From Jurassic Park to Pokémon: a pop culture-based science communication project for the biology classroom

Students often arrive in science classrooms with understandings shaped by popular media, where scientific concepts are frequently misrepresented. Rather than dismissing these portrayals, this assignment leverages them to enhance science literacy and critical thinking. In a required undergraduate evolution course, students were tasked with selecting a fictional pop culture universe (e.g., Pokémon, Jurassic Park, and X-Men) and analyzing how evolution and/or biology was represented. Students identified scientific claims, whether explicit or implicit, assessed them using core evolution and biology concepts, and then offered recommendations to improve scientific accuracy without compromising creativity. Final products took the form of narrated slideshows or short videos designed for a general audience, emphasizing public science communication. This project encouraged deep engagement, flexible thinking, and application of course material through familiar media. It also fostered creativity and allowed students to express conceptual mastery in a format distinct from traditional exams. This assignment is low-tech, adaptable to various biology subfields, and easily integrated into different course structures.