Is That DNA in My Food?

Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive
In this activity, learners extract DNA from wheat germ. Use this activity to introduce learners to DNA, biotechnology and genetic engineering. This activity is featured on pp.21-22 (part of a lesson that begins on p.18) of the "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: Agricultural Biology" unit of study for grades 6-8. Adult supervision recommended.

Quick Guide

Preparation Time:
5 to 10 minutes
Learning Time:
45 to 60 minutes
Estimated Materials Cost:
$5 - $10 per group of students
Age Range:
Ages 11 - 14
Resource Types:
Activity, Experiment/Lab Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
Language:
English

Materials List (per group of students)

  • hot plate
  • 600 mL beaker
  • beaker tongs or glove
  • 300 mL of water
  • thermometer
  • several balances
  • liquid dishwashing detergent
  • dry wheat stalks (from hobby or flower store)
  • raw wheat germ
  • test tubes
  • test tube stoppers
  • 100 mL graduated cylinders
  • 1 mL pipettes
  • ice-cold rubbing alcohol
  • two wooden sticks
  • Extracting DNA From Wheat Germ handouts (page 35)
  • safety glasses
  • paper towels

Keywords

Subjects

  • Engineering and Technology
    • Engineering
      • Bioengineering/Biomedical Engineering
    • Technology
      • Agriculture and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences
    • Cells
      • Cell Structure and Function
    • Diversity of Life
      • Plants
    • Heredity and Genetics
      • DNA Structure and Function
      • Genetic Engineering
  • Physical Sciences
    • Chemistry
      • Chemistry of Life
  • The Nature of Science
    • The Scientific Process
      • Conducting Investigations

Informal Categories

  • Food and Cooking

Audience

To use this activity, learners need to:

  • see
  • see color
  • read
  • touch

Learning styles supported:

  • Involves teamwork and communication skills
  • Involves hands-on or lab activities

Other

Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:

This resource is part of:

Access Rights:

  • Free access

By:

Rights:

  • All rights reserved, The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 2007

Funding Source:

  • Dow AgroSciences LLC