TEN
CAPTIVATING TOOLS FOR THE DNA CLASSROOM
Explore Genomic Resources
Our free resource library is packed full of lesson plans, videos, interactive games and other educational content from the National Human Genome Research Institute and our partners.
Read Genomics: Insights
Read articles written by promising researchers about the science they're doing in the lab to inform, educate, and raise awareness about genetics and genomics.
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Watch this cleverly animated video explain genes and genomes in an easy-to-understand way.
It is five minutes long. It is entertaining, interesting, and an excellent refresher course on what a genome is and why it matters to each of us.
Students and parents have found it to be an excellent tool for explaining how all the pieces in the central dogma work together (the process by which the instructions coded in our DNA are converted into a functional product in our bodies). This video clearly and simply explains DNA's triplet code, DNA replication, forensic and genealogical uses of DNA, and much more.
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Download three MagicEye 3-D images of genetics. Hang as posters, or share as handouts!
Dizzy and delight your students, friends, family, or teachers with these three genetics-themed MagicEye images. These images will portray full 3D effect on a computer screen, or when printed on a regular color printer. Each has a teaching moment built-in as viewers watch the double helix, a chromosome, and the acronym for the four types of bases found in a DNA molecule appear in 3D and hover in the air before them!
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Everything you need to know about getting DNA out of strawberries! DIY video and poster guides.
Never has strawberry DNA extraction been simpler or more user-friendly! Using the video, or poster, or both, lead your classes through DNA extraction that requires only a resealable plastic bag, fresh or frozen strawberries, dish detergent, salt, water, plastic cups, a coffee filter, cold rubbing alcohol, and a wooden coffee stirrer. The 10-minute video uses a low-key approach, but sneaks in a lot of information, with clear explanations of each step, scientific terms, and mild humor. The printable color poster is clear, colorful, and can effectively stand alone, but it’s most valuable as a “recipe” for easy reference after watching the video.
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Which is bigger a grain of salt, or a red blood cell? An interactive tour of really small things reveals all!
Cell Size and Scale, an elegant and deceptively simple interactive from the University of Utah's Genetic Science Learning Center, enables you to compare the sizes of various really small things. The interactive is free on the Internet and works on desktop computers, smart phones, and tablets.
Starting with a coffee bean, you can scroll across to see how huge the coffee bean is compared to a grain of salt, a red blood cell, the measles virus and, finally, a carbon atom.
This is a fun and exciting tool for teachers to explore with their classes, students to examine on their own, or for anyone else who loves science. One thing is certain: This amazing tool is one you’ll want to share!
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A helpful history tool for the biology classroom: The animated Human Genome Timeline.
The “Timeline of the Human Genome” features an animated display that “zips” together as you browse through landmark events in genetics and genomics from Mendel’s work with peas in the mid-1800s, through the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003.
The timeline reveals the story of human research into the fields of genetics and genomics. Comprising 19 classic images ranging from Gregor Mendel in 1865 to the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, the “Timeline of the Human Genome” aligns along two vertical strands on the computer screen. As viewers scroll up and down, these two strands – one displaying the image of a person or object, the other showing the corresponding date and landmark event – zip and unzip rather like double-stranded DNA, cleverly pairing each image with its caption. Clicking the mouse on “view details” opens a pop-up window with a larger image and short description of the milestone and its importance.
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The HudsonAlpha iCell: Explore 3-dimensional cell structure and function in 3D.
The HudsonAlpha iCell® is a visual tool for learning about 3-dimensional cell structure and function. Students can examine images of cells up close, zoom in on organelles, and click to reveal labels and information for each structure. iCell can be fully experienced online through your existing internet browser (via a free downloadable viewer), and it is also available as a free app download on the iTunes and Google Play.
Even the least interested biology students will be mesmerized by this program, which lets them move the entire cell, or parts of it, as you explore parts of this critical structure. The interactive allows you to choose images of an animal, bacterial, or plant cell. And it is great fun to “click and drag,” making the cells rotate around any axis, while the organelles change their shapes and locations in the 3-D display. The bacterial flagella are a must-see, almost popping out of the screen when they’re aimed toward the viewer!
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The Talking Glossary of Genetic Terms: 200+ common terms described in Spanish and English.
Listen as experts like Dr. Francis Collins casually explain what a gene or an allele is, and why it is important. Over 200 genetic terms plainly described by working professionals at the NIH, expertly illustrated, and many are 3D animated. While the student listens, they are free to explore the rich web page for the term, simultaneously watch a 3D animation of a gene, view a high quality illustration, or learn about other related terms. Illustrations and 3-D animations help users grasp the meaning of each term. The written and conversational explanations not only add content but provide personal context for each term and a sense of its use in the field of genetics.
Available in English and Spanish language versions online. It is also available in English as a free downloadable iPhone or iPad app.
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The Timeline of Ancient DNA: 32 fact-filled entries about ancient DNA research.
How old is the oldest DNA ever sequenced? Find out in the "Timeline of Ancient DNA." Zip through 32 fact-filled entries highlighting the exciting world of ancient DNA research. In the early 1980s, scientists began isolating ancient DNA from sources such as museum specimens, archaeological finds, fossil remains, fossilized feces, permafrost ice cores and other unusual sources of DNA. Not surprisingly, DNA from these specimens is of low quality, posing special technological challenges for ancient DNA analyses. Researchers in many fields are actively retrieving genetic information from ancient specimens, making ancient DNA research a fertile area of collaboration between research institutions and museums. Works on desktop computers, tablets and smartphones!
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Eleven terrific tools for teaching, or learning, about Gregor Mendel.
Gregor Mendel, the Austrian monk who discovered the laws of heredity that form much of the foundation for modern genetics and genomics, is a common entry point for learning about genetics in basic biology classes.
Here are eleven of our favorite resources for bringing Mendel alive in your classroom, or tuning up your personal knowledge. Check out these notable tools including Mendel’s historic 1865 paper, interactive animations, lesson plans, TEDEd talks, and more.
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Explore ethical and social questions surrounding genomic sequencing: What Do You Think?
The interactive provides a dynamic launching pad for confronting many questions raised by the growing involvement of genetics in the areas of Privacy, Discrimination, Children, Identity, Research, Health, and Society.
The learning tool begins with a short introductory video, followed by a chance to explore the topics surrounding a circular display asking “What do you think?” Selecting any topic opens a series of three thought-provoking questions in the chosen area. Answering each question “yes,” “no,” or “maybe,” leads to a statement of what that reply means and, finally, a chance to answer the Main Question in that area. You can even compare your answers to those of other respondents, with bar graphs updated in real time!
The choices not only stimulate thought but show that different answers are possible and acceptable. Each answer represents viewpoints and reasons that vary among people – often in surprising ways. This learning tool is a conversation starter, a basis for debates, and an exercise in tolerance and understanding others. Using it at home or in the classroom can enhance your grasp of the public concerns surrounding genomic progress and its influence in our lives.