Team:Jilin China/HP/Engagement/Junior
For Juniors We Have
A Series of Class
Engagement
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Special Courses for Junior High School
We need to teach step by step.
Drawing class for pupils cannot realize our passion to spread biological knowledge. Synthetic biology should be placed in a dominant place. Hence, we move our target to a higher level of students, hoping to cultivate their interest through a series of classes.
However，synthetic biology is not an easy concept for the public to understand. In order to popularize this word and its fantasy, we decide to do this step by step for better understanding. We went to the United Experimental School of AHSJU (Affiliated High School Jilin University) and Livon and set a serial special course for junior high school students there.
Trial and Error
After a thorough reflection of the drawing class, we decided to take more details into consideration. For instance, content should be checked by professional teachers. We first consulted Ms. Jingjing Yang, a biology teacher in AHSJU, about the knowledge base of the students. Then we decided to start from the basic knowledge of biology.
In order to realize the ‘step by step’ concept, our courses were divided into three parts: The Micro World, What’s Gene? And Build a Circuit! We wrote our teaching plans and sent them to the teacher who are responsible for junior class teaching. Moreover, one of our HPers wrote his plan in English, for practicing his language skills meanwhile leaving out translating process to upload.
This the first part of our serial courses. Due to our purpose to start from the easiest concept, the first part was about cell and micro biology. What is life? What is cell? What is eukaryote and what is pronucleus? What is e.coli? You can definitely find the answer this evening!
We also let them joint the cell structures using some rice, beans candies and chocolates. They did such a great job!
Here are some masterpieces!
Feedback
At the end of the class, we asked them to write some suggestions as well as some feelings on cards:
Synthetic biology is funny, I’m interested.
A little bit confused. Prokaryotic? Candy is tasty!
I want more chocolate beans!
Learned some structures of those cells. Teachers are friendly!
Looking forward to tomorrow’s class!
I memorized the words ‘cell’ and ‘microorganism’.
Good luck, Jilin China!In the second part, students would be taught gene’s function, structure, central dogma and enzymes of genetic engineering. This part of knowledge is full of boring ATCGs but they have to overcome before seeing the magic world. We decided to guide them in meanwhile doing some challengeable gene’s work, by repeating scientists’ research path. Another objective of our education is to stress the importance of safety. Hence, despite the guiding questions part, we designed a debate about genetic modified food for them. There is a widespread rumor that all genetic modified food is harmful or potentially harmful. We firstly introduced some good example of those food, then asked their reason whether and why they would eat them. To our surprise, they are open to this topic:
I think some genetic modified food have been tested for a long time, which is enough to prove that they’re not harmful. I would not be afraid of eating them.
A large portion of students agree with his opinion. They also agree with it that whatever modified food would be welcome if they have been tested thoroughly. but when they were told all McDonalds and KFCs in China are using genetically modified soybean oil, they changed their mind.
The last part of this course was an activity about connecting gene sequence, and finding the open reading frame. We gave them slips of paper that are printed pieces of sequence, each one had 2 repeated parts that were the same as other papers. They were asked to connect them to form a complete sequence and find the start codon. All students were engaged into this activity. Then the second part was finished.
Journal
In a word:
I missed the first part of classes and was astonished when my part began. They just keep talking, asking, and doubting, which has a huge difference at college classes, even my junior classes. I reorganized my teaching plan for several times to make it flow better, but, they pushed me forward each time, making me much more nervous.
Need to Improve:
I failed to control the time, so the last activity was successful. I planned to help them to realize the process of dealing with genes. However, I couldn’t articulate my game rule. After my part, I reconsidered my game. I should have printed the double strain DNA with restrictive sites, which fits more to the topic of engineering.
In this part of the class, we wanted them to understand the basic concept of synthetic biology. According to the reflections from last two parts of classes, we found out that it will be hard for them to just sit there and learn those boring concepts.
For better understanding, we firstly asked them to draw a series circuit and a multiple circuit on the blackboard just like what they have learned in physics class. Then we introduced several basic elements in synthetic biology: biobricks, devices, systems and etc. Of course, they were a little confused! However, we have our own ways:
To make class more attractive, we made a Gene Cir-Kit to let them assemble circuits themselves. At the first time, some of them seemed that they don’t know what to do. After our guidance, they realized how amazing the circuits are! A group of students finished in less than 5 minutes! This game helped them a lot to understand synthetic biology, we believed that they’ve gained a lot.
I am the first to finish! Can I get more stickers?
Wow! I got it! It is amazing!Future Work
Students did show great interest in biology and we have impressed them a lot. On the last day of the courses, several students said to us, “I want you guys to be the teachers of our school", which really touched us. However, we can't be their teacher forever, and we definitely want to show them the magic of science, so we decided to give courses to the science teachers there. Then, the teachers can teach them about synthetic biology during their daily teaching. Because synthetic biology is based on different subjects, not only biology teacher, but the chemistry, physics, computer teachers are welcomed. After our serial course, Mr Qu told us an exciting message that senior high school of AHSJU and Livon is in construction, we hope that someday the students can participate in iGEM competition as a high school team in the future!