DNA

In this analysis and discussion activity, students answer minds-on questions as they learn about the differentiation of specialized cell types, including the role of changes in epigenetic control of gene expression during cell differentiation.

Students also learn about environmental influences on epigenetic control of gene expression and the need for cell division and differentiation even in a fully grown adult.

The Student Handout is available in the first two attached files and as a Google doc, designed for use in online instruction and distance learning. (For additional instructions, see https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/bioactivities/Googledocs, especially item 7.) The Teacher Notes, available in the last two attached files, provide instructional suggestions and background information and explain how this activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

Students learn about the effects of UV light, mutations and DNA repair on the survival of prokaryotes and the risk of skin cancer. In the first experiment, students evaluate the effects of different durations of UV exposure on survival and population growth of Haloferax volcanii. This experiment also tests for photorepair of DNA damage. Students design the second experiment, which evaluates the effectiveness of sunscreen. In addition, students answer analysis and discussion questions that promote their understanding of molecular biology, cancer, and the interpretation of experimental results. 

In the first section of this analysis and discussion activity, students learn that different versions of a gene give the instructions for making different versions of a clotting protein, which result in normal blood clotting or hemophilia.

Next, students learn how genes provide the instructions for making a protein via the processes of transcription and translation. They develop an understanding of the roles of RNA polymerase, the base-pairing rules, mRNA, tRNA and ribosomes.

Finally, students use their learning about transcription and translation to understand how a change in a single nucleotide in the hemoglobin gene can result in sickle cell anemia.

Throughout this activity, students use the information in brief explanations, figures and videos to answer analysis and discussion questions.

This activity can be used to introduce students to transcription and translation or to reinforce and enhance student understanding. 

If you prefer a hands-on activity that uses simple paper models to simulate the molecular processes of transcription and translation, see “How Genes Can Cause Disease – Introduction to Transcription and Translation” (http://serendipstudio.org/sci_edu/waldron/#trans).

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students use model chromosomes and answer analysis and discussion questions to learn about the processes of meiosis and fertilization.

Students first analyze how the processes of meiosis and fertilization result in the alternation between diploid and haploid cells in the human lifecycle. To learn how meiosis produces genetically diverse gametes, students analyze the results of crossing over and independent assortment.

As they model meiosis and fertilization, students follow the alleles of a human gene from the parents' body cells through gametes to zygotes.They learn how the outcomes of meiosis and fertilization can be represented in a Punnett square.

A final brief section contrasts sexual reproduction with asexual reproduction.

This activity can be used to introduce meiosis and fertilization or to review these processes. 
(NGSS)

Download Student Handout: PDF format or Word format

Download Teacher Preparation Notes: PDF format or Word format

In this hands-on, minds-on activity, students use model chromosomes and answer analysis and discussion questions to learn how the cell cycle produces genetically identical daughter cells.

Students learn how DNA replication and mitosis ensure that each new cell gets a complete set of chromosomes with a complete set of genes.Students learn why each cell needs a complete set of genes and how genes influence phenotypic characteristics.

To understand how a single cell (the fertilized egg) develops into the trillions of cells in a human body, students analyze an exponential growth model of increase in number of cells. The final section provides a very brief introduction to cellular differentiation. 

This activity can be used as an introduction to mitosis or to reinforce understanding of mitosis. 

In our follow-up meiosis and fertilization activity (/sci_edu/waldron/#meiosis) students learn how the movement of gene-carrying chromosomes during meiosis and fertilization results in the inheritance of genes.

These Teacher Notes describe multiple learning activities that introduce students to varied aspects of cancer biology. These Teacher Notes also describe multiple sources of reliable information about cancer and provide suggestions about how to convert information sources to learning activities.

This overview reviews key concepts and learning activities to help students understand how genes influence our traits by molecular processes.  Topics covered include basic understanding of the important roles of proteins and DNA; DNA structure, function and replication; the molecular biology of how genes influence traits, including transcription and translation; the molecular biology of mutations; and genetic engineering. 

To help students understand the relevance of these molecular processes, the suggested learning activities link alleles of specific genes to human characteristics such as albinism, hemophilia, sickle cell anemia and muscular dystrophy. Suggested activities include analysis and discussion activities, hands-on laboratory and simulation activities, web-based simulations, and a vocabulary review game.

This activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards. The attached files have the overview of key concepts, with descriptions of relevant learning activities and links to the activities. 

This analysis and discussion activity begins with a brief video presenting the anchoring phenomenon – a teenager who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Then, students investigate the types of deletion mutation that cause the more severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy vs. the milder Becker muscular dystrophy. During this analysis, students review transcription and translation, learn how to use a codon wheel, and analyze the molecular effects of different types of deletion and point mutations.

Finally, students investigate X-linked recessive mutations to understand why almost all Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients are male.

The Student Handout is available in the first two attached files and as a Google doc designed for use in online instruction and distance learning. (For additional instructions, see https://serendipstudio.org/exchange/bioactivities/Googledocs, especially item 7.) The Teacher Notes, available in the last two attached files, provide instructional suggestions and background information and explain how this activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

In this analysis and discussion activity, students learn the basics of DNA function, structure, and replication.

The sequence of nucleotides in a gene determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein, which determines the structure and function of the protein. Different versions of a gene give the instructions to make different versions of a protein, which can result in different characteristics.

Since many different proteins are needed for a cell to be alive, each cell needs a complete copy of the DNA with all of the genes. Therefore, before a cell divides, it needs to make a copy of all its DNA. Students analyze DNA replication to understand how the double helix structure of DNA, the base-pairing rules, and DNA polymerase work together to produce two identical copies of the original DNA molecule.

This activity can be used to introduce your students to key concepts about DNA or to review these concepts.

Part I summarizes key concepts in genetics. Part II presents common misconceptions. Part III recommends an integrated sequence of learning activities on the biological basis of genetics, plus seven human genetics learning activities. These learning activities develop student understanding of key concepts and counteract common misconceptions. Each of these recommended learning activities supports the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).