Remote Learning in Times of COVID-19-Biotech Classes Using Kits to Explore Science

It has been an interesting school year so far.  With synchronous class time 1/3 of what it was a year ago, instructors have cut curriculum to fit in the limited class time with students.  In biotech/biology, biotech/chemistry and biotech/genetics, instructors have been sending out lab kits to give students some hands-on exposure to modeling and lab experiments.  And although limited, we are intentional about supporting students' learning by engaging them in non-screen time activities.

In biotech/biology, students are currently collecting data on their household's consumption.  In biotech/chemistry, students are learning about chemical and physical properties of matter, and in biotech/genetics, students are learning about the dogma of molecular biology: DNA-RNA-Protein-Trait.

Here's to the end of 2020!  Hoping for in-class teaching sometime in the spring of 2021. Until then, be well! And we'll keep on teaching and learning in spite of the challenges. Know that we're going to get past this as soon as we slow the spread of the virus by inoculating the population.  Happy New Year!

Successful molecular modeling at home.

Rearranging atoms to make glucose.

Rearranging matter.

Energy transformations at home.

Learning about protein folding

Nice sugar!

The amino acid sequence determines the structure.

Lots of energy stored in those bonds.

Yet a different protein structure.

So many glucose molecules!

Kits ready for pickup.

Kit Loan Program Distribution

Kit preparation, disinfection, and repacking for distribution.

Before the Time of COVID 19

     Before schools closed two weeks ago, Ballard Biotech Academy students had been busy doing lots of lab work and learning complex biotechnology techniques to perform several experiments.  In biology, students were learning the tools of the trade such as micropipetting and gel electrophoresis in order to conduct several  lab experiments in molecular biology.  In genetics, students learned the basics of microbial genetics and conducted experiments in bacterial transformation and recombinant DNA techniques. 

     Both groups of students were also preparing for upcoming competitions: the Central Sound Regional Science Fair-now moved to the Washington State Science and Engineering Fair-happening virtually on March 27. Genetics students were prepping for the Student BioExpo-which was cancelled due to COVID 19 concerns. 

     As we isolate our selves in order to contain this current outbreak, we hope to connect virtually as best we can either through Schoology, e-mail, or video chats.  Stay well everyone and let us hope to reconnect at the end of April.

Genetics students prepping samples.

Careful pipetting.

Precision gel loading to verify digest.

Focused gel loading.

Happy pause between bacteria and plasmid transfer.

Prepping transformation.

Team work pipetting plasmids.

Careful sterilization between spreading plates.

Successful transformation of pBLU!

Happy young scientists prepping for 2nd transformation using recombinant DNA plasmids.

Team work!

Lots of different plates this time.

Final plating of transformed bacteria. Phew!  Nine plates!

Biology students learning how to use the gel boxes.

Learning the properties of gel electrophoresis.

Pipetting practice!

Steady gel loading techniques.

Nice technique!

Steady hands!

Making observations.

Prepping gel for loading samples.

Careful attention to pipetting.

Analyzing DNA and collecting data from gel run.

Biology Students Getting Prepped for the Central Sound Regional Science and Engineering Fair

Recently, biotechnology/biology academy students participated in a pre-judging event in order to prepare for the actual judging at the fair on March 14.  Several volunteer scientists and engineers helped pre-judge projects in order to give feed back to students a month ahead of the actual competition.  Thank you judges for helping our students fine tune and/or improve their projects for the upcoming competition at Bellevue College on Saturday, March 14, 2020.

Faster Farming!  Will they elevate farming?

Hybrid Airplanes. Reducing carbon emissions.

Switching it up for Switchgrass.

Vacuum packing food and reducing waste.

How can we improve transportation ? Levitation/magnetics. We got this.

How can microorganisms provide new energy?

How do students learn? Can music help?

Piezzo step it up!  We are generating energy!

Capturing energy from your hot head!

Posing for energy challenges! We're all here to solve problems of our 2020 Earth!

Garbage In, Garbage Out. Waste Not, Want Not. Conservation and Consumption Unit.

Biotechnology/Biology students started out the new year conducting research on their own consumption rates.  For a week long period, students retained all of their waste products and weighed and sorted them by category (plastic, paper, glass, compost, misc.) in class. They collected data on various types of waste and accounted for recyclable and non-recyclable items, which they then sorted for appropriate disposal/recycling. Students also read, The Secret Lives of Everyday Things, by Durning and Ryan, and they presented up-to-date information on the topics in the book. And they watched segments of the video by National Geographic, Human Footprint which chronicles the amount consumed by an average American in his/her lifetime.  The next phase of the project is to analyze their own personal data and develop a public service announcement about consumption/conservation.

Students sorting and weighing their consumption.

Overwhelming fastfood packaging.

Sorting waste. Mostly plastic.

Assessing consumption.

Sorting and weighing.

Happy plastic sorter.

The sorting area in the classroom.

Plastics and metals abound!

The garbage and recycling haul form the week!

The video watched to learn about startling statistics from an average American.

The book that students used to present and update, based on current 2019 information for their Stuff Fridays presentations.