Lesson Goals

Our goal for the Westside Farmers Market was to teach the basics of synthetic biology to audiences of varying age groups and backgrounds by using our research project as an example of how we use genetic engineering principles such as transformation and its importance. We demonstrated the concept of transformation using drawings, handouts, and pipe cleaners.

Learning Objectives

• Explain the role of DNA in giving organisms new traits and functions.
• Interpret common laboratory techniques such as transformation and their role in engineering microbes.
• Apply concepts of genetic engineering to solve a problem that is important to the audience.

The event took place during a hot day and many visitors came to our booth. We were able to meet with various people from different backgrounds who were able to share their expertise and interest in our project. Families also visited our booth, where the parents learned about our project while the children participated in the arts and crafts activity that we have planned.

A lot of families had at least one family member who was affiliated with the University of Rochester and were curious to hear about our project. These families also shared that simplifying the poster can help the audience to more quickly understand our project and how we are utilizing synthetic biology to carry out the research. Many children loved the arts and crafts activity and had a variety of different problems they wanted to see solved in the world or something that would help them with their daily lives. For example, a bacteria that would make ice cream or a backpack. We also met another member of the Rochester community who works with mushrooms, and she was able to give some feedback on how mushrooms can break down or decompose plastic. We were fascinated to hear about the potential outcomes of the bioplastic we plan to produce in our project, to connect back to the theme of sustainability.

For future events, we plan to make our booth more interactive by adding a short experiment or activity in addition to arts and crafts. We will design a clearer, more concise poster and explanation of our project, and highlight the significance of reducing reliance on petroleum-based plastics to underscore the importance of our work.

Our goal was for the students to understand the concept of synthetic biology and recognize its importance in the real world. Based on our feedback from the Westside Farmers Market in presenting our lessons in a format that is easy to understand and the insightful advice given from Dr. Hammond, we decided to utilize a slides presentation including many pictures for our students to better learn the material. By presenting the information visually and performing hands-on experiments with the students, we aimed for the students to have a tangible understanding of synthetic biology by the end of the workshop. While conducting experiments and activities with the students, we also had the students fill out a handout along with the activity to ensure that the students understood the significance of the activity and evaluate if we met our learning goals and objectives for the event.

Strawberry DNA Extraction

• Interpret the structure of DNA and base pairing rules.
• Describe the function of different organelles in a cell and their relationship with DNA.

CO₂ Balloon Experiment

• Deduce the implications of excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere such as climate change and global warming.
• Apply what they have learned about synthetic biology to address the problem with carbon dioxide buildup in the atmosphere.

Plasmid Bracelet Making Activity

• Describe the structure and function of plasmids as small, circular pieces of DNA.
• Deduce how plasmids can be transferred between bacteria based on their new knowledge of plasmids.
• Apply the function of plasmids to solve a problem that the students cared for.

Day 1. The students were engaged and fascinated by the experiments that we conducted in the workshop.

Strawberry DNA Extraction

The team started the lesson based on what the students knew about cells and DNA. Students understood the concept that every living thing is made of cells, where some organisms are single-celled and some are multicellular. At the last step of the DNA extraction experiment, students were surprised by the consistency and color of the DNA. Many students had difficulty understanding that strawberry DNA was white and slimy, when they predicted it to be red, double helices.

CO₂ Balloon Experiment

Students were fascinated by how much carbon dioxide was building up inside the balloon. We explained that carbon dioxide is all around us. When we had the students hypothesize what would happen when we mixed vinegar and baking soda together, some students were not actively engaged because they had already tried this experiment at home. However, we asked questions that took a step further about how too much carbon dioxide can be bad for our environment and how synthetic biology ties in to solving these problems.

Day 2. The students were very engaged and curious about the topics that we covered in the workshop.

Strawberry DNA Extraction

We began our presentation by asking students what they knew about cells and DNA, and students shared examples of different cell types in our body such as red blood cells and white blood cells. Students actively responded by saying that DNA is a double stranded helix that makes us who we are and how it relates to chromosomes. Students were curious about the purpose of the ingredients used in each step and were excited about how DNA will appear in real life.

Plasmid Bracelet Making Activity

Students were amazed by the circular structure of a plasmid and made comparisons to the structure of DNA. When we asked the students to brainstorm problems or daily events that they would like to see solved or improved, the students were creative with their responses and thought carefully about what gene each bead would encode for.

When we had asked the students to fill out the handouts while listening to the presentation and during the experiments, the students enjoyed raising their hands and having small-group discussions because it gave the students the opportunity to ask things they were curious about beyond the questions asked in the handout. As a result, our team modified our teaching approach by splitting up and going to each table, having meaningful conversations with the students. As such, we adapted our presentation for the successive day by adding a little Q & A session at the end of each topic and adding more diagrams on our handouts than having students answer short answer responses. By having diagrams on our handouts, we saved longer responses for two-way dialogue and diagrams for quick fact recall. Thus, we encouraged class discussions both as a class and in small groups.

