Workshop: BioTech Basics

Workshop: BioTech Basics

In this one-day Workshop: BioTech Basics, we will explore the role that livestock and their products and parts play in the biotech reality of the modern world and on the farm. Workshop: BioTech Basics asks the participants to look deeper at the way humans, livestock, ecologies, and soil health all belong together to achieve sustainability.

90 Minute Factor

In this workshop we will explore how we integrate animals and livestock and every day care and feeding on the farm.

  • The first portion of the workshop will deal with understanding the population of livestock housed here at Mezzacello Urban Farm.
  • After the intro, the workshop will allow students to interact with an animal in the biolab (shed 4).
  • The second portion of the workshop the students will observe the animal they are treating and discover any anomalies they see.
  • Finally, each student will use the tools and charts available to determine a prognosis
  • They will share their prognosis and return the animal safely to its home.

Half-Day Factor

In this expanded half-day workshop we will explore in a full design challenge the care and housing of livestock on the farm and will create a video presentation.

  • If there are enough students, have them form teams and choose a name.
  • Students will choose an animal at Mezzacello and why they are important.
  • Students will create a device that successfully treats an animal for a specific prroblem..
  • Students will work together in teams to protect their animal.
  • Students will follow the Design Cycle to create this solution.
  • Students must make a video showing their solution in use on the farm at Mezzacello.

Full-Day Factor

In this expanded full-day workshop we will create a full design challenge dealing with health and wellness of poultry, rabbits, and crickets, solve a real-world problem at Mezzacello using the Design Cycle, and writing and recording a video presentation.

  • In the first part, students must learn about the ways livestock are important on a farm.
  • Students will create a device that successfully addresses the needs of livestock.
  • Students must work together in teams and create a useful idea together.
  • Students will follow the Design Cycle to create this solution.
  • In the second part of this workshop, students will identify a system that could be improved with the application of STEM to solve that problem.
  • Students have the option of either designing and building a prototype of their solution or installing their solution at Mezzacello Urban Farm.
  • Students must make a video showing their solution in use on the farm at Mezzacello or the solution that they installed to solve a real world problem.

The Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello

The Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello

The Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello
Hand washing station

Grey Water Collection
Gray Water Collection

Water Evaporation and Purification System

Reclaimed Water Fertilizer or Hand washing

If you are a fan of Mezzacello Urban Farm, then you probably already know that very little goes to waste. That is especially true of the most versatile substance at Mezzacello: Water. This is the Waste Water Cycle at Mezzacello.

As the Disney/Star Wars character, the Mandalorian is fond of saying, “This is the way.” This is the way, friends, the future is sustainable.

Jim Bruner

Hand Washing Stations

Mezzacello Advisory Board

There are three hand washing stations at Mezzacello (see the map). Each station is strategically placed to be used when needed. All of the water for the 18.5 L (5 gallon) stations are filled with solar purified water. We use a series of solar evaporators for this and supplement with city water when needed.

Gray Water Collection

Grey Water Collection

Each of the three hand washing stations at Mezzacello have a dedicated 37.8 L (10 Gallon) gray water waste collection tank attached to it. It is the gray water in this tank that we purify for fresh water during the camp seasons. The rest of the time the atmosphere here in Columbus, Ohio is too cool to either store liquid water outdoors or evaporate it.

Water Conservation Systems

We also collect rain water in 1000L (370 Gallon) rain barrels. This water is heated using solar powered heaters and pumps so we have access to liquid water on demand for the pond and fish. one has to plan ahead.

Solar Evaporators

This process is surprisingly straightforward, as it is exactly how mother nature recycles all the water on this planet for the past 4.7 Billion Years. The issue here is one of pressure and precise engineering. The atmosphere of the planet Earth is a sealed enclosed system with an atmosphere to hold in both air and pressure as well as heat from the central star, Sol.

In order for a small scale solar evaporator to work efficiently, it has to be tightly sealed, have a dedicated evaporation unit that is level, AND a sealed glass-topped cover that is at an angle. This angle is what allows the pure water to run down the glass and drop into the collection tray and run out the side.

What is left in the tray is bacteria and soap. I recycle that too. But that is another blog post. Suffice to know that there has to be a back door in the evaporator to change out the waste water and remove the waste solids.

PS I use a series of four solar evaporators at Mezzacello. In the winter I even keep one or two running in the Biodome. The Biodome is almoist (see what I did there?) always at a balmy 39C (102F). Therefore the evaporators will still work, but I also need some moisture in the dome for the plants to thrive on.

Repurposed Water

So, you already know what I can use fresh purified water for, right? I can put it back in the hand washing stations, or use it for the animals, or I could make more fertilizer products for the farm or to sell. The opportunities are endless and the costs are simple some thrown together bits and parts and patience.

