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LEGO DNA Photo by Dan Armendariz |
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Welcome to Science Builders !
Kathleen M. Vandiver, president, designed these amazing molecular models from standard LEGO® bricks. The lesson plans for using the hands-on materials are included in the Teacher Guides. Science Builders was founded in 2003 to transfer the ownership of these innovative materials to LEGO Education/Pitsco. Now, educators may purchase the LEGO® Life Science Sets on-line: http://www.legoeducation.com
NEW Products in the works....
Science Builders Inc. continues to develop new molecular biology models. For example, we have made it possible to begin with a gene and produce a folded protein-- all in LEGO®! For this protein synthesis activity we have designed an amino acid set and a tRNA set that can be used with the original LEGO® DNA set. The LEGO® protein synthesis models, while not commercially available, can be seen in the wonderful exhibit called "Learning Lab: the Cell" at the MIT Museum, in Cambridge, MA. http://web.mit.edu/museum/
This Science Builder's website is designed to provide additional curriculum aids and practical tips for using the LEGO® Life Science Sets.
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Key Employee Biographies:
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Kathleen M. Vandiver, President, has M.Ed. in Math and Science Teaching from Harvard University and Ph.D. in Anatomy and Cellular biology from Tufts University of School of Medicine. She is certified in MA for teaching General Science grades 5-9 and for teaching Biology grades 9-12. She was a public school teacher, and taught sixth grade science for a sixteen years. Presently she is the Director of a Community Outreach and Education Program at one of MIT's research centers, the Center for Environmental Health Science.
http://cehs.mit.edu/outreachprograms.html
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Why are the LEGO™ Life Science Sets so excellent for teaching biology?
Vandiver began by listing the major science concepts for each biology lesson. The model pieces were then selected and specifically designed to emphasize the concepts. Priority in the design was given to the demonstration of molecular processes over the presentation of exact molecular structure because process is more difficult to grasp from the diagrams printed in textbooks.
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