As part of our current unit on heredity, students in grades 6–8 have been exploring how life’s tiniest instructions shape every living thing on Earth. And rather than just reading about it in a textbook, they rolled up their sleeves and literally got their hands on some DNA!
In our first experiment, students became scientists in the lab—breaking down strawberry cells and extracting real DNA using simple household materials. The best part? They didn’t just learn about DNA—they held it in their hands! This unforgettable activity brought abstract science concepts to life and gave students a clearer understanding of how scientists study heredity, traits, and evolution.
But the learning didn’t stop there.
In our follow-up lesson, students took their DNA knowledge to the next level by exploring how tiny genetic instructions lead to visible traits. Using a bit of probability and a lot of imagination, students rolled dice to create unique DNA sequences, translated those sequences into traits, and then illustrated their results by drawing one-of-a-kind monsters!
Through both labs, students practiced observation, data analysis, and critical thinking. From strawberry extractions to monster mutations, it’s clear that we strive to make learning stick.
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
