2.1 Activity Process
Health and biology play a crucial role in human society, not only in terms of understanding and maintaining our bodies, but also in disease prevention and treatment. We believe it's essential to introduce children to health education as early as possible. This will enable them to develop healthy eating habits, understand the basics of sugar substitutes and their impact on health, make smarter food choices, and promote scientific literacy and interest in science. On August 5, 2024, we conducted two public classes for children aged 5-10 in the Tianlin and Kangjian communities. The theme of the classes was "Can We Achieve Candy 'Freedom'?" We aimed to educate the children about the negative global health and economic impacts of traditional sweeteners, introduce them to the concept of sugar substitutes and synthetic biology, and provide practical tips for living a healthy life.
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At the beginning of the program, we had a little puzzle activity to break the ice and liven up the atmosphere. We led the children through our team's own candy puzzles to introduce the theme of the class - candy, colorful candy puzzles immediately attracted the children's attention, but also help the children to communicate with their classmates and teachers in a relaxing and pleasant environment, laying a good foundation for the rest of the course.
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Following the theme, we asked the children what they thought about candy, and as we expected, they all loved candy but were restricted from eating it due to various health issues. So we started by making a variety of colorful candies together with clay, and then used this candy to guide the children to observe and discover the positive/negative effects of traditional sweeteners (e.g. causing tooth decay, aggravating the skin, increasing blood viscosity, etc.) in the corresponding body parts along the body structure diagram we had drawn.
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Then, we introduced our new friend “Sugar Substitute”, most of the children didn’t know or even heard of sugar substitute at the beginning, as we proceeded with the lesson, they all showed great interest and realized that there are many scenarios in life where sugar substitute is used.
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At the beginning of the second half of the lesson, we conducted the “Judge the Right and Wrong Game” to bring the children to understand the global situation of diabetes and obesity caused by candies and their knowledge of the amount of candies used.
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Finally we explained synthetic biology to them through a video using vivid metaphors such as building blocks and circuits. We also took them to understand how to read food ingredient lists through labels on real beverages. Both they and their parents said that they had learned a lot about sugar substitution and that they would pay more attention to food ingredients in their future lives.
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Education.pdf2.2 Reflection
These two educational classes were surprisingly exciting and successful. Parents and children were very cooperative and active throughout, and the classroom atmosphere was warm and active. We were very surprised to find that some of the students were very interested in and already had a deep understanding of biology and food safety issues. As we went through the program, they said that it sparked their interest in synthetic biology and that they would be more conscious of the use of sugar substitutes and their health.
3.1Story Outline
For elementary school children with basic reading skills, we have carefully chosen a captivating picture book for parent-child reading. This book effectively introduces the concepts of sugar substitutes and synthetic biology, ensuring that it captures the attention and interest of this age group.
Our original picture book, The Secrets of the Village Sweetness, is set in the enchanting Sweetheart Kingdom, where everything exudes sweetness: the houses are crafted from candy, the rivers flow with chocolate, and even sugar cascades down when it rains. However, the king of the Sweetheart Kingdom faces a pressing issue: his people are succumbing to poor health due to excessive sugar consumption.
To tackle this challenge head-on, the king mobilizes the kingdom’s brightest scientists, who embark on numerous experiments and ultimately unveil a groundbreaking substance called crystallize. This remarkable material effectively replaces sugar in candies, preserving the sweet taste while promoting better health. The story culminates with the inhabitants of the Sweetheart Kingdom embracing this healthier dessert, thus reclaiming their health and vitality.
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3.2 Feedback
The picture book received positive feedback from both children and parents during the parent-child reading session. The children were deeply attracted by the vivid illustrations and the fantasy world of the Kingdom of Sweethearts and maintained a high level of attention during the whole reading process. They were also curious about the “Sugar Substitute Jing Jing”. Parents, on the other hand, appreciated the educational messages conveyed in the book and recognized that it successfully introduced the concepts of healthy eating and sugar substitutes in a way that their children could understand. We continued to track the responses of these children after the reading, and some of them took the initiative to go to the grocery store with their moms and dads to look for sugar substitutes that are now available on the market and actively chose low-sugar products after reading our story.
3.3 Reflection
3.3.1 Adding Scientific Explanations
Although the story focuses on the discovery of the sugar substitute “Jing Jing”, we found that some children were very interested in it and already had some knowledge of it. Therefore, we could consider providing a more recent scientific explanation. For example, a short appendix on the effects and health benefits of D-allulose can be added at the end of the book to enhance its educational nature.
