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Weekly plan 12
DNA and protein
Student book links
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Specification links
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2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
5.1.1 (a)–(g)
Link to GCSE/AS specification
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GCSE DNA, genes and chromosomes
Genetic disease
Enzymes
Evolution
Competition
AS 1.1.1 Cell structure
2.1.1 Biological molecules
2.1.2 Nucleic acids
2.1.3 Enzymes
2.3.3 Evolution
Suggested time allowed (includes contact and non-contact time):
5 hours
Suggested teaching order
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The gene
Genetic code
Transcription
Translation
Mutation
Effects of mutation
Weekly learning outcomes
Students should be able to:
 State that genes code for polypeptides, including enzymes.
 Explain the meaning of the term: genetic code.
 Describe, with the aid of diagrams, the way in which a nucleotide sequence codes for the amino
acid sequence in a polypeptide.
 Describe, with the aid of diagrams, how the sequence of nucleotides within a gene is used to
construct a polypeptide – include the roles of messenger RNA, transfer RNA and ribosomes.
 State that cyclic AMP activates proteins by altering their 3D structure.
 State that mutations cause changes to the sequence of nucleotides in DNA molecules.
 Explain how the mutations can have beneficial, neutral or harmful effects on the way a protein
functions.
Key words
Genome
Codon
Allele
Genetic code
Cyclic AMP
How Science Works
Gene
Anticodon
Frameshift
Nucleotide
Locus
Polypeptide
Mutation
DNA chromosome
Messenger RNA
Chromosome
Protein
Transcription
Point mutation
Translation
Chromosome mutation Enzyme
Transfer RNA
Ribosome
Insertion/deletion mutation
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HSW 1 Outline the work of Crick (1958) in defining the central
dogma of molecular biology.
The web links referred to here are some that the author has found personally helpful but are not intended to be a comprehensive list, many other
good resources exist.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
This document may have been altered from the original
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Weekly plan 12
Learning styles (S = Starter activities, M = Main activities, P = Plenary activities)
ICT activities
Kinaesthetic
Activity S3
Activities M2–3
Activity P2
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Interpersonal
Activities S1–3
Activities M1–3
Activities P1–3
Auditory
Activities S1–3
Activities M1–3
Activities P1–3
Suggested starter activities
Visual
Activities S1&3
Activities M1–3
Activities P1–3
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Equipment
See Activity S3 below – using the Internet for a jigsaw maker.
See Activities M2 & M3 below – using a word processor or
PowerPoint to help produce reference cards and board game.
See Activity P2 below – undertaking the card sort as a class
on the interactive whiteboard (IWB).
Teacher notes
1. Divide students into groups and ask each group to make
codes for the other groups to decipher.
You can stipulate that the code must be made of sets of
three letters and each set of three should stand for one letter
or one word.
2. In pairs, ask students to think up sentences where changing
just one letter would alter the meaning of the whole sentence.
As a class, share students’ ideas on the board.
3. Create a jigsaw of DNA structure.
Access to Internet
4. Make models to show DNA replication, show transcription
and to show translation
Cardboard, scissors, sticky tape, glue
Suggested main activities
Equipment
In pairs, students complete the jigsaw to revise ideas of
base-pairing.
Teacher notes
1. In pairs, students create a table to compare and contrast
the processes of transcription and translation.
2. In pairs, students produce a set of reference cards to
describe the different types of mutations and their effects.
Reference cards
3. Get students to produce a board game which teaches
transcription, translation and mutation.
Card and paper for making a board game
Suggested plenary activities
Equipment
Teacher notes
1. Give students a table to help them to translate RNA to
polypeptide. Run a timed race between groups to see which
group is the quickest to decode a series of DNA sequences.
Table to translate RNA into amino acids
Ensure you include a STOP codon in at least one of the
sequences.
2. Play Card sort.
Cards depicting stages in transcription
and translation
In pairs, students rearrange the cards depicting stages of
transcription and translation into the correct order.
3. Students each write three questions about mutation.
Use these questions for a class-level plenary discussion.
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
This document may have been altered from the original
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Weekly plan 12
Homework suggestions
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Research a genetic disease caused by a DNA mutation. Write a flowchart to help a doctor diagnose the condition – include symptoms at all levels, from whole body to
the effect of the mutation on protein production.
Write a blog entry for Francis Crick describing and explaining the central dogma.
Create a flicker book to represent the process of translation.
Cross-curriculum links
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Chemistry – biochemistry, enzyme action
PSHE – genetic disease, potential uses of stem cells
Religious studies – ethics of potential uses of stem cells
Stretch and Challenge
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The links to the AS specification stated on page 1 are a good opportunity to develop Stretch and Challenge skills.
Explain how cAMP and glucose-6-phosphate affect the activity of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase.
Explain what epigenetic programming is. What useful applications could result from epigenetic reprogramming?
Potential misconceptions
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Some students may confuse genes and genomes and gene pools.
Students can confuse the terms: sense strand; coding strand; and template strand – carefully define these terms and revisit when necessary.
Some students find it difficult to distinguish between the terms: locus; gene; and allele.
Using different functional and structural models of chromosomes and genes can be confusing.
Some students find the idea of a degenerate code difficult to understand.
Students often find it difficult to understand how to calculate the number of possible triplet codes.
Some students mix up the terms: codon/anticodon; and transcription/translation.
Students frequently think that mutations are driven by their environment rather than occurring at random.
Notes
© Pearson Education Ltd 2009
This document may have been altered from the original
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