That is a common answer when that question is asked among mexican children. We think it’s a problem. We think we should be worried (and you too!). But we cannot take no for an answer, and a kid’s mind can be quite stubborn. We needed to change their mind, and although the children’s answer could change over time through different, positive stimulus on the children’s lives, we knew we have the power to be one of said stimuli, and thus, decided to take responsibility and bring science to the kids in a friendly, and most importantly, fun way.

Because it was important for us to introduce children to science topics related to biology, we made several visits to elementary and middle schools in our area. For each of our visits, we planned a “science day” where we explained the concepts in simple, visual ways. After each explanation, we assigned manual activities for kids to reinforce what they had just learned through playing: making their own edible culture medium, creating amino acid chains, and proposing transformations for bacteria were some of the activities they enjoyed.

We taught children how to invent their own bacterium, first they “build” their own “BioBrick”, then they filled up their “patent form”with the bacteria name and its function, later on they build up their “bacteria” with flour-filled balloons, markers and decorations. Finally they build up their “culture medium” with jelly-filled petri dishes, syrup, colored sugar and cake-decoration. So that children from first and second grade understand what living beings are, that DNA is inside the cells and how it is packed. We also taught that there are good and bad bacteria and that biotechnologist use the, to make useful things and how to make a bacterial culture. For children from 3rd and 4th grade to understand what living beings are, that they are formed from cells, and DNA inside them we made them built their own “BioBrick”, then they filled up their “patent form”with the bacteria name and its function, later on they build up their “bacteria-bookmark” with foamy, clips, decorative eyes and yarn. Finally they build up their “culture medium” with jelly-filled petri dishes, syrup, colored sugar and cake-decoration.

Our conference and activities for 1st and 2nd grade elementary school children at Mundo Montessori, Colegio Montessori Helen Keller and Escuela Infantil Xipal on June 6, June 9 and June 14.

Our conference and activities for 3th and 4th grade elementary school children at Mundo Montessori, Colegio Montessori Helen Keller and Escuela Infantil Xipal on June 6, June 8 and June 13.

Our conference and activities for 5th and 6th grade elementary school children at Colegio Montessori Helen Keller, Mundo Montessori and Centro Academico Xipal.

We believe the best way for kids to learn is through hands-on practice. Unfortunately, basic education in Mexico is focused on traditional lectures, where kids are expected to memorize information. In the case of science, elementary school kids rarely get to experiment. We want to change this! This year, alongside iGEM teams from Guadalajara and Chihuahua, we created an experiment manual that mexican schools can incorporate to their class schedules. The experiments cover topics from biology, chemistry and physics, and were created in a way that allows the kid to easily do it at school or home, without laboratory equipment and minimal risks.

Each experiment includes critical thinking questions, which should be made by the instructor or parent.

Each team of the collaboration visited three schools to try the experiments and ask questions to students and teachers. These were the results we gathered from the experience. Overall, they indicate that our proposal was well-received by the students and professors and has a high chance of being implemented. We also asked local Secretary of Education M. Juan Jaffet Millán Márquez to review our proposal, in the hopes that he’ll add it to the current school curriculum.

As shown on the following graph experiments were well understood and received.

We also gather some teachers comments:
They would do experimental activities once a week.
They suggest each activity to last around 30 minutes.
To be linked to the topics.