Spring Saturday SAVY, Week 1, Molecular Genetics (5th-6th)
Thank you for sharing your budding geneticist with us at SAVY on Saturday!
Together, we did a lot of mental lifting to learn about the parts of a cell and the structure of DNA. We read descriptions, had great discussions, and watched 3D animations to get started. Then, to apply our understanding, we extracted DNA from a strawberry using household items. Students have the instructions in their folders, and at the end of the course, they will be able to bring that home and recreate this experiment to share with their friends and family.
Students also had the chance to create a DNA keychain to model the double helix structure of a DNA strand. Some students did not finish, but we will have an opportunity next week to continue working on these. Students should be able to explain the colors and their importance.
Even though it was a rainy day, we had a great time playing indoor games. Everyone did fantastic at asking thought-provoking questions and explaining their thinking.
Next week, we will dive into genetics and heredity where students will use their knowledge to create an alien offspring with specific traits based on the parents’ genetics. I can’t wait to have more conversations with these budding geneticists and further their understanding of molecular genetics!
For a fun at-home activity check out this web game: http://www.closerlookatscience.com/travel-through-an-animal-cell/