DNA Worksheets

DNA Doulbe Helix
        DNA structure worksheets, DNA replication activities and DNA mutation lesson plans designed for high school, middle school, and elementary school life science teachers are downloadable here for free. NGSS Life Science offers many great lessons. Click the Free Lesson Plan (PDF) link below or become a member to get access to the answer key and editable file. Free animal cell curriculum includes:
  • Project
    Human Body Systems Disorder Project
    Published by NGSS Life Science. Free Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Lesson Plan (DOCX) & Answer Key with Membership
     
    High School Project
    Students will do a BLAST and learn about how the mutated protein affects cells, organs, and organ systems and those systems overall impact on homeostasis. The example students will use is sickle cell disorder.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS1-1
    HS-LS1-2
    HS-LS1-3
    		  
    Published by NGSS Life Science
  • Worksheet
    DNA Fingerprinting Crime Scene
    Free Lesson Plan
     
    High School Worksheet
    Students will examine crime scene evidence to determine who is responsible for eating the Queen's special imported Lindbergher Cheese. Students will model the process of electrophoresis and DNA fingerprinting.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS3-1
    		  
    Published by Shannan Muskopf
  • Worksheet
    Genetic Ethics Questions
    Free Lesson Plan
     
    High School Worksheet
    Students answer multiple choice questions on science ethics relating to genetics (cloning, gene therapy). The class then discusses the pros and cons of each of the questions.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS3-1
    		  
    Published by Shannan Muskopf
  • Lab Experiment
    Monstrous Mutations
    Free Lesson Plan
     
    Middle School Lab
    Each student will simulate an animal that can only digest peanuts as its food source. Unfortunately, random mutations have produced some unusual characteristics in recent offspring. Each group will find out what mutation they represent by selecting a letter from the paper bag the teacher has provided.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS1-1
    HS-LS3-2
    MS-LS3-1 (Mutations)
    		  
    Published by Pamela S. Moy
  • Lab Experiment
    DNA Extraction Lab
    Free Student Handout
    Free Teacher Notes
     
    High School Lab
    In this DNA lab, students extract DNA from their cheek cells to learn about the structure of DNA and DNA replication. The lab has students think about why they were using each reagent and how that relates to the polarity of lipids. Students answer questions regarding DNA base pairing and it relates to the central dogma (DNA - Proteins - Traits).
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS1-1
    HS-LS3-1
    		  
    Published by Ingrid Waldron and Jennifer Doherty
  • Project
    DNA to Me Lyrics Project
    Published by NGSS Life Science. Free Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Lesson Plan (DOCX) & Answer Key with Membership
     
    High School Project
    In this protein synthesis project, students will write a poem or music lyrics about DNA, protein synthesis, and phenotypes. This DNA project is a culmination of what students who have already learned about DNA structure, DNA base pairing, genes, transcription, translation, and phenotypes.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS1-1
    HS-LS1-6
    HS-LS3-1
    		  
    Published by NGSS Life Science
  • Multimedia
    Cracking the Code of Life
    Free Video
     
    High School Multimedia
    This NOVA video covers topics including the human genome, mutations, genetic variations, the supreme court decision to patent genes, finding cures to diseases, and genetic modification.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS3-1
    		  
    Published by WGBH Educational Foundation and Clear Blue Sky Productions
  • Test or Quiz
    DNA Structure Quiz
    Published by NGSS Life Science. Free Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Lesson Plan (DOCX) & Answer Key with Membership
     
    High School Test
    With this DNA structure quiz, students’ knowledge of the structure of DNA is assessed. Topics include double helix, nucleotide monomers, DNA polymers, nucleic acids biomolecules, DNA replication, complementary strands and base pairing, deoxyribose sugar and phosphate backbone, and nitrogen bases, adenine, guanine, cytosine, thymine.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS1-6
    HS-LS3-1
    		  
    Published by NGSS Life Science
  • Lab Experiment
    Double Helix Modeling Lab
    Published by NGSS Life Science. Free Lesson Plan (PDF)

    Lesson Plan (DOCX) & Answer Key with Membership
     
    High School Lab
    In this DNA modeling lab, students build a paper model of the double helix. Students label the DNA molecule with the four DNA nucleotides and practice nitrogen base paring. At the end of class, students can attach all the models and twist and coil them to simulate super coiling.
    NGSS Standard
    HS-LS3-1
    		  
    Published by NGSS Life Science
DNA Replication


DNA Concepts

  • Nucleic Acids - DNA, RNA.
  • Shape - double helix, 5’ OH group and 3’ phosphate group.
  • DNA Nucleotide - deoxyribose sugar, phosphate group, dna nitrogen base, hydrogen bonds.
  • DNA Nitrogen Bases - adenine, thiamine, guanine, cytosine, purines, pyrimidines.
  • RNA Nucleotide - ribose sugar, phosphate group, rna nitrogen bases.
  • RNA Nitrogen Bases - adenine, uracil, guanine, cytosine.
  • Semi-Conservative Replication - complementarity, leading strand, lagging strand, Okazaki fragments, replication fork, 5’ to 3’.
  • DNA Replication Enzymes - DNA helicase, DNA polymerase, RNA primer, DNA ligase.
  • Gene Mutations - point mutations, base-pair substitution, silent mutations, transition mutation, transversion mutations, missense mutations, nonsense mutations, frameshift mutations, insertion, deletion, revertant.
  • Chromosomal Mutations - deletion, duplication, inversion, translocation.
  • Genetic Disorders - nondisjunction, down syndrome or trisomy 21, trisomy X or XXX syndrome, Klinefelter’s syndrome or XXY, Edwards Syndrome or trisomy 13.
  • Prokaryotes - operon, promoter, operator, repressor protein, lac operon.
  • Negative Gene Regulation - repressible operons, corepressors, inducible operons, inducer.
  • Positive Gene Regulation - activator, allosteric site.
  • Eukaryotes - modify chromatin, control elements, steroid hormones, regulatory proteins, TATA box, gene dosage, gene amplification.


Lessons Organized by NGSS Standard