Download Lesson title: Nucleic acids Lesson date: 30.12.2013 One sentence

Lesson title: Nucleic acids
Lesson date: 30.12.2013
One sentence summary: Through explanations and playing with nucleic acids puzzle, the class
will explore the structure of nucleic acids and its functions.
Links to curriculum: IB Chapter 7 + MoNE / 12th grade / Nucleic acids and proteins
Length of lesson: 40 min.
Objectives:
After explanations and playing a nucleic acids puzzle;
1. Students will be able to model and describe the general structure of nucleic acids.
2. Students will be able to apply base pairing rules to assemble nucleic acids and state
differences between DNA and RNA.
3. Students will be able to infer that the sequence of the nucleic acids in DNA is the key to
how DNA provides instructions to the cell.
4. Students will be able to relate this nucleic acids puzzle activity to Watson and Crick’s
original discovery of the structure of DNA.
Key vocabulary: DNA, Deoxyribose, Phosphate, Nucleic acid, Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine,
Guanine, Base pairs, Nucleotide
Common misconceptions:
 Students tend to define nucleic acids by the most familiar examples, DNA and RNA,
rather than understanding the structure of nucleotide monomers. This causes confusion
when students encounter important molecules such as ATP and cAMP and fail to
recognize them as nucleotides.
Teacher preparation:
 Make photocopies of puzzle pieces, each on a different colored paper.
 Have students cut out 1 or 2 sheets per person. (nucleic acids lesson2 image)
Time
allocation
Lesson outline
Announcements, general administration, tasks:
2 minutes Settling, calling the roll
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Lesson starter:
2 minutes
Ask questions about nucleic acids to assess and determine student prior
knowledge and misconceptions. **
4 minutes
Show an animation which is related to nucleic acids. Students can play with
puzzle while watching.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yys13XJT12M
Lesson core (engagement):
Explain the structure of nucleic acids. Indicate the differences between DNA and
10
minutes
RNA.(Obj. 1-2)
Explain that the genetic code is transmitted biochemically through molecules
called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).(Obj. 3)
5
minutes
Tell students the beginning of the DNA discovery story, especially how Watson
and Crick, Rosalind Franklin created puzzle pieces to represent the different parts
and tried to fit the pieces together in a way that made sense with the data that was
known at the time. (Obj. 4)
15
minutes
Tell students that today they will be assembling a nucleic acids (DNA) puzzle.
Show students each of the pieces and tell them what the letters on each
represent.(Obj. 1-2)
Conclusions and closure (formative assessments):
2 minutes
Summarize the lesson.
Ask questions about the nucleic acids, again and again to ensure that
During
the lesson misconceptions have been addressed. **
Final administrative or lesson tasks:
Finish the lesson
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Summative assessment ideas:
 Give them information about what will ask them for mid-term. Mid-term will be my
summative assessment to evaluate students’ knowledge about structure of nucleic acids.
Ask them what teach them as objectives.
Extensions, differentiated learning strategies, special learning need considerations, and
cross-curricular opportunities:
 Students will work with puzzles which can be built with colorful papers to spark
students’ interests to the subject. They can work into groups or individually. But they
should play with this puzzle nucleic acids and they should be able to discover how it can
be built or destroyed.
Background information (Resources and references)
 https://www.google.com.tr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC4QFjAA&u
rl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mysciencebox.org%2Ffiles%2F4dna_models.doc&ei=P1K_UsmqFamR4
ASf5YDIBQ&usg=AFQjCNHWEGQprr3QY_8xrHUeWItwL9wz0w&sig2=lY4Q_dT8C2q1mcYLJHhDo
Q&bvm=bv.58187178,d.bGE&cad=rja

http://www2.westminster.net/faculty/vuckovic/AP%20Bio/AP%20Bio%20Student%20Misconce
ptions/Chapter%205%20Student.pdf
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