Download DNAAlias - UBC Let`s Talk Science

Title of
Experiment:
DNA Alias
Learning
Objectives:
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Materials:
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How to Perform
the Experiment:
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Explanation of
What’s
Happening:
To learn about the genetic code
To learn how triplets of nucleotides (codons) code for amino
acids
worksheets (next page)
zipper clips
elastic string
5 colours of beads
The kids write down their own name.
On the worksheet is a code giving the nucleotides for each letter
in the alphabet.
 The kids figure out the 3 letter code for each letter in their name.
 Each of the four nucleotides is represented by a different colour.
 The kids put a white bead on the string to represent the “start”
codon of a gene, and then put on the coloured beads that spell
out their name.
 They put a white bead at the end for the “stop” codon.
 They can attach the strings to their zippers by the clip.
This introduces the idea that our DNA is a code, and that each
amino acid is “spelled” out by 3 nucleotides.
Copyright Ainsley Sutherland, Nana Rezai and Ben Patchell ©2004
Copyright Ainsley Sutherland, Nana Rezai and Ben Patchell ©2004
Copyright Ainsley Sutherland, Nana Rezai and Ben Patchell ©2004