Team:KU Leuven/Practices/Education
Education
School visits
We introduced children in three primary schools (10 to 11 years old) to synthetic biology. We started the lessons by giving a brief introduction into biology and synthetic biology. We continued with asking the children to play a game built around the DNA codon table. The goal was to introduce the children to DNA translation and introducing mutations in a playful manner.
Figure 1
The codon table used during school visits. Click to enlarge
Figure 2
The Sticker code table for the game used during school visits. Click to enlarge
The game consists of two parts.
During the first part, the children were given the so called "Professor Robben" sequence.
Using the DNA codon table shown in figure 1, the children translated the DNA.
Colored wooden blocks symbolizing the amino acids had to be arranged into the correct
protein sequence. The blocks where made in the KU Leuven's fab-lab
and painted by hand ourselves.
During the second stage of the game, the children continued by mutating the DNA sequence. The
players could obtain a new sticker if the DNA mutations matched the protein sequence on the sticker
table shown in figure 2.
Card game
We devised an educational card game, which is fun to play for young and old.
Contact
Address: Celestijnenlaan 200G room 00.08 - 3001 Heverlee
Telephone: +32(0)16 32 73 19
Email: igem@chem.kuleuven.be