3.3.2 Interactive Elements
Incorporating some interactive elements, such as the possibility of organizing offline book clubs, can further engage children and parents. For example, encouraging children to think about healthy food choices or having them draw their own Sweet Kingdom helped to enhance the engagement of the experience.
3.3.3 Connection to Real Products
We realized that tying the story more closely to an actual D-allulose product could raise awareness of this sugar substitute. After reading, parents can be provided with resources or website links to learn more about D-allulose and its daily applications.
3.3.4 Publicity
In the follow-up marketing and publicity, we can consider adding a cartoon element so that consumers can recognize and understand our products more clearly through this simple symbol.
Overall, in the Parent-Child Reading Program, we popularized health knowledge and stimulated children’s interest in an interesting way through the creation of the picture book "The Secrets of Village Sweetness." This encouraged parents to participate in the reading and discussion, enhancing families’ attention to healthy eating. The program successfully combines science popularization, family interaction, and health education to promote the spread of healthy lifestyles.
4.1 Introduction
In China, many public schools do not pay enough attention to the popularization of extracurricular knowledge. This results in students not being exposed to key knowledge that is relevant to their daily lives, such as sugar substitutes and synthetic biology. To address this educational gap, our team organized lectures at a middle school to expand students’ knowledge of these topics and increase their health awareness.
The lecture covered the basic concepts and applications of sugar substitutes, D-Alloxan, and synthetic biology. It also introduced the 17 concepts of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and discussed the market trends and prospects of health products and sugar substitutes in China and globally today.
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4.2 The highlights of the Lecture
4.2.1Basic Concept
We explained in detail what sugar substitutes are, in particular D-allulose, and introduced the basic principles of synthetic biology.
4.2.2 Health and Sustainability
By discussing the health effects of excessive sugar intake and the health and environmental benefits of sugar substitutes, students understand the link between the practical applications of sugar substitutes and global health trends.
4.2.3Market Trends
We analyze the development prospects of sugar substitute products in the Chinese and global markets, showing their increasing popularity in an increasingly health-conscious society.
4.3Feedback
Students were very engaged throughout the lecture. Most of them had limited knowledge about sugar substitution and synthetic biology before the lecture, but their interest grew as the lecture progressed. Here are some key feedback points:
4.3.1Enhancement of Environmental Awareness
We highlighted environmental protection and sustainable development during the lectures. Many students expressed that they were already aware of the harm that pollution was causing and hoped to choose more environmentally friendly products in the future. They also expressed their desire to protect the environment through personal efforts.
4.3.2 Developing Critical Thinking
By discussing the pros and cons of sugar substitutes and synthetic biology, we helped students to view the advantages and challenges of these technologies from a scientific perspective. This approach fostered the development of critical thinking, and many students began to consider issues from multiple perspectives.
4.3.3 Stimulate Innovative Thinking
Showing the applications and prospects of synthetic biology in different fields sparked interest among students. One student even expressed a desire to engage in related research in the future, reflecting the lecture’s role in stimulating innovative thinking.
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4.4 Reflection
The lecture achieved remarkable educational results, but we also summarized from the feedback where improvements can be made to enhance the quality of future lectures:
4.4.1 Strengthening the Connection with Real-Life Applications
Although the students mastered the basic concepts, future lectures could focus more on demonstrating the practical applications of synthetic biology in areas such as food production, healthcare and environmental protection. Through concrete examples, students will be able to better understand how these technologies relate to their daily lives.
4.4.2 Long-Term Project
The response to this educational project has been very good, and students from the surrounding schools would like to have the opportunity to be introduced to this subject, so in the future we will try to make this content an ongoing educational lecture.
4.4.3 Provide Follow-Up Learning Resources
After the lecture, we can provide students with more follow-up learning resources, such as related videos or articles, to help them continue to learn in depth. At the same time, we can guide interested students to understand the career development paths in the field of synthetic biology.
4.4.4 Invite Experts to Give Lectures
Consider inviting experts or practitioners in related fields to participate in the lectures and share their experiences and insights. This face-to-face interaction can provide more in-depth answers to students' questions and provide first-hand information about the industry. That's why we followed up with interviews with relevant experts to pave the way and prepare for our products and subsequent educational programs.
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Health and biology play a crucial role in society, so we believe it's important to educate children about them from an early age. This not only helps them develop healthy habits but also fosters an interest in science. With this in mind, we have created a set of cards inspired by novels and games. The set is simple yet offers plenty of possibilities and fun, making it suitable for teenagers. With only 64 cards, it is easy to carry around, and the cost of customization is low, making it accessible for most educational settings. We have used these cards for science outreach in various schools, aiming to make learning about sugar substitution and the basic concepts of synthetic biology enjoyable for everyone.
