25 new genomes are being decoded by the Wellcome Sanger Institute to mark their 25th anniversary – and your students are going to choose 5 of them!
Between 6th November – 8th December, a team of scientists and wildlife experts will each champion a species they think should have its entire DNA sequence decoded. We need your students to read their pitches, get to know the species and vote for which species’ genetic code they want to see fully unravelled for the first time.
- What’s 25 Genomes all about?
- How do I take part with my students?
- Which zone will my class be in?
- What age group is it for?
- How do I make my student user accounts?
- What can students do on the site?
- What sort of questions should my students be asking?
- Is this event just for students?
- How do I log in?
- I’ve forgotten my password, what do I do?
- How can I book a live chat?
- Are there any IT checks we should do before the event?
What’s 25 Genomes all about?
25 Genomes: Mapping Nature’s Code is a free online event for school students. It’s a competition with scientists and wildlife experts, each championing a species they think should have its entire DNA sequence decoded. We need your students to ASK about their pitches, get to know the species in Live CHATS, and VOTE for those whose genetic code they want to see fully unravelled for the first time.
The event is split into 5 different themed categories of species, ‘Zones’, and the winning species in each Zone will have it’s entire DNA sequence decoded by the Wellcome Sanger Institute!
The Institute have also produced this video to explain the project, which you can share with your class:
How do I take part with my students?
If you’re not already signed up to our events, register your interest HERE, making sure you tick the 25 Genomes checkbox. You’ll then be sent a survey asking you to let us know how many classes you would like to take part with, and which age groups. We’ll then let you know how many classes we are able to give you at the beginning of October.
If you’re already signed up to our events, we’ve already emailed you with the sign up survey! If you can’t find it, drop Michaela an email on michaela@mangorol.la
Register by 10am, Friday 29th September
Which zone will my class be in?
The event is split into 5 different themed categories of species – ‘Zones’. Your class will be allocated a Home Zone, which is the zone you need to book your Live Chat in. Your students will need to get to know the species in their Home Zone, as they will meet some of these species in their Live Chat.
However, your students will have access to all 5 zones, and can ASK and VOTE in all of them!
What age group is it for?
From primary school students in year 5 (age 9) right through to sixth formers (age 17/18).
Conversations will be dictated by the students (the ask the questions they want to) so different age groups, ability levels, and backgrounds will all get something out of it. We imagine younger students will ask more about the different species, and older students will engage with the DNA sequencing process and the work done by the scientists, but it’s up to them!
How do I make my students accounts?
Your students will need a registration link from you to set up their accounts. It may be best to give them the link as part of your first lesson on the event.
Students can log in from 30th October.
How to generate the student registration link
- Go to your profile page (you need to be logged in).
- Scroll down to find the “Generate Student Registration Link” button near the bottom of the page. Click this.
- On the next page, type your school and the class name and click “Save class & Display link”.
- A URL will be displayed. Get your students to enter this URL into their web browser, it will take them to a page where they can create their own account on the site.
Students can copy this link from the board but it may be easier if you email it to them or save it to any online learning tools or homework planners your class use.
What can students do on the site?
- ‘Meet’ the species
- ASK questions about DNA sequencing, and why each species deserves to be decoded
- Engage in live CHATS about genomics and conservation
- VOTE for the species they think deserves to have it’s DNA fully unravelled for the first time
The winning species in each Zone will have its entire DNA sequence decoded by the Wellcome Sanger Institute – giving students a real say in future genetic research.
What sort of questions should my students be asking?
Many of the champions will be scientists working at the cutting edge of genomics and conservation, so this is an opportunity for students to find out more about DNA sequencing and genetics.
Students can also ask anything they like about the different species. They may just want to find out more about that particular species. Each species is championed by a scientist who wants it to be decoded, so students can also ask about their justifications to work out which species they think is most deserving of having its DNA sequence decoded.
Is this event just for students?
No! 25 Genomes is also open to the general public. We’d love for you to share the event with parents and the local community.
The public can ASK questions and take part in Live Chats, however they won’t be able to access the ones booked by your school. These will just be accessible to your class.
How do I log in?
First, apply to take part. We only send login details to teachers who are allocated classes in the event. You will then be emailed with your username and password – just click “Log In” at the top right of this page, and enter your login details.
I’ve forgotten my password, what do I do?
Don’t worry, there are various things to try:
- We emailed a copy of your username and password when we allocated you a place in the event. If you can, go back and check that email.
- If you’ve deleted that email, or you can’t check it at the moment, then click on the forgotten password link and we can email you instructions to reset your password.
- If that doesn’t work just email michaela@mangorol.la telling us your name and username.
How can I book a live chat?
To make a booking you first need to log in.
- Once logged in go to iasuk.ddev.site/25genomes-chat-booking, where you should see the live chat booking form.
- Fill in the details for your desired chat time
- Click ‘Request booking’.
- The form will ask you to check the details, and confirm these are correct. Click confirm.
- You will see a confirmation, and we will email the details to you.
- If you wish to cancel a chat, email us at michaela@mangorol.la
- We’ll give every class one live chat
- Each chat is 30 minutes long
- All chat times are GMT and in English
- We can only run one live chat at a time in each zone, and will leave 10 minutes between chats ending and starting to give time to close and reopen the chat
- We’ll run a maximum of 2 chats per day in each zone
- Please request your live chats with as much notice as possible, so we can do our best to fit them in
- If you request live chats once the event has started we will try to fit them in, but cannot promise anything
- Please do let us know if for any reason, such as illness, you’re unable to make a live chat. We can then let the champions know so they can get back to their day jobs!
Are there any IT checks we should do before the event?
Problems with the site are rare, but we have designed some brief checks which you can do well before the event begins, so that we or you are able to sort them out painlessly. We’d recommend taking part with Chrome. The checks are detailed here. Feel free to forward the page on to your IT department.