Summer Science Program Makes Splash With Texas Teachers

A UT Dallas program is helping teachers spark curiosity and provide real-world applications to scientific concepts via a small addition to their classrooms – zebrafish.

Dr. Vinita Hajeri, assistant professor of instruction in science/mathematics education in the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, started the Zebrafish Summer Institute in 2018 to give K-12 teachers a low-cost method to drive home science lessons.

Zebrafish are at the forefront of biological research, helping scientists understand complex diseases, including cancer. According to the National Institutes of Health, 70% of human genes are found in these fish; for instance, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and melanoma have been successfully modeled in zebrafish.

Zebrafish are also ideal for classrooms. They are freshwater fish that can be found in pet stores; they can be easily maintained in a classroom aquarium; and students can practice scientific concepts while studying them – from collecting data and monitoring the tank habitat, to developing hypotheses and writing about their findings.

“One of the struggles teachers have is engaging students with authentic scientific experiments with no access to research-grade equipment. To mitigate this problem, our lab is involved in creating zebrafish apparatus using recyclable materials and simplified methods that allow teachers to teach with zebrafish,” Hajeri said.

Sixteen Texas teachers attended the 2021 summer program, which received $6,500 from a State Farm Enterprise Technology Priority School Grant. The funds helped purchase aquariums for attendees so they could set up zebrafish in their own classrooms.

– Paul Bottoni