| dc.description.abstract | In my novella, “Peas, Bees, and Birds,” I will integrate what I have learned in biology with what I have studied in my creative writing classes (including the Aggie Creative Collective), constructing a bridge that connects the boundaries of every subject I have studied. I’d like to tell the story of Gregor Mendel, a man who “feasted on his lessons.” Not only did he feast on them, he found ways to apply what he learned in mathematics and physics to botany. According to Orel, in the book Mendel: Past Masters, “Mendel applied the methods of a physicist; but at the same time, he made full use of the empirical findings in plant hybridization and the latest experiments with plant fertilization.” It was a combination of quantitative and qualitative data that allowed for Mendel to make his discovery. For my own work, I won’t be relying so heavily on quantitative information as much as historical information. This historical framework will be presented through a creative lens, along with the scientific findings themselves. It’s also important for me to present this information in a way that can be understood by people as young as twelve years old, since at around this age, students already have a rudimentary basis of biology and the broader sciences. Cheryl Bardoe’s picture book, Gregor Mendel: the Friar who Grew Peas, appeals to children around the age of five. While her book is an inspiration for my own, my novella won’t include illustrations and will include chapters. The narrative aspect of this work is what comes first. While the explanation of genetics will be accurate according to the modern science, the story remains the primary focus because if the science can be made into a story, it may make it easier for students to learn. Also, the story will come first because after researching the history of Gregor Mendel, I found there were plenty of specifics about which university he went to and what day he became a friar, but the specifics necessary to construct a narrative, like the conflicts between characters, are lacking. That requires a bit of necessary embellishment so that while the science stays sound, the history may be imprecise. As stated by J.R.R. Tolkien, “History often resembles myth, because they are both ultimately of the same stuff.” | en |
