<p>For students in 3rd through 7th grade, we delved deeper into our team's 2023 project, TABI. We started by defining key terms, such as “biology” and “bacteria.” After explaining the problem that our project seeks to address, we expanded our conversation to discuss the prevalence of harmful algal blooms beyond California. Working together, we identified lakes in many of the students' home countries that are also affected by harmful algal blooms or have detected the presence of microcystis. This exercise allowed us to emphasize the magnitude of the issue, and to connect the kids’ experiences with science.</p>
<p>Afterward, we completed multiple Design-Build-Test-Learn cycles to design paper airplanes. After each cycle, we reflected on the elements that contribute to an effective design and brainstormed improvements for our next design. We discussed that progress isn’t linear and not every iteration will be better than the previous one, but each trial presents a learning opportunity and we can use that knowledge to reach our goals.</p>
<ahref="https://static.igem.wiki"><imgclass="mySlides1"src="https://static.igem.wiki/teams/4592/wiki/edu-ac-2c-test.png"alt="Paper airplane test stage."style="width:240;height:320px;"></a>
<p>Throughout the summer, our social media team highlighted an organism from Pinto Lake that is negatively affected by <i>M. aeruginosa</i> blooms. Using images, short animations, and fun facts, these posts aimed to educate and engage a wider audience, raising awareness about the ecological issues threatening Pinto Lake. </p>
<p>Throughout the summer, our social media team highlighted an organism from Pinto Lake that is negatively affected by <i>M. aeruginosa</i> blooms. Using images, short animations, and fun facts, these posts aimed to educate and engage a wider audience, raising awareness about species threatened at Pinto Lake. </p>
