PHOTO: PIXABAY
How do you make abstract ecological concepts truly stick? By having pupils create their own biology comic strip using a dice and a healthy dose of imagination! In this teaching activity, designed by ecology lecturers at the University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, pupils work with ecological concepts by rolling a dice. Each number corresponds to a concept that they circle on an overview sheet. The collected concepts form the basis for a mind map and, ultimately, the plot of a self-invented comic strip. Using a clear writing plan, pupils incorporate the concepts into their story, giving abstract terms such as food web and biodiversity real meaning. The activity stimulates pupils’ language development and creative imagination, making it a valuable addition to the biology lesson. The worksheet can be found at tinyurl.com/yck4avu7 and can easily be adapted to other themes. (Milena Vlot)