Team:Fatih Turkey/game

GAME INTRODUCTION
Lab studies are enjoyable and we are having great fun while performing the experiments. But, reaching out more people and telling about synthetic biology and genetics are very important roles considering the possible contributions of these disciplines to humanity. The earlier you reach someone, the more you help to the development of synthetic biology.
In order to teach the main disciplines and content of this brand new science to especially children and teenagers, we designed a Monopoly-like board game. The game is based on teaching the general logic of Biobricks and iGEM, major lab devices, major chemicals, bacteria and biological materials used in lab and our project.
Each player represents a kind of bacteria: B. subtilis as gram positive and E.coli as gram negative. Depending on the differences between these two kinds; players have advantages and disadvantages throughout the game. These will help the players to finish the game line first. There are also some Biobrick cards that players use during the game. These are also vital to survive in the board game unless you stop on a game square that represents deathly circumstances for bacteria. This directs the player to think like a scientist that sometimes must decide fast and effective with few facilities.
We recommend our game to school age children, teenagers and university students. If you want to learn and have fun while doing that, The Canvas Town Game is the thing you are looking for…

 

We played the game in our own university, and also in high schools where we went to tell about iGEM. We had a great time while playing the game with our friends and teenagers from the high schools. We also got really good reactions from the players, and one of the most interesting suggestions was that we had to take a patent for the game.

  Moreover, the players were taken a survey prepared to measure effect of the game. What is synthetic biology? What can be done by it? What is the logic behind the projects of iGEM? Those were the questions that they could find the answers in this game. The game not only gave them an idea about the iGEM or syhthetic biology, but it also taught them names of some mostly used antibiotics, laboratory instruments, such as autoclave, and principles of some experiments.

All the process is full of unforgettable moments, and they will remain in our memories for long and long years.