Tabling at the National Science Teachers Association!

At the recent National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference in beautiful Denver, Colorado, Killer Snails captivated attendees with our innovative educational game, WaterWays. This immersive experience invites students to become Chimhe City scientists, tackling real-world environmental challenges such as plastic pollution, air and water quality, the Urban Heat Island effect, and marine biodiversity. 

WaterWays, developed in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society, Hudson River Park, and Mount Sinai's Transdisciplinary Center for Early Environmental Exposure, and supported by the National Institutes of Health, offers an engaging platform for students to learn about water use and stewardship. Through interactive activities, students explore environmental health issues within their communities and devise solutions to promote sustainability.

Additionally, Killer Snails used this opportunity to recruit teachers for their VenomCoLab pilot program. VenomCoLab is an inquiry-based, collaborative science experience designed for 6th-10th grade students. Over five class periods, students assume roles as scientists and collaboratively study venomous organisms like marine snails, snakes, sea anemones, or scorpions. They work to identify peptides or proteins from venom that could potentially treat health problems such as pain, cancer, blood clotting, or autoimmune diseases. 

Students take on one of four scientist roles: Zoologist, Biochemist, Molecular Biologist, and Pharmacologist. Each role involves distinct tasks using personalized websites and augmented reality or WebVR on computers or tablets. Students learn from each other and collaborate during activities like lab meetings and experiments, aiming to develop new treatments.