We also realized that what had worked for one group of students was not the same for the second group of students. Students had varying degrees of prior knowledge, which shaped how they engaged with the activity. For example, on the first day, students were familiar with the CO₂ balloon experiment because they did this experiment at their homes. Thus, they already knew the purpose and result of the experiment. As such, we planned the plasmid bracelet making activity for the next day, so that students would be able to work on an activity that related to a topic they didn’t know about, and also apply what they’ve learned into solving a problem that was meaningful to them. We also asked the students what activity or topic they enjoyed the most, many students responded with the strawberry DNA extraction activity. When we asked the students what they would like to learn in the future, a student responded that they want to learn about how we, as scientists, extract DNA and other experimental processes to accomplish our project goals. Many students recognized the presence of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and were fascinated by how plasmids can be introduced to different organisms to give novel traits.

Based on the first day, some improvements that we made were asking more questions to get a better understanding of what students knew or were unfamiliar with and to make the workshop more engaging. We began the activity by asking students what they already knew and provided background information of relevant scientific concepts so that every student had a good foundation to perform the activities and apply it to the real-world. This approach supported students with varying levels of background knowledge and created a more inclusive learning environment. We found that shortening the number of words and, instead, using graphics and hands-on activities were the best way to capture the students’ interests while teaching them new concepts.

The goal of the Metabolic Mayhem activity is for students to apply their understanding of genetic engineering, metabolic pathways, biosensors, and laboratory techniques to solve a problem through station-based challenges.

By the end of the lab activity, students will be able to:

• Understand how engineered bacteria can be used to solve real-world problems.
• Deduce the identity of an acid using a color assay and serial dilutions. (Station 1)
• Compare band sizes and Interpret gels from gel electrophoresis. (Station 2)
• Explain the function of DNA in living organisms. (Station 3)
• Evaluate the effectiveness of using biosensors (X-gal) for real-world applications. (Station 4)

We began the workshop by introducing ourselves, our project, and about synthetic biology to the high school students. Then, we introduced our lab activity to the students, split the class into 4 groups, and assigned each group to a station. The first station involved a ferric chloride assay and a serial dilution protocol that would teach students about pH, how to identify an acid, and perform serial dilutions. Students were intrigued by the concept of using color change to reveal the presence of an acid. They were also fascinated by how we can neutralize acids through serial dilutions, and were excited to use the pH paper to test the final dilution. The second station presents pre-run diagnostic gels showing digested plasmid backbones and PCR-amplified insert fragments. Students learned to analyze both gels by comparing band sizes in each gel to a DNA ladder to identify which plasmid and insert pair are compatible to successfully reconstruct a PHBV bioplastic circuit. Students also learned about how a diagnostic restriction enzyme digest is performed and were interested in what we used in our project. The third station provided students with a hands-on activity where they were provided with a protocol for extracting DNA from strawberries. Students learned how to read and follow protocols, use a pipette, and hypothesized what they predicted DNA would look like. Once the students extracted the strawberry DNA, we encouraged students to explain the function of DNA as well as the Central Dogma. Lastly, the fourth station introduced students to an organic compound, X-gal, to determine which biosensor construct remained functional. Students were shown 3 test tubes and examined which ones turned blue. Based on their observations, students determined which sample represented the correctly functioning biosensor. After completing all 4 stations, we gave the students a short survey that tested students’ knowledge on what they have learned from each station and open-ended questions that prompted further application of laboratory techniques that they have learned in the workshop. We also had the students give feedback on what they liked and wanted to learn more about in the survey.

Students were engaged with the different activities offered in each station. Based on the Google form, there was an even amount of liking for each of the stations. Students appeared to be most engaged with hands-on strawberry DNA extraction activity, hypothesizing what DNA would look like and connecting DNA visually with its function in the cell. Some students gave feedback that they didn’t understand why color-changing bacteria is useful in real life. A student mentioned that they wanted to see the full sequence of laboratory techniques used to achieve results in a project.

For future events, we plan to begin with the foundations of the science concepts that we will cover, so that everyone is equipped with the necessary background knowledge of what they need to know to understand the technique or topic. Due to unforeseen time constraints, we were unable to have students go through all the stations, which was why each group had difficulty answering questions pertaining to certain stations. Thus, next time we plan to make sure that we provide enough time for our activities.

• Understand the basics of synthetic biology and the goals of our project.
• Interpret how our project’s implementation would affect their own life.

The event went very well and the audience were really interested in our project. During the Q&A session, we had many seniors raise their hands and ask questions. Several of the questions focused on justifying the overall goals of the project, especially relating to our extraterrestrial applications. They included: “What makes you think bacteria are worth transporting to Mars?” and “Why is supporting a colony in space even necessary?” There were also many questions about how our bioplastics would compare to traditional plastics, and especially how bioplastics would affect their lives if it were to be more commonplace. As expected with any talk, there were plenty of clarifying questions on different aspects of the presentation. Notably, there were few questions about the more technical aspects of our project. They were curious to see the progress of our work and were excited to hear about the results of our project.

