Molecular Biology Teacher Resources

Just because you’re teaching molecular biology doesn’t mean you have to think small! An array of helpful resources designed to augment, supplement, and extend your molecular biology curriculum is right here at Lesson Planet.

Focus on DNA sequencing and genetic engineering with a video that includes real-life examples, a review assignment on DNA and RNA, or a fascinating lesson on how the function of RNA is determined by its molecular shape. Class members can get really involved with an engaging activity on cell shapes and diffusion, or with an interactive resource that allows them to role-play as molecular engineers, tasked with creating new and effective medical therapies.

Put the course in context with a variety of resources. An informative video details the different fields of biology for beginning scientists, and another video connects molecular biology to its chemistry counterpart, biochemistry. Additionally, a unit on biotechnology puts the future of biology in the hands of young learners, allowing them to see that the limits of scientific innovation are truly limitless.

Chances are, the careers you’re preparing your science students for don’t exist yet. Use our teacher-curated resources to provide them with a solid foundation of critical thinking skills and subject matter expertise that they’ll need for the great scientific breakthroughs of their generation.

Showing 261 resources
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5 Items in Unit
Lesson Planet Curated

Middle School Chemistry: Chapter 2 - Changes of State

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
The second module in the middle school chemistry unit looks at changes in the states of matter. Middle schoolers observe heat transfer, build molecular models of water from Styrofoam, conduct controlled experiments with condensation and...
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Instructional Video14:32
Bozeman Science

Molecular Biology

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
Explore the bacteria at Yellowstone to introduce molecular biology. Scholars learn about the process of genetic engineering and how it has progressed over time, including the identification of the breast cancer genes and the main...
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Lab Resource
Pingry School

Lewis Structures, VSEPR and Molecular Modeling

For Students 9th - 12th
A model is worth a thousand words. Young scholars use what they know about the structure of hydrocarbons to build Lewis dot structures and molecular models. Their tasks include multiple bonds, geometric hybrids, and various isomers.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Review of Molecular Biology

For Students 9th - 12th
For this molecular biology worksheet, students complete 50 multiple choice questions on DNA and RNA replication, translation and transcription.
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Protein Synthesis Worksheet

For Students 9th - 12th
Future geneticists use base pairing rules to build DNA and RNA polypeptide strands, and then explain both transcription and translation. Although the chains themselves are a little blurry, there is plenty of room in them for learners to...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Molecular Biology and Primate Phylogenics

For Teachers 10th - 12th
By counting differences in amino acids, biology stars examine the relationships between different primates. With information gleaned, they map out a phylogenic tree and discover common ancestry. You will need to create printable versions...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Molecular Biology and Primate Phylogenetics

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Pairs of high school biologists compare amino acid differences in the beta hemoglobin of different primates. They use the information collected to construct a phylogenic tree. Follow-up discussion questions are provided. This is a...
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Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Molecular Model Building

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
During this hands-on activity, young chemists build molecular models based on the Lewis dot structure before studying valence shell electron pair repulsion theory. 
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Worksheet
Curated OER

Molecular Models of Functional Groups

For Students 10th - Higher Ed
In this molecular model worksheet, students use a molecular model kit to construct 13 different molecule models. After constructing the molecules, the students complete 32 short answer questions.
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Activity
Serendip

Molecular Biology Vocabulary Review Game

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Getting bored with the typical review strategies? Why not turn it into a game! Learners practice their DNA vocabulary by trying to get their partner to guess the word they're describing. To complicate things a bit, there are words that...
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Lesson Plan
Serendip

The Molecular Biology of Mutations and Muscular Dystrophy

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Different types of mutations cause unique types and degrees of muscular dystrophy. Scholars learn about the types of mutations and the impact on the body. They compare the location of the mutations and draw conclusions about how it is...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Molecular Modeling Activity

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers explore the concept of molecular modeling and differentiate between saturated and unsaturated compounds. In small groups, they identify molecular formulas, complete a chart comparing alkanes, alkenes, and alkynes, and...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Bioinformatics

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students conduct a series of scientific investigation using bioinformatics. In this molecular biology lesson, students collect experimental data using different educational softwares. They calculate and analyze relationships using...
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eBook
BC Open Textbooks

Concepts of Biology – 1st Canadian Edition

For Students 9th - 12th Standards
How diverse are living things? Individuals explore topics such as cells as the foundation for life, cell division and genetics, molecular biology, and animal reproduction using an open resource Biology textbook. They learn key terms...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Making Molecular Models

For Teachers Pre-K - 6th
In these creative hands-on activities, students construct several different molecular models that represent substances that play an essential role in our nutritional needs. Using gum drops and toothpicks, students design the models....
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Organizer
Curated OER

Molecular Models

For Students 10th - Higher Ed
In this molecule worksheet, students use a molecular model kit to build the molecule, draw a three-dimensional structure, and describe its shape. This worksheet has 2 graphic organizers.
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Interactive
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Small-Molecule Diversity

For Students 9th - 12th
One way to study the microscopic is to make it macroscopic. Each slide of the lesson presentation presents a different molecular model along with a brief description of the compound's function. Learners use the information to build...
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Organizer
Curated OER

Molecular Models

For Students 10th - Higher Ed
In this molecules worksheet, students use a molecular model kit to build a molecule, draw a 3-D structure and describe its shape. This worksheet has 2 graphic organizers.
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PPT
Curated OER

Biotechnology

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
A continuous cascade of information comes through this PowerPoint on biotechnology. The topic is defined, a history is presented, and basic genetic engineering techniques are explained. The topic is covered in an objective manner,...
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Lesson Plan
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American Chemical Society

Controlling the Amount of Products in a Chemical Reaction

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Everyone enjoys combining baking soda and water. Here is a lesson that challenges scholars to analyze the reaction three different ways — the real substances, the chemical equation, and the molecular models. Class members experiment to...
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Lesson Plan
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American Chemical Society

Changing State: Evaporation

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
Why do experiments require a control? Guide scholars through designing an experiment to see what they can do to evaporate water faster with a lesson plan that stresses the importance of controlling all variables. The second activity...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hot Wire Chemical Vapor Deposition, But Were Afraid To Ask

For Teachers 10th - 12th
To wrap up your year of general chemistry, have lab groups compete in a tot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) competition. With their foundation in chemical nomenclature, stoichiometry, and gas laws, each group completes several...
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Lesson Plan
Serendip

How Eyes Evolved – Analyzing the Evidence

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Octopodes existed for hundreds of thousands of years before humans, yet our eyes share many similarities. Scholars analyze the evidence to determine if the evolution of eyes best fits a homology or analogy model. They discuss the issue...
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Lesson Plan
Cornell University

The Making of Macromolecules

For Students 7th - 12th
Compare and contrast macromolecules made from the same elements. Young scholars learn how the structure of a molecule has as much influence on a compound as the elements in the molecule. They experiment with molecular model kits to...