79

Lesson 79 of 84 ยท Cells

Experimentโญ 30 XP๐ŸŒฟ Wild Jungle

DNA: The Code of Life (Part 5)

๐ŸงชLab Brief #79

DNA: The Code of Life (Part 5).

๐ŸŽฏ Your mission

Predict it first. Then prove yourself right (or wrong).

โšก The twist

Living things break the rules of non-living things โ€” find the rule they break.

๐Ÿคฏ

Mind = Blown

๐ŸŒณ Trees can talk to each other through underground fungus networks.

๐Ÿ”ฎ

Make a hypothesis first

Predict: what will happen to the plant if you change the water?

What You'll Learn

Genes are segments of DNA that code for specific traits like eye color, hair texture, and blood type. Humans have approximately 20,000 genes spread across 23 pairs of chromosomes.

Key Words

  • nucleus
  • DNA

Materials Needed

  • scissors
  • microscope (or magnifying glass)
  • slides
  • onion skin
  • iodine stain

Safety First

  • Keep small objects away from young children.
  • Work in a well-ventilated area when using vinegar or other strong-smelling substances.

Steps

Step 1 โ€” Read

Read the introduction and identify the main idea of this lesson.

Step 2 โ€” Do

Model mitosis using pipe cleaners as chromosomes. Show each phase: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

Step 3 โ€” Observe

Use your senses (except taste) to describe what you notice.

Step 4 โ€” Record

Write a summary of your findings in 3-5 sentences.

Check Your Understanding

Question 1

1 of 3

What is a gene?

๐ŸŒ

Where you see this in real life

This is why plants grow toward windows and why scabs form.

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Stretch Challenge

Try this in real life this week.

Watch a plant or pet for 5 minutes today and write down what you noticed.

๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€๐Ÿ‘ง

For the dinner table

โ€œTell me something you noticed about your own body today.โ€

๐ŸŽฏ

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Checkout complete lesson on Cells for 6th Grade

Get the full Cells track as a printable PDF โ€” all lessons, worksheets, and answer keys.

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