At the Stattegg elementary school, we deliberately used a playful approach to teach the challenging topic of biomembranes to our youngest workshop participants (3rd grade elementary school). One of our effective games is the popular "Silent Message"("Stille Post") game.

Here, the idea of signal transmission via the cell membrane is illustrated in a playful way. The children whisper messages to each other, which are passed from one end of the group to the other. By spontaneously changing the message, we illustrate how transmission errors can occur. The choice of this game results from its meaningful integration into the learning process. It enables a lively representation of complex biological processes. The changes that occur when the message is passed on impressively simulate how errors can occur during signal transmission in a cell. These errors in turn provide a bridge to real-life problems that can occur during signal transmission within cells and serve as a starting point for discussing possible diseases.

The strength of this approach is that it creates a direct link between the game experience and the underlying scientific concepts. The children are actively involved and experience the principles of cell communication on a personal level. By transforming game mechanisms into biological contexts, understanding is deepened and interest in the topic is awakened. Ultimately, the "Silent Post" game demonstrates how games can not only provide entertainment, but also serve as an effective tool to communicate complex scientific concepts in an easily understandable and memorable way.

This workshop was the first as Young Science Knowledge Ambassadors of the OeAD. More information about this initiative can be found here.

This workshop was held in June 2023.