Human Centered Design of Biotechnology

Classroom Activities

Activity One – Math Journaling/Thinkmarks

Research suggests that a student’s math competency is directly related to their mother’s reading skills.³³  The goal of this exercise is to develop students’ reading skills and (more importantly) listening skills.  Often, students see math as a subject of numbers, not a subject of discussion and rich communication.  Getting started is the most challenging aspect of utilizing math journals.  First, start with something simple.  Begin with a three-minute task where students write and draw about how they feel about math (Is math your favorite subject? Why or why not? What do you like most about math? What do you like the least about math?).  Secondly, to help students gain a better idea of quality work and self-improve, present a math journal rubric to help make scoring more accurate, consistent, and unbiased.   

For example:

Read through the responses and choose a few examples of quality work to evaluate anonymously in front of the class.  You may even ask for volunteers to share theirs and read aloud.  I’ve had the entire class volunteer to have their work critiqued because they found the feedback to be so helpful.  There’s an inspiring YouTube video that encompasses the value of peer critique and peer feedback through the eyes of a first grader named Austin.³⁴  This six-minute video, which should be shared with the class, is narrated by Ron Berger and tells the story of Austin’s butterfly.  “The Story of Austin’s Butterfly” exemplifies the transformational power of critique, descriptive feedback, and models to improve student work.  Thirdly, and most importantly, make journaling a regular activity.  Include the journaling experience during each unit.  You may even consider increasing the three-minute timer to four-minutes, then to five-minutes, etc.  Typically, I like to assign the writing/drawing task during the “Engage” portion of the five E’s (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate).  The beauty of this activity is that it can be implemented in any part of your daily lesson plan. 

Activity Two - Geometry and Biology through art expression. 

One of my favorite things about teaching geometry is that the subject lends itself to incorporating art.  Students will discover fascinating relationships between geometry and nature:  creating mandalas, viewing MC Escher drawings, building a gumdrop geodesic dome, discovering the golden ratio, applying the theory of proportions, and boost mindfulness through origami.  Origami is good for the students as it develops their eye hand co-ordination, sequencing skills, math reasoning, spatial skills, memory, but also patience and attention skills.  First, start with something simple.  Start with a rectangular piece of (lined) paper and search for the instructions for making a paper airplane.  Have the students use colored pencils or markers to decorate their paper airplane.  Fly their airplane!  Find an area clear of people and other hazards and gently have them toss their design.  The students should measure and record the distance of its flight, as well as use a stopwatch to measure how long their airplane stays in the air.  At this point, the students (preferably in groups) will adjust their design and try again.  Spark a lively discussion about how airplanes fly.  What part of an airplane helps it fly?  Then use the following questions to discuss how systems and structures often mimic nature [text omitted] Secondly, like the first activity, to help students gain a better idea of quality work and self-improve, present a rubric to help make scoring more accurate, consistent, and unbiased.  Thirdly, progress the student’s paper folding skills to create geometric objects that mimic nature.  “Looking for More Multi-Sensory Play Ideas?  25 Easy Origami Figures for Kids to Create!” will enhance their understanding of two-dimensional polygons as well as their problem-solving skills to create three-dimensional shapes from a flat two-dimensional surface.³⁵   

Activity Three – Drinking Straw Robot Hand/Alternative Limb Project

In this activity, students will learn how to use a glue, drinking straws, and sewing thread to engineer a surprisingly lifelike and useful robot hand.  They are to design and build a working hand out of craft materials that exhibits how real robotic hand might work.  What will they design to have their robot hand do? Pick up a ping pong ball?  Move around a can?  It will ultimately be up to them! First, with guidance and starting instructions (https://www.kaplanco.com/ii/diy-robot-hand), the students will design any type of hand that will simulate human finger anatomy as the basis for a fully functional hand that is easy to build and does not require intricate tools.³⁶  Secondly, like the first activity, to help students gain a better idea of quality work and self-improve, present a rubric to help make scoring more accurate, consistent, and unbiased.  Thirdly, at this juncture of the activity, the Alternative Limb project will be introduced.  Founded by Sophie de Oliveira Barata, the Alternative Limb project uses the unique medium of prosthetics to create highly dramatic wearable art pieces.  Alternative Limbs explore themes of transhumanism, modification, evolution, and body image while encouraging positive conversations around celebrating body diversity and disability.  

Activity Four - Culminating Activity:  Cool STEAM Careers

The goal of this exercise is to expose the students to opportunities available to them through STEAM careers.  The students are knowledgeable about many careers in science and mathematics but often don’t gain as much exposure to careers in biotechnology.  First, suggested student assessment would be to have each group choose a career in biotechnology and write a plan for how the class could carry the journey of becoming a biotech engineer out.  There are many jobs involving biotechnology and new careers are being developed every day. [text omitted]  education or training, the students must include at least two schools/training facilities from which one could obtain the degree.  Secondly, like the first activity, to help students gain a better idea of quality work and self-improve, present a rubric to help make scoring more accurate, consistent, and unbiased.  It must consist of an explanation of why the plan is a good one and what it will accomplish, a list of the benefits from the plan, and a description of the difficulties that might be associated with this plan.  Thirdly, once students are done with this assignment, the class will gather as a group [text omitted] career opportunities.

Visible Thinking Routines

These activities can be done after a reading or viewing is completed or at the beginning of a lesson. It is a good way to stimulate conversation but to also check for understanding.

See-Think-Wonder: A routine that stimulates curiosity and inquiry of careful observations.

Tug of War: Students reason carefully about the ‘pull’ of various factors to gain a deeper appreciation of the complex forces that ‘tug’ at either side of a fairness dilemma.

I used to think…now I think…: Used to help learners reflect on how their thinking has shifted and changed over time.

Claim, Support, Question: Can be used with text or as a basis structure for mathematical and scientific thinking.

Think-Pair-Share:  This strategy requires students to think individually about a topic or answer to a question and then share their ideas with another classmate.

Storyboarding:  This activity allows the students to communicate ideas through visual stories that showcase how they fit into the users’ lives.

Gallery Walk:  This dialogue technique allows students to be actively involved as they walk throughout the classroom.  They work together in groups to share ideas and respond offer feedback to meaningful problem-solving situations, documents, questions, texts, or images.

Student Reading and Viewing List for Discussion and Debate

The reading and viewing list represent a sample of web-based articles and videos that can be assigned for students to read and view as they prepare for a discussion or debate. The list includes readings at various reading levels. Scaffolding of the more difficult readings is recommended.

The New Bionics That Let Us Run, Climb, and Dance: TED Talk by Hugh Herr

The Present by Jacob Frey

7 Badass Things That Technology Will Never Make Obsolete by Joe Choi

The Origami Revolution, NOVA & PBS, Episode 5, Season 44

The Art of Design by Tinker Hatfield, Netflix

Ten Years of DNA Origami, YouTube

“This wearable robotic knee brace may put an end to your knee pain” by Lexy Savvides, c|net

Science of Innovation: Origami Structures by Mary Frecker, YouTube 

Innovation Happens When Rules Are Broken by John Stossel, Triblive

3D printed, mind-controlled prosthetics are here, YouTube

The Story of Austin’s Butterfly, YouTube

[image omitted]

Figure 5 Without Geometry, life is pointless.