PCA 7th Graders Construct DNA Models
By: Britton Waters, PCA Senior
Mrs. Barr’s 7th grade physical science class has been learning about the complex concepts of DNA and its structure, so the students constructed models of DNA strands. The models were made out of pipe cleaners along with large and small paper clips. Each pipe cleaner was one of four colors, signifying the nitrogen bases and how only certain ones will bond with each other to form the “ladder” part of the DNA. The sides of a strand of DNA are made up of sugar and phosphates as represented in the model by the paper clips. This hands-on project allowed the students to better understand the complicated concept for themselves which they really enjoyed.