The Rules of Sustainability

It is not sustainable if you have to struggle to get access to resources. The resources I use here at Mezzacello are an amalgamation of 80% recycled or homegrown content and 20% purchased resources. This is not true of food – as food is a precious commodity and I do not have enough land or the rural footprint to grow all my own food.

But what I can do is take every opportunity I have to make the most out of what I do have. As the Mandalorian is fond of saying, “This is the way.” This is the way, friends, the future is sustainable.


This is a part of the City of Columbus Parks and Recreation Summer Grant Grant #1521-2023



Summer Camp Video Series

Summer Camp Video Series

Summer Camp Video Series

BioTechnology

The Scale of the Quantum World (Corridor Crew)

The Quantum Realm (Kurgestant)

The Scale of the Universe (Corridor Crew)

The Truth of Vacuum in Nature (ScienceClic)

Quantum and Molecular BioMachines (Veritaseum)

Nature In Numbers (Phi) (Cristobal Vila)

Understanding Chlorophyll and Quantum Physics (Neural Surfer)

Quantum Uncertainty and the Atom and Quantum Biology (Jim Al Khalili)

BioEngineering

Why Atoms Bond – The Molecular Shape of You (A Capella Science)

How Many Solar Panels Do We Need and Energy? (Corridor Crew)


This is a part of the City of Columbus Parks and Recreation Summer Grant Grant #1521-2023


USDA Zones vs EcoRegions

USDA Zones vs EcoRegions

The conflict between the USDA zones vs Ecoregions is pretty obvious when you see them together. one is a broad approximation of climate across a continent and the other is a more nuanced map of the topology and regions of a state. Both are true, one is more accurate.

The USDA hardiness zones take into account the continental averages and impacts from the artic and the jet streams. The EcoRegion map takes into account smaller regional impacts of rivers and geology that is of a smaller scale. This is an important distinction.


Design Challenge: Birds vs Mammals vs Insects vs Bacteria

Design Challenge: Birds vs Mammals vs Insects vs Bacteria

In this Design Challenge: Birds vs Mammals vs Insects vs Bacteria we will be creating a tool that will help us better care for all the forms of life that we encounter on an urban farm. Looking at the template the challenge is to create healthy and sustainable ways to provide a safe ecosystem, housing, and care strategy for each form of life. You will be able to ask an intern or mentor, but the internet is also an option!

Break into teams and start researching the answers to these five prompts. Each team will have 30 minutes to do research or make direct observations. Be ready to share out and record your answers.

Start With The Ecosystem

Then Create Housing

What Does It Eat?

How Much Water Does It Need?

Determine Three Aspects That Makes Each Form Of Life Unique

Share You results as a group.


Design Challenge: Interview for Your Future Job

Design Challenge: Interview for Your Future Job

In this design challenge: interview for your future job we will be playing a game to discover what we as individuals find most interesting. By playing this game we should learn three things. We seek to discover who we are, what we like, where might we be able to do those things?

Start with Passions

Start by forming into your teams. Each team will work together for 15 minutes to create a summary of the things they know about themselves on a scrap of paper. Then they will collect those papers into a folder.

Pass the folder to the next team. That next team will take these pieces of paper and in 10 minutes compare them to careers provided that reflect some of the words in each description. Starting with the question “Who are we“, moving through “what we like“, and finishing with “where can we do those things?

Discussion: What Do We Mean By Passion?

What do we mean when we discuss passion? What do we mean when we discuss talent? Why do passion and talent matter?

Create More Meaning

Once the second team has organized the team prior into careers, pass the folder to the third team. The third team will be interviewing the original team and each other team the same. This should be done in five minute rounds.

The winner of the design challenge is the team that best captures the person described in the team dossier assigned to them. Is it possible to match a persons interests and impacts this way? What else should we factor in?


Design Challenge: Build a Gate

Design Challenge: Build a Gate

Design Challenge: Build a Gate
Sign that reads: Keep Gate Closed. No matter what the chickens say.

In this design challenge: build a gate we discuss the design, implementation, and constraints of a gate. We will explore all aspects of the gate. We’ll look at pattern, structure, and process to function, locking and hinges.

What Are The Basics?

When we think about gates is the open and close, locking, and unlocking the most important part? Are all gates the same? How are they different?


Take the time to research the words gate and fence. In English they can mean many things! How many definitions of gate and fence are their, even homonyms!


When a gate is closed is it then part of the fence or is it still a gate? Can we have a gate without a fence? Do gates have to close to be considered a gate?

The Challenge

Materials

  • Timer
  • Three Types of Materials (Cardboard, wood, steel)
  • Fasteners (String, Bolts, Pipe Cleaners)
  • A pre-built armature to mount a gate to
  • Duck Tape

Directions

  • Each team will be given a set of materials and a whiteboard
  • The problem is: How do we protect baby ducklings from escaping and getting eaten by hawks?
  • The team will have 10 minutes to brainstorm and start to build.
  • After 10 minutes, all hands go up and the object is COMPLETELY disassembled and then each team switches.
  • They will then have 7 minutes to build their object. After that seven minutes, the hands go up and the team must again disassemble that object.
  • After that 7 minutes, teams switch again and now they will be given 5 minutes to construct this new object. They can be not be talking to or help offered by each team.
  • After 5 minutes, hands go up and we will consider the state of construction.

