Teaching biotechnology is all about making complex concepts relatable and engaging, catalyzing the change of “huh?” moments into “aha!” moments. Whether you’re an expert in the lab or just diving into the world of biotech education, these practical tips will help spice up your classroom laboratory. So get your lab coats ready, we’re going to transform boredom into curiosity in the lab!
- Change up your hands-on experiments: We all know that hands-on activities enhance student understanding and retention of concepts. But sometimes, performing the same experiment year in and year out can get repetitive for the teacher. Luckily, the constant waves of biotech innovations can be used to liven up your laboratory.
- Teaching electrophoresis? Try using our Linking Food Science to Biotechnology Kit. In addition to the core activity (electrophoresis), this experiment provides a launching point for inquiry, STEAM lessons, and career exploration. Check out our article at classroomscience.org for more details!
- Take your GFP transformation one step further. With our Exploring Biotechnology with GFP Kit, students extract the fluorescent green protein and isolate it using column chromatography. The GFP can be analyzed using SDS-PAGE, an electrophoresis technique optimized for separating proteins by molecular weight. This experiments allows your students to gain hands-on experience with bioprocessing, or the use of a living organism to produce a useful molecule. Bioprocessing is very commonly used in the pharmaceutical world to create medication, vitamins, and other biological reagents.
- Have you been using PTC to link genotype to phenotype? Take the experiment one step further by analyzing the DNA sequence using PCR and restriction digest. This takes the abstract concept of genotype and brings it alive through the direct visualization of the small nucleotide polymorphism in the TAS2R38 gene. The SNP changes the gene’s DNA sequence, which in turn changes the amino acid sequence and affects the ability of the protein to detect the bitter taste molecule. Because of this, we can also use the experiment to teach the central dogma of molecular biology and the effects of structure on function.
- Biotechnology Career Exploration: Biotech isn’t just about the lab coat; it’s a thriving industry with people employed in many roles. Real-world stories and insights can inspire students and provide teachers with a fresh perspective. Through career exploration, you can build a bridge between your daily lessons and the incredible careers in biotechnology.
- Assign students a research paper or project on jobs in biotechnology. Guidelines may include the exploration of various biotech jobs, understanding the qualifications and skills required, and providing detailed insights into specific roles within the field.
- Have your students watch videos about careers in biotechnology that tie to the experiments you are performing in the lab.
- Invite local scientists into your classroom to chat about their career path and their responsibilities as a researcher. Not local to any biotech labs? Try Skype a Scientist for virtual meetings!
- Incorporate technology into your lessons: Give your students a taste of cutting-edge technologies to enhance the learning experience while preparing them for these aspects of the biotech field.
- Bioinformatics challenges: Introduce bioinformatics activities that involve analyzing biological data using computational tools. Students can explore DNA sequences, study genetic patterns, perform evolutionary analysis, and predict protein structures. This hands-on approach to bioinformatics not only enhances their technological skills but also provides insights into the vast amount of data used in biotech research. The best part is that many of these resources are freely available through the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
- 3D modeling of biological processes: If you have access to a 3D printer, it can be used to create models that can help visualize complex biological structures. Students can create interactive models of DNA, proteins, or cells, allowing them to explore the intricacies of biotech at a molecular level. This activity not only reinforces their understanding of biological concepts but also integrates technology seamlessly into the learning process. The Protein Data Bank (PDB) has a tutorial on how to print protein structures from the deposited files. Thingiverse has many free open source biological models that can be customized and printed for use in the classroom
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