Ultra-Light Clay: Creating Gene Pathway and Fluid Mosaic Models

Course Introduction

This course guides students to follow in the footsteps of scientists, experiencing the construction process of biological membranes. It aims to help them comprehend the fluid mosaic model of biological membranes and its alignment with structure and function. Additionally, students have the opportunity to establish a physical model of biological membrane fluidity. Simultaneously, in conjunction with basic techniques in synthetic biology, students explore the composition and expression principles of gene pathways and are encouraged to establish their own gene pathway models.

Why Choose a Hands-On Teaching Approach?

Given the course's content, which revolves around the comprehension of both gene pathways and fluid mosaic models, creating physical models is an effective method of understanding. Our research also indicated that many students prefer concrete learning experiences, wherein they attain better learning outcomes through practical activities and models. Thus, we opted for a teaching approach that merges conventional lectures with hands-on activities, thereby amplifying the understanding of microstructures and enabling students to gain firsthand experience.

Applicability to Learning Style

Considering that the topic itself is more oriented towards Representational learning (R) and Output learning (O), we believe that such a lesson is more in line with the learning needs of students who are in the elementary and middle school learning stages.

Reflection and Improvement

Public:

Handicrafts, as a special mode of teaching, in which many children show great interest, can help students build their own biological skills, in addition to contributing to the effectiveness of the classroom. Similarly, we collected the students' thoughts on our handicraft class after the course, hoping to improve our teaching accordingly. The children were surprisingly positive about the lessons and said that they wanted to continue learning in this way!

Teams:

During the lesson, the students listened attentively because they "wanted to make the best model" and thought carefully about the reasons behind the formation of biological structures such as cell membranes/ organisms constructing their own genetic pathways in this way. During the hands-on work, the students were also very proactive in seeking help from our teachers and asking for advice on the details. The final product was a direct demonstration of what the students had learned, and we are glad that this kind of craft class can stimulate students' passion for biology!

Picture book for visually impaired children

Research and Discoveries

Our quest led us to several local bookstores, where we sought out children's beloved picture books to gain insights into their storytelling and illustration techniques. Our objective was to glean inspiration from their triumphs and apply these lessons to the enhancement of our own educational picture books. Here, we present our noteworthy findings:
1. Age-Stratified Reading Levels: We discerned that numerous bookstores meticulously categorized children's picture books based on specific age groups. Following an in-depth examination of the content within these sections, we made the following intriguing observations:

(1) Picture books tailored for children aged 0-3 exhibited minimal text, lacked intricate narrative components, yet dazzled with vibrant colors and captivating illustrations. These books were designed to introduce young children to their surroundings and acquaint them with the world. Given the brief attention span of very young readers, these picture books frequently employed dialogues to foster engagement. Typically, they contained 1-3 sentences per page and spanned fewer than 30 pages.
(2) For children aged 3-6, picture books gradually introduced more textual content, infused stronger narrative elements, and vividly portrayed characters' emotions and interactions. These books aspired to nurture children's cognitive and emotional development while instilling positive values. As children in this age bracket possessed extended attention spans, these books featured more extensive text per page and often exceeded 30 pages, with fewer instances of dialogue.

2. Inspirations for Design:
(1) Innovative Flap Pages and Mechanical Designs: During our perusal of various picture books, we were repeatedly captivated by inventive and distinct flap page designs. These designs astutely manipulated spatial dynamics and reading sequences, seamlessly weaving together the fabric of the story.
(2) Scented Printing: Our exploration also led us to picture books that incorporated scents into their pages through specialized scented inks. These books emitted distinct fragrances pertinent to the story, providing us valuable insights into the incorporation of scents into braille books.

3. Parental Guidance and Reading Feedback: Within some picture books, we encountered sections positioned at the outset or conclusion, aptly titled "A Message to Parents." These sections offered parents guidance on how to engage their children while reading the book, thereby enriching the interactive parent-child reading experience. They also facilitated children's comprehension of the emotional and moral values embedded within the story. Furthermore, certain books included sections for reading feedback, enabling children to revisit the book's content and internalize the conveyed emotions. We firmly believe that these features contribute significantly to enhancing reading efficiency.

Our Picture Book

1. Tactile:

2. Mechanical Design:

3. Fragrance: