MCB microbiologists from the Portnoy lab team up with BASIS to run a microbiology outreach workshop at the Ellerhorst Elementary School.
The importance of outreach cannot be overemphasized in a changing world we live in. Inspired by previous individual outreach experiences, the Portnoy lab microbiologists came together earlier this year to create a science outreach activity for the local elementary school. The Portnoy Lab team of postdocs, undergraduate and graduate students reached out to the Bay Area Scientists in Schools (BASIS) organization to propose a microbiology-themed outreach activity. BASIS, one of the largest science outreach programs in Berkeley, connects the UCB community with the public elementary schools in the East Bay. Tyler Chuck, Associate Director of Education Outreach & Operations at BASIS, was excited about the proposed project and helped plan and liaise the outreach event with the local Ellerhorst Elementary School.
Our goal was to design an outreach activity for 6th grade students that introduced our lab’s research, while effectively conveying an important message about microbes, antimicrobial resistance, and public health. With the help of free online materials1, we came up with what class teacher Stephanie Jensen called a “Circuit Lesson” that had three stations: antimicrobial resistance, bacteria under the microscope, and a bio-detective game with the 1850s Cholera epidemic.
The activity involved three science stations where students learned about a specific microbiology topic using scientific equipment and interactive tools presented by the Portnoy lab scientists. The students gathered around each station in groups of 10-15 people and every 20 minutes the student groups rotated by moving to the next station. Station 1 explored the concepts of various bacterial sizes and shapes, and students could look at the bacteria under the microscope and then draw what they saw. Station 2 housed miniature models of bacteria which showcased the concept of antimicrobial resistance and the use of antibiotics to treat bacterial infections. At Station 3 the students explored the concept of public health and epidemics and used their bio-detective skills to identify water as the source of the Cholera epidemic in the 1850s.
The students were very excited to learn about microbes and greeted the Portnoy lab members with scientific curiosity by asking interesting and often challenging questions at each station. The lesson concluded with a Q&A session where students asked the lab members about their research and day-to-day life in the lab. It was a fun event filled with scientific creativity, small discoveries, and great teamwork. Most importantly, the lesson allowed the students, scientists, and the teachers to engage in a meaningful and vibrant discussion about microbiology with far-reaching effects.
"Having so many experts/scientists teaching the kids made this learning experience a lot of fun as well as engaging for all of the kids. My students truly learned a lot in a short amount of time and were excited about science."
We are grateful to BASIS and Ellherhorst Elementary for giving us an opportunity to visit the school and be part of a very fruitful and exciting microbiology class and talk about our research with a younger audience at this formative stage of their school journey. We hope that together with BASIS and Ellherhorst Elementary School, we can make the “microbe circuit” class a biannual event and come up with new themes to explore during the class. Today more than ever it is important to engage with communities to remind everyone of the importance of knowledge, facts, and scientific approaches that help us interpret the world around us. The nature of scientific research at Berkeley is very collaborative. We feel inspired to expand the collaborative spirit beyond the lab and continue our work with BASIS to bring more “microbe circuits” to local elementary schools to strengthen further the science education.
1Online teaching materials used: eBug, Cholera and the Thames, BASIS resources.
We thank Kobe Nguyen, the BASIS Community Resources for Science Program Manager, for his guidance and help during the event. We thank the staff and students of the Ellherhorst Elementary School for welcoming us.
Written by: Mariya Lobanovska, Carissa Chan, Andrew "Ted" Van Alst, Andrea Anaya-Sanchez, Berenise Lopez-Lopez, Talia Nguyen and Matthew Zhao.