Teacher Resources

Dr. Kuldell would welcome your feedback on this course. Please use the Feedback link on this page to contact her via OCW.

Evaluation Report

This report on the Spring 2008 version of 20.020 was produced by the MIT Teaching and Learning Laboratory.

Mitchell, Rudolph. "A Pilot Study of Curriculum Innovations Implemented in a New Project-Based Subject, Introduction to Biological Engineering Design (20.020)." October 3, 2008. (PDF) (Courtesy of Rudolph Mitchell. Used with permission.)

Class Materials List

Following are materials needed for in-class activites during Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8.

Week 1

  1. Project Runway
    • paper, paperclips, tape, pennies, pencils, scissors
  2. iGEM reviews
    • copies of slides from iGEM talks
  3. take apart
    • hard copies of Adventures in Synthetic Biology comic to cue homework assignment
    • tape recorders (16), tools (#0 phillips, scissors, wire cutters), bags to store parts, duct tape was suggested to collect small pieces, sharpies/paper/pens
    • link to pre-survey

Week 2

  1. Tape recorder reassembly
    • Bring electrical or duct tape next time to re-attach broken wires, bring 2xAA batteries, tape to play when players successfully reassembled.
  2. Poster session studio
    • 18"x24" paper, printer paper, felt tip markers, pencils, rulers, masking tape, Sharpies
  3. Play Decide
    • Print out games (genetic testing) onto proper colored sheets but do not cut. Instead, distribute sheets with scissors to allow students to cut and save just the cards they found most relevant. Depending on room, may also want to print out rules of play since screen not easy to see and tables too crowded for computers. Leave enough time so discussion can be recapped as well as policy.

Week 4

  1. DNA isolation
    • Disposables: small white cups, larger clear plastic cups, coffee stirrerwater, Coffee filters, ziplock bags (sm for expt, lg for disposal), papertowels for spills
    • Reagents: strawberries, liquid soap, NaCl, isopropanol
  2. casting gel
    • tupperware: small rectangular (9.5 fl oz), larger rectangular for running (3 cup size)
    • Lego: for each need 1 (10 by 1) or(10 by 2) piece, 2 (2 by 3) piece, 6 (1 by 2) tiles
    • for each gel: 1/2 L bottle of water, salt, baking soda, aquarium pH paper, microwave, agar agar
    • misc: masking tape, scissors, coffee stirrer, paper coffee cup for melting in microwave
  3. loading gel
    • glycerin, food coloring, coffee stirrer
  4. running gel
    • for each gel: 5 9V batteries
  5. FooCamper's Guide
    • autoclaved beads - VWR 26396-521 for plating the cells.
    • hole punch to punch out the dNA
    • One-shot competent cells (I've gotten Invitrogen TOP10 previously, but NEB or whatever also works)
    • Ice in a bucket - for thawing cells
    • Glass of water, microwave and thermometer - for heat shock
    • SOC/LB media without antibiotic - for use after the heat shock - I aliquoted this out for them beforehand
    • Tape - so they can tape their tubes to a warm place to grow for 1 hr, or they can just hold them in their hands
    • Amp Plates - for people doing RFP and luciferase transformations
    • Liquid Amp media - For media, I mixed LB-Amp media pack - Invitrogen Q600-20 $169.00/20 pouches with bottled water and added isoamyl alcohol to 5mM - use this with the banana cultures
    • 14 mL culture tubes - VWR 60819-728

Week 8

  1. Get material for "Check's In The Mail" hypothesis challenge from Judy Loundagin's lesson Web site for the Evolution and Nature of Science Institutes.
  2. Material for Soap Stress troubleshooting challenge
    • need 12 packages of bars of soap, paper, cardboard, handwipes