DNA and Genes

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...

Does the human body evolve as quickly as human culture? With a stellar 15-minute video, explore the trait of lactose intolerance. Only about 1/3 of human adults seem to still have the enzyme lactase and therefore, the ability to digest...

Adaptations must be made as environments change. This fabulous presentation features Icelandic icefish, a transparent, scaleless specimen that even has colorless blood. Genetics and adaptations concepts are explored as scientists study...

In a fun and interactive two-day lesson, learners sort anole lizard pictures by appearance. Next, they watch a video about the anoles and re-sort based on the information in the video. In addition to physical characteristics, budding...

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. 

DNA molecules hold the secrets that make us unique. The fourth of 12 lessons explores the structure of DNA by building candy models. After building the models, young scientists break their models to begin the process of DNA replication....

What do you have in common with a fruit fly? About 60 percent of your DNA. The resource, divided into two units, is intended for grades four to eight and another for high schoolers. Both units include eight lessons covering the genome as...

Support young biologists with synthesizing an understanding of living things with this PowerPoint presentation on proteins. As you move through these slides, your class will learn about the role proteins play in sustaining life and...

No, you didn't get your genes from the local clothing store. Learn where they really come from by watching this video as it explores how the genes found in all plants and animals today have arisen over billions of years of mutations from...

Introduce biology classes to the structure of DNA, the role of genes, and how mutations occur with this nifty resource. After viewing an animated video, discuss the accompanying Think questions and then explore the myriad of additional...