Strawberry DNA
Cells are the basic unit of life and make up all plants, animals and bacteria. Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, is the molecule that controls everything that happens in the cell. DNA contains instructions that direct the activities of cells and, ultimately, the body.
With only a few household items, you can extract DNA from strawberries. Extracting DNA from strawberries is super easy, allowing you to learn about genomics.
Target Learners: Grades K-7
Curriculum Connection:
Genetics: Children will learn about the structure and purpose of DNA. Children also learn about some of the components of a plant cells. Discuss how the cell membrane is a phospholipid bilayer and both the membrane and the DNA have different proteins attached to them. The purpose of the salt and dish soap is to pull apart the cell membrane in order to release the DNA and separate it from the proteins.
