Interactive games are an engaging and effective way to review biology concepts if learning the game rules does not interfere with learning the biology. We have developed IMMUNOLOGY! an easy board game whose object is to "get all of your immune system’s components from START to the infection”. The game is designed to model the process of an immune response, as the game’s pieces are cells and proteins used in the response to infection. To win, players must use the pieces in the proper order and answer questions about immunity along the way. Following the activity, students apply their understanding to discuss vaccine function. IMMUNOLOGY! was developed as a review activity for postsecondary introductory microbiology class, but it could easily be customized to a variety of biological processes at multiple levels of instruction. In this presentation we will show how to construct the IMMUNOLOGY! game and how to play it. Finally, we will demonstrate how the game could be modified to teach other biological concepts/processes such central dogma, photosynthesis, respiration, cell division in a fun and interactive way.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to use a board game to model a biological process and make their own to use in their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Cecil (University of Indianapolis: Indianapolis, IN), Mary Gobbett (University of Indianapolis: Indianapolis, IN)