Educational Projects
Educational projects
Get excited about science
'Do fruit flies have brains?'
'How does our DNA differ from that of a bee?'
'Why do researchers study zebrafish?'
VIB has launched several school projects to make young people in Flanders enthusiastic about life sciences. Below, you can find a selection of our school projects aimed at children between the ages of 10 and 18.
Real scientists in the classroom
Science on the Road (in Dutch: Wetenschap op Stap) is aimed at children between the ages of 10 and 12.
With this project, VIB wants to make young children enthusiastic about life sciences by bringing real scientists to the classroom. The students delve into the topic in advance, so that they can ask specific questions.
The aim is for the visit to serve as the highlight of or a guide to a classroom science project.
DNA KIT
VIB lends electrophoresis kits to teachers, making it possible to separate and visualize DNA in the classroom. A kit contains two electrophoresis machines, DNA material and a protocol.
The DNA kit is aimed at students between the ages of 14 and 18.
ELISA KIT
An ELISA kit makes it possible to detect an infection in the classroom. The kit is only available to teachers. The only thing that needs to be returned after the tests are the micropipettes.
The ELISA kit is aimed at students between the ages of 16 and 18.
Classroom becomes a lab
Together with a Nature & Science supervisor, VIB transforms the students' classroom into a real lab.
Currently, we have two project in this format: 'The power of blood' (in Dutch: De kracht van bloed) and 'Magic soybeans and their friends' (in Dutch: Magische soja en zijn vrienden).
These school projects are aimed at students between the ages of 10 and 12.
Magic soybeans and their friends
Soybean is one of the most important plant derived protein sources for food and feed. However, it is currently challenging to cultivate soy in Belgium with an acceptable yield, in part because soybean requires interaction with bacteria in their root nodules. In this project, we engage students to plant soybeans at the school in order to discover more about the interesting challenges of this crop.
The power of blood
Through a fun presentation, simple experiments, and analyzing the results, the children explore the world of 'blood'.
They learn about the importance of blood in their lives.
COVID-19 research
Knowledge is power. COVID-19 has made this very clear. Scientists across the world rallied to understand the biology of the virus and develop a vaccine. But knowledge is not only for scientists. By providing knowledge on COVID-19 to everyone, young or old, we can learn why specific measures are necessary and what we – all of us – can do to keep each other safe.
VIB Facts Series
The VIB Facts series is a set of in-depth, science-based informational brochures on topics as diverse as animal testing, crop production, and genome engineering.
Every brochure has been curated by experts in the field to provide you with the most up-to-date information.
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