The team with the most successful builds is the winner of the design challenge. The team with the least successful builds will be asked to give a five minute presentation to the entire camp on why they were unsuccessful and what they plan to do to become better. Remember to use the Design Cycle!

Educational Outcomes

The goal here is teamwork and learning to adapt and modify on the fly.

Given a set set of materials students in each team will have 10 minutes to consider a group of objects and figure out how the items go together. In addition to building they must also observe other teams building to determine the fastest way to build that next item.


Activity: Understanding Emotions, Fear and Confidence

Activity: Understanding Emotions, Fear and Confidence

Icarus coutesy Wikipedia Commons

In this activity we will discuss the role of emotion, fear, failure, and confidence in learning and team building. We’ve talked about fear and emotions. But we really need to dissect passion, confidence and pride.

Fear of failure is very real. But the only path to confidence is to risk fear and failure. It is what help us grow and learn.

Activity: Understanding Emotions, Fear and Confidence

The image above is funny, but it was also very real. I was afraid that an unexpected cold snap in the weather would kill my favorite plants. So I covered them up and disguised them as ghosts.

I am afraid of ghosts. But I am afraid of dead plants more. So in this case, the ghosts were the funnier and safer option.

Failure is not bad. It is a tool to teach us wisdom. Being afraid of failure is bad, but ignoring it is often disastrous.

Why Are We Afraid, Cautious and Humble?

The answer to this question is two-fold. It involves mechanics, biology, chemistry and culture. We have a very long history with these feelings.

First, we are sensory animals. We pay attention to patterns and interactions and look for change. Change is very intriguing and dangerous to us as a species.

The second is that we are social animals. Humans suffer when they are left alone. Just like all other complex animals we grow weak in isolation.

So what do fear and humility have to do in common? The answer is feathers, wax, the sun, and how they all interact. This is the story of Icarus.

Create a Fable

A fable is a story that has a beginning, a middle, and an end. It must also tell a moral and serve as a teaching tool. The fable should be able to applied universally to everyone.

Icarus

Looking at just these five images, tell me the story and the moral of Icarus.


Design Challenge: Reframe a Problem

Design Challenge: Reframe a Problem

In this design challenge: reframe a problem teams will solve a simple design challenge by describing it in the most insane way ever. We are looking at the game telephone but through directions and actions. The goal is to stump the other team, without CHEATING.

The Challenge

First, as a team we will break a four step problem into each step. Then we will replace key words with anagrams or metaphors. Then we will give that madlib to another team to solve it.

The goal of the game (and of the Design Challenge) is to make solving the riddle as hard to solve without being factually incorrect. We will also be using algorithms to determine what to do next. We need to keep the other team stumped for at least five minutes.

What Is An Algorithm?

An algorithm is a set of instructions or rules that can be followed to solve a problem.

Dictionary.com

An algorithm is a specific set of instructions that if we follow them, we will get a new but expected outcome. This concept is both ancient and essential. For example there is an algorithm for becoming friends.

The goal of this Design Challenge is not just to stump the other team, but to create an algorithm that will allow future teams to create effective and efficient algorithms in the future.


Design Challenge: Mastering Fear

Design Challenge: Mastering Fear

Design Challenge: Mastering Fear

In this design challenge: mastering fear we will be using simple tools or resources to create an 80 second hourglass or hourglass proxy. Why 80 seconds? This is the longest amount of time that any emotion can remain active in the body when focus is pulled from it.

The quote on the image above is a very famous quote from the book “Dune” written by Frank Herbert four years before I was born. What do we think it means? The idea is as old as legends, myths, and recorded history.

Let’s Talk About Fear

Let’s have a discussion about fear and panic and then we’ll get into the Design Challenge. How do we define fear? Why do we have fear?

The Challenge

Using just a few simple tools and objects, teams must research

  1. How emotions work
  2. How Hourglasses work
  3. How to create something that flows over 80 seconds

Each team will tackle one of these questions using a Raspberry Pi computer and monitor, a wifi signal and and a monitor. When the research is complete it should be documented on paper. When that step is complete we will begin building a fear hourglass.

What is an emotional Hourglass?

An emotional hourglass is a simple improvised hourglass made of simple tools and machines and substance that under pressure flows for 80 seconds. The hourglass DOES not have to be a device. It can also be done in code on a computer or as a poem. The only stipulation is that the process must take 80 seconds to complete one cycle.

Use The Design Cycle

We will be using the design cycle to design, build and test this design challenge. Each team will use the analyze and modify component of the design cycle to test another team’s solution set. Be brave, be adventurous and be clever!

The Design Cycle