Genetics and DNA

Civil rights meets biotechnology in a instructional activity that scrutinizes the collection of DNA of citizens who have been arrested, but not yet convicted of a crime. Real-life cases are examined in which the DNA of a relative was...

If you knew that you were likely to develop Alzheimer's disease in your future, how would it affect your life in the meantime? This and other similar thought-provoking questions are discussed in a lesson plan about the availability of...

DNA is not just in humans — it is present in all living cells, even those we consume every day. Assist your class as they extract DNA from a banana through using chemicals and filtration. 

Young scientists demonstrate their creativity while completing several activities, to assess genetic variations and mutations. Instructors provide a list of options and scientists choose to write a comic strip, create a book, construct a...

A pinch of adenine, a dash of thymine and ta-da, you have life! Well, it's not quite that simple, but through this series of activities and experiments young scientists learn about the structure of DNA and how it contains the recipe for...

Young biologists realize that gender determination is just a roll of the genetic dice as they complete this simple, yet effective instructional activity.

Scientists work every day to find solutions to genetic diseases. Scholars learn about the process of gene sequencing, mutations, and the results. They explore genetic diseases and therapies to intervene and help and, through case...

Did you know that your DNA can be damaged tens of thousands of times per day? Learn about the ways that damage to just one strand of your DNA can be fixed, or in extreme examples, result in genetic mutation such as cancer. 

Explaining exactly how DNA works to provide genetic information is a complex topic, but it is presented in a clear and engaging way through a five-minute video. Have learners try to explain how DNA works before watching the video, then...

Ever wonder how they solve those mysterious murders in TV crime dramas? The second of four units in a Biotechnology series introduces scholars to the many methods of DNA analysis. Pupils create and run their own gel electrophoresis...