+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

DNA Extraction

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students are able to extract and observe a visible amount of DNA from Escherichia coli cells. They discuss the properties of DNA. Students confirm the presence of DNA by a reaction with an indicator.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Strawberry DNA Extraction

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students explore the DNA of strawberries. In this science instructional activity, students extract the DNA of strawberries. Students complete a lab report.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

BLAST Algorithm

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Students explore a series of activities on using BLAST. In this biology lesson, students explain the significance of BLAST in DNA query. They give real world applications of BLAST.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Agarose Gel DNA Quantitation

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students examine agarose gels to compare a known DNA sample to an unknown sample to determine the quantity and size of an unknown DNA sample.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Determination of Phylogenetic Relationships Using Restriction Analysis

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students applied various mathematical analyses to interpret their data. By using the resulting DNA fragment patterns from several enzymes students established a possible evolutionary relationship among the mice.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

DNA: What Does It Mean?

For Teachers 10th
Tenth graders explore DNA using online tutorial. They perform their own DNA extraction from a clove of garlic and identify the key components of DNA.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

2D Animation of Cellular Processes

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students create an animation of a cell process and insert it into a presentation. They choose a cellular process such as mitosis, osmosis or DNA replication, and create a simple 2D animation.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Fruit Cup DNA Extraction From Kiwi

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Students extract DNA from kiwi using household equipment and supplies.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Genetic Engineering/Biotechnology

For Teachers 12th - Higher Ed
Students create a paper model of a plasmid and insert a DNA molecule that contains a specific gene into the plasmid. They complete an actual transformation involving E. coli bacterium and relate the two activities to one another.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Using VNTR Analysis to Identify Guilt at a Crime Scene

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students collect DNA from cheek cells. They compare and contrast the processes of DNA replication and PCR. They discuss how this information can be used to determine guilt at crime scenes.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How do Restriction Enzymes Work?

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students discover how restriction enzymes work, while learning the importance of restriction enzymes in studying DNA structure.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

"Who Done It?" Analysis of Molecular Fingerprints Left At the Scene of the Crime

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers examine different types of DNA fragments. They record and analyze their results. They determine who is the criminal in the story.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Homologous Shoes

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the concept of homology by observing their shoes and those of their classmates. They summarize the observations of everyone's shoes relating it to chromosomes in cells. They share their observations with the class.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Rainbow Electrophoresis

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students are introduced to the principles of gel electrophoresis and also provides an opportunity for students to practice loading gels and prpetting. In this laboratory activity, food color is used to separate into constituent pigments.
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Constructing a Phylogenetic Tree

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Young scholars are given the opportunity to analyze DNA sequence differences between organisms in order to establish a reasonable picture of the evolutionary relationships between them (Phylogenetic Tree). In the simulation form they...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Electrophoretic Analysis: DNA Fingerprinting and Evolutionary Divergence

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students examine the principles of electrophoresis. They evaluate both the agarose and polyacrylamide system of molecular separation. In order to bring the concepts of genetics and evolution full circle from DNA to protein, students...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Building a DNA Molecule, Mitosis in Motion and Mutation Gossip

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students explore three lab experiments involving DNA, mitosis, and mutation. They complete activities and play games to review DNA, mitosis and mutation concepts. They build a DNA molecule and create flip cards representing mitosis in...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Simulation of Gene Splicing

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students simulate gene splicing by examining bacteria. They create a bacterial DNA into which they insert the human DNA (gene) that codes for growth hormone. They cut the sites of the enzyme to study how the human DNA can be joined to...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

DNA Sequencing Simulation

For Teachers 9th - 12th
High schoolers simulate the Sanger method of DNA sequencing using color pop-beads as a representation of nucleotides and dideoxynucleotides. Students assemble DNA sequences and run their sequences through a "sequencing gel" and sketch...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Macro-DNA: Doing DNA Fingerprinting and Gel Electrophoresis

For Teachers 10th - 12th
Students create numbered DNA sequences by taping together the order of the sequence. They count the number of bases in their RFLP's and shade the boxes on their Gel Electrophoresis sheets that represent individual fragments. They...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Gene Regulation Mechanisms

For Teachers 11th - Higher Ed
Students explore genetics. They discuss how chromosomes and/or genes are regulated during the life of an organism. In a lab setting, students compare and contrast the genomic regulation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells using...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Phenotypic and Genotypic Changes in Bacteria

For Teachers 11th - 12th
Students investigate a rapid method to render the bacterium Escherichia coli "competent" to uptake plasmid DNA. They demonstrate the phenotypic changes associated with transformation. They perform a cell resuspension from the...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

DNA, Genes, and Chromosomes

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students review the structure and function of DNA, genes, and chromosomes and are engaged by a demonstration illustrating the relative size of DNA, genes and chromosomes. They also describe through analogy and model the structure and...
+
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What is DNA? DNA Extraction from Kiwifruit

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners isolate DNA from kiwi cells, spool DNA from a kiwi, describe role of the DNA and genes, and explain how knowledge of DNA and genes can be used in genetically modifying foods.