Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Building a DNA Model

For Teachers 9th - 12th
It has been decades since the discovery of DNA. Still, activities such building this DNA model allow blossoming scientists to better understand the components that form this overall structure. During this activity, they will also...
Lesson Plan
Towson University

Berries...With a Side of DNA? (High School)

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Is DNA still present after picking fruit or cooking vegetables? Biology scholars extract and collect DNA strands in an impactful lab. Working groups prepare their samples and compare their results to negative and positive standard...
Unit Plan
BBSRC

Discovering DNA: The Recipe for Life

For Teachers 4th - 9th Standards
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Watson-Crick Model of DNA Structure

For Teachers 7th - 10th
Junior geneticists construct models of DNA to discover sequencing and pairing of nucleotides. They use the models to simulate protein synthesis and then translate the codes into physical traits. Finally, they use the traits to create a...
Lesson Plan
Serendip

DNA Structure, Function and Replication

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Before a cell replicates, its DNA must replicate. Take advantage of a hands-on guided instructional activity to teach budding scientists how this happens. Using a set of nucleotide cards, learners become the DNA and work to create...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

DNA Structure, Nucleic Acids, and Proteins

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What is in that double helix? Explain intricate concepts with a variety of creative activities in a lesson that incorporates multiple steps to cover DNA structure, nucleic acids, and proteins. Pupils explore the history of DNA structure,...
Instructional Video1:02
PBS

DNA 101: Life's Instruction Manual | UNC-TV Science

For Students 5th - 12th
Unravel the DNA molecule in just over a minute! Future geneticists listen and watch a video exploring DNA's structure, function, and the interaction of the genes and proteins that decode and interpret the complex molecule. Scholars...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Viral DNA Integration

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
How do reverse transcriptase inhibitors work? Young virologists examine the function of azidothymidine, a drug doctors use to treat HIV patients, during a hands-on modeling activity. Groups create a strand of DNA from an HIV RNA strand...
Lesson Plan
National Association of Biology Teachers

Using the Discovery of the Structure of DNA to Illustrate Cultural Aspects of Science

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Times have changed—and so have science practices. An introductory lesson describing the components of DNA begins with a discussion of the discovery of DNA and its perception in different cultures and genders. Scholars then learn about...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Virus Hunters: Epidemiology of Nipah Virus

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Who actually goes looking for a virus? Expose your class to the high-stakes life of an epidemiologist on the trail of the Nipah virus. Pupils engage in a short video, then examine how scientists predict, model, and find the source of...
Lesson Plan
Science 4 Inquiry

"Something Old, Something New..."

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Young scientists learn about DNA replication through a video and model creation. They answer analysis questions before exploring the role of mutations and then complete a summative assessment.
Lesson Plan
Towson University

The Wildlife Forensics Lab

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Can science put an end to the poaching of endangered species? Show your young forensic experts how biotechnology can help save wildlife through an exciting electrophoresis lab. Grouped pupils analyze shark DNA to determine if it came...
Unit Plan
Kenan Fellows

Unit 1: Introduction to Biotechnology

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Biotechnology is big! Introduce the uses of biotechnology to science scholars with a fascinating, fact-filled unit. The first installment in a series of four biotechnology units covers the role biotechnology plays in human and...
Unit Plan
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Agriculture in the Classroom

"Steer" Toward STEM: Careers in Animal Agriculture

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Think like an engineer and an agricultural scientist over the course of 12 lessons in a STEM based unit. Young scientists take on the roles of animal physiologists, animal geneticists, agricultural engineers, animal nutritionists,...
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...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Zebrafish and Skin Color

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
You may not know if that zebrafish in your fish tank is a model citizen—but it is definitely a model organism! What can we learn about ourselves from a tiny zebrafish? Discover more about the polygenic trait of skin color through a...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Natural Selection and the Evolution of Darwin's Finches

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Darwin explained the connection between species of finches 150 years before scientists understood DNA. Technology and progressing science proved he was right, yet many struggle to understand how natural selection happens. Scholars use...
Unit Plan
North Carolina State University

Exploring Genetics Across the Middle School Science and Math Curricula

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
Where is a geneticist's favorite place to swim? A gene pool. Young geneticists complete hands-on activities, experiments, and real-world problem solving throughout the unit. With extra focus on dominant and recessive genes, Punnett...
Activity
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Lincoln Public Schools

Cell Exploration Activities

For Students 7th - 12th Standards
Engage young biologists in exploring the mysteries of life with this collection of hands-on activities. Enlisting the help of numerous digital resources, students get an up-close look at the structure of plant and animal...
Lesson Plan
Cornell University

Bacteria Take Over and Down

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Bacteria outnumber all other forms of life on Earth. Scholars observe the growth of bacteria in petri dishes to understand their role in maintaining good health. Then, they observe the growth of bacteria after they introduce...
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...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Human Cloning: Is it Biological Plagiarism?

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
Is cloning good or harmful? Help your class understand the risks and benefits as they read, research, and discuss human cloning. Individuals form teams, research information, and present to the class before concluding with an in-depth...