Pictured left to right above: Lauren McNeil (class of 2021), Alicia Ugenti (class of 2021), and Kate Weiss (class of 2019).
Kate, Lauren, and Alicia worked this semester to engage elementary school students in the wonders of science at a local Science Night. They knew they would be one table out of many vying for the children's attention, so they prepared by first examining the literature surrounding elementary student engagement with, persistence in, and perceptions of science. Through this dive into the literature and by collaborating with key campus partners, they developed a quick and interactive experience. First, the children followed the protocol sheet below to extract DNA from a strawberry. Then, they filled a vial with the DNA and put it on a necklace to take as a souvenir. Finally, they dressed up in a lab coat and goggles to pose with a mock Instagram frame and have their photo taken as a scientist! The children loved the necklaces and the Polaroids of themselves dressed up, and it was clear that Kate's, Lauren's, and Alicia's table was a crowd favorite!
Kate, Lauren, and Alicia worked this semester to engage elementary school students in the wonders of science at a local Science Night. They knew they would be one table out of many vying for the children's attention, so they prepared by first examining the literature surrounding elementary student engagement with, persistence in, and perceptions of science. Through this dive into the literature and by collaborating with key campus partners, they developed a quick and interactive experience. First, the children followed the protocol sheet below to extract DNA from a strawberry. Then, they filled a vial with the DNA and put it on a necklace to take as a souvenir. Finally, they dressed up in a lab coat and goggles to pose with a mock Instagram frame and have their photo taken as a scientist! The children loved the necklaces and the Polaroids of themselves dressed up, and it was clear that Kate's, Lauren's, and Alicia's table was a crowd favorite!
Elementary School Outreach Gallery
Extracting DNA from Strawberries handout page 1
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Extracting DNA from Strawberries handout page 2
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Alicia, Lauren, and Kate (left to right above) set up their table before Science Night. Their organized table was quickly turned into an active laboratory once the children began to arrive!
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Kate, Lauren, and Alicia (left to right above) test out the mock Instagram frame. The children attending the event could have an instant photo taken of them dressed up with a lab coat and goggles.
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This is the poster that Lauren, Alicia, and Kate presented at the Inclusion and Representation in the Sciences Summit at Brown University on 25 April 2019.