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5.1 Feedback
In the game, everyone generally gave this game a high evaluation. The students thought that the cards had high playability, and during the game, they remembered a lot of knowledge about sugar substitution and synthetic biology and improved their knowledge reserve. In the process of the game, everyone also enjoyed the process, thinking that this game could promote the relationship between friends. In follow-up interviews, they said they would pay more attention to sugar substitutes in their lives in the future and would try to use sugar substitutes more to make their lives healthier. They believe that the game not only performs well in terms of entertainment but also successfully guides their way to healthy living and brings positive changes to their daily lives.
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5.2 Reflection
5.2.1 Online platforms
There are many restrictions on offline activities, which can lead to a decrease in the number of players and interest. We can create an online platform so that people can play and learn knowledge on this platform anytime and anywhere.
5.2.2 Globalization
We can make this set of cards in different languages to ensure that all students can benefit from it. And cooperate with public welfare organizations to promote the card to remote areas and poor areas to help more children access quality education resources.
5.2.3 Promotion
In the subsequent science popularization, we can add other decorations and modify the rules on the cards to make these cards more suitable for students of lower ages, so that they can also experience the fun of learning knowledge in the game.
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In conclusion, this set of cards is highly effective in raising public awareness of sugar substitutes and synthetic biology. We've come to understand that in educating the public, we can not only use social media and lectures more directly, but also utilize games to make our content more memorable and engaging. Going forward, we will continue to use this deck of cards in our future science outreach efforts to make the process more interesting.
6.1 Introduction
Our team aimed to make synthetic biology more accessible to the general public and raise health awareness. To achieve this, we created exhibition boards showcasing basic synthetic biology concepts and interesting case studies. We took these boards to high-traffic areas such as parks, shopping malls, and subway stations to educate people about synthetic biology.
During these outreach activities, we explained the fundamental principles of synthetic biology and focused on our research on sugar substitutes. We used the analogy of building blocks to help people understand how synthetic biology involves creating new biological functions by splicing different gene modules.
Furthermore, we presented engaging topics related to synthetic biology, including gene editing of human embryos, synthetic biological weapons, and genetically modified plants. These topics sparked public interest and encouraged discussions.
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6.2 Feedback
6.2.1 High Level of Interest
Most of the passers-by showed a strong interest in synthetic biology and the sugar substitutes related to our project. They generally agreed that synthetic biology is a very cutting-edge and potentially life-changing field in the future, as well as most of them demonstrated a need and willingness to try sugar substitute products.
6.2.2 Poor Information
Despite the curiosity of passers about these topics, many of them indicated that they found it difficult to gain an in-depth understanding of synthetic biology due to a lack of access to relevant information. This suggests that current public understanding of this area is still limited and needs to be supported by more science popularization resources.
6.2.3 Educational Effect
Passers-by thought that the figurative metaphors and a variety of interesting examples we used in the popularization of science were very helpful in understanding complex scientific concepts, especially for non-specialists, and were easier to accept and remember.
6.2.4 Discussion Topic
In the discussion of controversial topics such as gene editing of human embryos and synthetic biological weapons, passers-by expressed different views. Some expressed concern that the misuse of these technologies may bring about ethical and safety issues, while others were optimistic about the future potential of these technologies, believing that with proper regulation, these technologies will greatly contribute to the development of human society.
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The campaign has effectively raised public awareness about synthetic biology and sugar substitution research. To bridge the information gap, we are committed to providing relevant information and resources through various channels and forms. We will continue to publish articles on social media to make this knowledge accessible to a wider audience. Additionally, we plan to use engaging examples in our future outreach efforts to help people from diverse backgrounds better understand and embrace the concepts of synthetic biology.
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7.1 Social Media
Our educational materials include engaging content on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu and WeChat Official Account, where we provide fundamental information on D-allulose and other sugar substitutes. These materials have garnered significant attention, with over 5,000 views combined, attracting a large following and effectively enhancing public understanding of these alternatives.
7.1.1 Official Account
(1)Health in every sweet bite
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Link:https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/qnxpop6q0a4kKJtsmGOGwA
(3)Do you understand sugar substitutes?
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(5)Experimental logs
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7.1.2 XiaoHongshu
(1)Team Introduction
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(2)Experiment Record
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