After the presentation and Q&A section concluded, we were able to have many 1-on-1 conversations with the residents. The overwhelming feedback we received was that they were excited that young people were engaged in research with a positive environmental impact. Almost every person we talked to stressed how important they felt that it was for people to be researching ways to combat pollution. On top of that, almost every resident we talked to expressed gratitude that we were able to come talk to them, and that they enjoyed the presentation. To our surprise, there were a couple residents with either experience in biology or a family member with experience in biology. These residents were more interested in the technical aspects of our project. It was in this 1-on-1 setting that we were able to facilitate a dialogue about some of the scientific thinking that went into our project.

Between the Q&A section and the conversations we had with residents after the presentation, it became clear that the vast majority of the residents were more interested in the goals and justification of our project than the science that went into it. This was not unexpected, however, the disparity between the two areas was larger than we originally thought. For future presentations, we felt it was necessary to more thoroughly justify the extraterrestrial application of our project and to compare our bioplastic with traditional plastics. This is because these were by far the two most in-depth discussions around our project, and therefore are aspects of the project the residents would care about the most.

We had a few brief questions for the audience dispersed throughout the presentation, but it became clear these were largely unnecessary and did not generate much dialogue. Instead, the discussions we were able to have came solely from the curiosity of the residents. We decided to leave out such questions in the future. Similarly, since we received relatively few questions about the technical aspects of our project, we planned to focus more on the overall goals and their real-world impact in the future. While the discussions we were able to have about them were valuable, there were many fewer of them, and we were only able to have them with people that had prior experience in biology. Since this is a small portion of the population, we decided it was more productive to lessen the focus on the technical side of our project for future presentation to non-biologists.

Our goals for the children’s book reading event was to make synthetic biology feel friendly and understandable for very young learners, and to show how cells and DNA can be explained through a simple story. Using our book about Benny, the cell who helps a plant glow in the dark and smell like strawberries, we aimed to demystify cells as “builders” and spark early curiosity about how biology can create positive change. Because our audience was nursery school and pre-K, we focused on clear language, vivid visuals, and hands-on participation rather than complex terminology. Our goal was for students to enjoy the story, remember key ideas about DNA and traits, and feel comfortable asking questions about how living things work.

To check understanding, we asked students to create their own “bacteria superheroes” with powers gained through synthetic biology. The drawing they made served as evidence that they connected with the concepts, and the open-ended question at the end of the book invited them to think about changes they would like to see in the world. Our ultimate goal was to provide teachers with an easy, reusable resource that keeps the conversations we had with the students going beyond a single visit.

1. Identify and Recall: After the reading, students identify one change Benny made (glow or smell) by pointing to the correct picture or saying the word when asked.
2. Apply and Create: Students apply the idea that “cells can build things” by drawing a bacteria superhero and naming or pointing to one power it has.

While developing our handouts, we incorporated a face scale that Dr. Hammond, the director of the Learning Center, suggested as a helpful approach. This question format proved to be very effective during the event because words alone can lead to varied interpretations. With the face scale, the students were better able to recognize and communicate how well they understood the topic. As we read the book, students were actively engaged by asking questions on what the different pictures represent. Through these questions, we were able to have effective two-way dialogue by being able to share more than what was just on the book. For example, students asked what the different shapes represented inside of Benny the cell and what the “blueberry shaped circle” was. By actively engaging with pictures and text, students identified where the nucleus was located and made the book more interactive. After learning that DNA plays a significant role in determining traits and function, students eagerly brainstormed what they wanted their bacteria to do (e.g., help heal family members, produce food). Staff shared they would keep both physical and digital copies of our book in classrooms for future reading.

At the end of the reading and activity, we asked the daycare staff to fill out a survey asking feedback on how they felt about the book and any areas for improvement for future readings. The daycare staff shared that they liked how the book included colorful and fun illustrations and how we made the book interactive with the children. They also shared that the students were engaged throughout the activity and the children were curious to learn more.

• Understand the overall goals of our project, especially relating to Mars missions.
• Explain how the clinostat works and why it’s necessary for our project to succeed.

The clinostat’s visual appeal drew many visitors to our table. As expected, most attendees were invested in sustainability research and asked highly relevant questions—often different from ones we’d heard at prior events. We fielded questions about current progress, the project’s future after research concludes, and even our own plans after iGEM and college. There were also many questions about the project’s justification and efficacy, suggesting we successfully educated attendees. Compared with the farmers market, nearly everyone stayed at least 5–10 minutes and asked several questions, indicating we effectively conveyed the project’s relevance and promoted critical thinking.

Similar to Highlands at Pittsford, attendees expressed gratitude for our research and for the chance to learn more. Alumni, in particular, asked detailed questions about the clinostat’s design, application, and role in the project, reinforcing that our learning objective—understanding and explaining the clinostat’s importance—was met.

The event was very successful: strong engagement, focused questions, and sustained conversations. A subset of questions centered more on our personal career paths—likely because attendees were alumni. For future tabling with similar audiences, we’ll keep the clinostat as a centerpiece, be ready with a concise project schematic, and direct conversations back to research progress and impact when needed.