope by skeeze has been designated under a Pixabay License.
    • Format: In-person or online
    • Authors: Katherine E. Brent and Sydney Quinn Chizmeshya
    • Source: Modified from Classroom Activity on Antibodies. Oxford Sparks.
    • Time needed: 30-40 minutes total. 15-20 minutes for the activity; 15-20 minutes for the reflection questions

    Supplies Needed

    • Milk, vinegar, water
    • Red gel food coloring
    • Eyedroppers or pipettes (5 per group)
    • Permanent marker
    • Toothpicks or stirrers (6 per group)
    • Small containers or sealable test tubes (5 per group)
    • Blood typing test plate (attached) laminated or placed in a plastic sheet protector (1 per group)
    • Student worksheet (attached)

    Readings

    • Mann et al. 2019. Chapter 3: Molecular Biology and Genetics. Explorations

    Introduction

    In this lab students will perform a blood type test, also called an agglutination assay, on the simulated blood of three individuals. They will observe the agglutination reaction, and determine the blood types of three individuals. Subsequently, students will answer reflection questions about the observations they made during the experiment, as well as consider the inheritance patterns for ABO blood types and what characteristics of this trait are regarded as “Mendelian”.

    Steps

    • Prepare three solutions: vinegar with food coloring, milk with food coloring, and water with food coloring. Slowly add food coloring little by little to ensure that the dye does not coagulate the substance.
    • Each group of students should be given the following lab kit materials:
      • Labelled test tubes or small containers:
        • Individual #1: Dyed vinegar (this will simulate Type A blood)
        • Individual #2: Dyed milk (this will simulate Type B blood)
        • Individual #3: Dyed water (this will simulate Type O blood)
        • Anti-A Serum: Milk
        • Anti-B Serum: Vinegar
      • Five eyedroppers or pipettes
      • Permanent marker
      • Six toothpicks or stirrers
      • Blood Typing Test Plate (attached) laminated or placed in a plastic sheet protector (1 per group)
      • Student worksheets
    • Students should use the instructions on their worksheet to complete the lab. When students perform the experiment, they must use each pipette for only the substance it is intended to be used for, as cross-contamination may provide false coagulations.
    • Using the pipette for Individual #1, they will pipette several drops of Individual #1’s blood sample into the circles comprising the first column of the laminated blood typing test plate. Individual #2’s sample should be pipetted into to the second column, and Individual #3’s sample pipetted into the third column.
    • Using the pipette for Anti-A Serum, pipette several drops of Anti-A serum into each blood sample in the first row of the test plate. Using the pipette for Anti-B Serum, pipette several drops of Anti-B serum into each blood sample in the second row of the test plate.
    • Students will stir each sample using a different toothpick for each of the six samples.
    • Students will observe each sample to see if it has coagulated (agglutinated) or not, and determine the three individuals’ blood types based on the results.
    • Students will complete the reflection questions on their worksheet.

    Conclusion

    Students will practice observation and problem solving through this lab, as well as review key concepts about Mendelian inheritance and blood typing. Reflection questions are provided on the student worksheet and instructors are encouraged to review some or all of these questions as a class afterwards.

    Adapting for Online Learning

    If this is an in-person lab, rank how adaptable to online learning it would be (mark in bold): Possible to adapt

    With clear directions most students could create the artificial blood and serums, as well as complete the experiment, in their home. Instructors could also record a short video showing the experiment for students to watch and reflect on at home.

    For Further Exploration

    • ThePenguinProf. Blood Types: ABO and Rh (with donuts and sprinkles!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L06TJTMVkBo
    • Wake, Carol. 2005. “ABO/Rh Blood Typing Model: A Problem-Solving Activity.” The American Biology Teacher 67 (3): 158-162.

    References

    1. Arnold, Savittree Rochanasmita, Tussatrin Kruatong, Chanyah Dahsah, and Duongdearn Suwanjinda. 2012. “The Classroom-Friendly ABO Blood Types Kit: Blood Agglutination
    2. Simulation.” Journal of Biological Education 46 (1): 45-51. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2011.556750
    3. Mann, Hayley, Xazmin Lowman, and Malaina Gaddis. 2019. “Chapter 3: Molecular Biology and Genetics.” In Explorations: An Open Invitation to Biological Anthropology, edited by Beth Shook, Katie Nelson, Kelsie Aguilera, and Lara Braff. Arlington, VA: American Anthropological Association. http://explorations.americananthro.org/

    This page titled 3.1: Blood Typing Lab was last modified on Fri, 03 Jul 2026 04:36:33 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Katherine E. Brent and Sydney Quinn Chizmeshya via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.