There are suggested lesson plans provided in the guidebook. PowerPoint slides and other teaching resources are also provided in the online portal. However, it is strongly recommended that teachers prepare their own lesson plans and PowerPoint slides to suit their students' learning. 

These lessons are not available for booking through the Online Booking System. To book these lessons, please contact Charissa at charissa_lin@science.edu.sg or dnalab@science.edu.sg.

The workshop is divided into 5 sessions, which can be conducted over 2.5 days or over 5 half days (either consecutively or on a weekly basis). However, there must be a minimum 1-day break between Sessions 4 and 5 to allow the bacteria to grow. There is an optional Session 6 available upon request, to allow students to do a presentation on their experimental design and results.

The bacteria plated in Day 1 requires 24–48h to grow in order for the students to do colony PCR in Day 2. Hence, it is recommended that there is at least 1 day break between Day 1 and Day 2.

An “Equipment checklist” form will be sent to schools prior to the start of the programme. This will enable Science Centre to know what equipment is available in schools and what equipment we will need to provide. However, the items below are the most important to have on hand, if possible:

• Lab grade freezer (-20°C) or fridge (4°C)
  Some of the reagents are temperature sensitive. Schools should minimally have a household freezer and fridge to keep the reagents. However, do note that the success rate of the experiments may be affected if the reagents are stored in a household freezer or fridge over prolonged periods.

• Microwave
  The microwave is required to prepare the agarose gel for Lab 4. If this is not available, please inform Science Centre and we will suggest alternative methods.

• Autoclave machine
  The biohazard wastes can be returned to Science Centre where we will autoclave them before disposal.

During the teacher workshop, teachers will be advised on some alternatives that can be done if some equipment or materials are not available in the school. Alternatively, schools can consider to do some of the labs that require more advanced equipment (e.g., Lab 5–8) in Science Centre.

There is no fixed duration for loaning the kits. Schools can request them for as long as necessary. However, there are limited kits to be shared among all the schools; hence, schools should only borrow the kits during the period that they require, subjected to availability. The maximum duration of loan is 3 months at a time.

The equipment is available on a first-come-first-served basis, hence it would be best to inform Science Centre as soon as you have planned your programme schedule. The latest that you will need to inform Science Centre is 2 months before the workshop date (subject to availability), so that we can prepare the items and arrange for the kit to be delivered to your school.

There is no minimum number of students for the school to conduct this programme. You will just need to inform us of the number of students so we can prepare the materials accordingly. However, if our science educator is conducting the programme either in your school or at Science Centre, the minimum number in a class is 20.

Science Centre has sufficient equipment to cater to a maximum of 160 students at a time (done concurrently). If the practical session for different classes is not done at the same time, it is possible to have more students doing it over different days or times.

For teachers who plan to conduct the programme on your own, it is compulsory to attend the teacher workshop. During the teacher workshop, teachers will do the experiments and learn the content of each lab, so that they will be comfortable to teach the students. The proper use and care of the equipment provided, procedure for rental of kits, and how to prepare certain reagents will also be covered in the workshop. If a science educator from Science Centre is conducting the programme for your school, it is not necessary to attend the teacher workshop.

Teachers conducting this programme for your students must attend the workshop. It is also advisable for your school’s lab technician to attend the workshop, so that they can assist with the lab preparation. Schools that do not plan to implement the ABE programme yet but would like to attend the workshop for professional development may do so, too, but priority will be given to the schools who will be implementing the programme.

The programme can be implemented in a number of ways: 

(i) Teachers who are comfortable to conduct the programme on their own can do so in their schools. Science Centre Singapore will provide the necessary reagents and equipment.

(ii) A Science Centre educator can come to your school to conduct the programme for your students. This can also be done through co-teaching with your teacher.

(iii) Teachers can bring students to Science Centre over a number of days or a holiday programme, and the science educator at Science Centre will conduct the programme.

(iv) Science Centre has developed a few planned workshops (ABE Express and Developing a Scientist’s Mind) that schools can book.

If there are other ways in which you would like to implement this programme, please contact Science Centre.

The recommended age group is upper secondary and tertiary levels. Schools can also offer it at Secondary 2 level as a form of exposure of the students. At Secondary 1–2, we would recommend a reduced content of just Labs 1–4 or ABE Express Beginner.