The Central Dogma of Biology

BIOMED

Nucleic Acids and Proteins:

Disease Treatment Innovations

Developed in partnership with:

Discovery Education and Ignited

The Central Dogma

of Biology

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

For Teachers Page

Overview 1–2

Pedagogical Framing 3

Questions and Connections 4

Instructional Activities

Procedure: Day 1 5–6

Procedure: Day 2 7

Procedure: Day 3 8–9

Procedure: Day 4 10–11

Procedure: Day 5 12–13

National Standards 14

Educator Resources

BreakoutEDU Set-up and Answers 15–18

Answer Keys

DNA and RNA Venn Diagram 19

Macromolecules as Medicine Capture Sheet 20

Student Resources Page

DNA and RNA Venn Diagram 1

Protein Synthesis Flow Chart Rubric 2

DNA Protein Illustration Rubric 3

Code for an Animal Instructions 4

Trait Guide Capture Sheet 5

Gene Tracker Capture Sheet 6–7

Codon Table Capture Sheet 8

Animal DNA Code Capture Sheet 9

Macromolecules as Medicine Capture Sheet 10

Macromolecule Medicine Guide 11

Macromolecule Medicine Rubric 12

Nucleotide Cut-outs Capture Sheet 13

DNA, RNA, and Protein Foldable 14

DNA, RNA, and Protein Foldable Template 15

Comparative Foldable Rubric 16

Rubric for Biotech Unit Challenge 17

Rubric for Biotech Unit Challenge: 18–19

Mystery Disease Conference Project

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Cover Image

This is an illustration

of a protein.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

ACTIVITY DURATION

Five class sessions

(45 minutes each)

OBJECTIVES

Students will be able to:

Conduct an experiment to extract DNA.

Explain the dierences between DNA,

RNA, and proteins.

Investigate recombinant drugs that

utilize DNA, RNA, or proteins.

Illustrate the processes of transcription

and translation.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

How is DNA responsible for

an organism’s structure and/or

appearance?

What are some similarities and

dierences between transcription

and translation?

How are DNA, RNA, and proteins

used as pharmaceuticals?

How do DNA, RNA, and proteins

dier in structure and function?

OVERVIEW

Throughout this unit, students will focus on the concept

of diagnosing and treating diseases. They will explore the

role medical devices play in the treatment of patients. For

the ﬁnal unit project, students will create a drug delivery

innovation for patients who have been diagnosed with or are

at risk for a disease that does not yet have a cure. Students

will use the information and skills acquired throughout

the lessons in this unit in order to successfully complete

the culminating project. They will apply the knowledge

gained from initial lessons on how DNA, RNA, and proteins

are modiﬁed and isolated. Students will later apply their

understanding of the mechanisms of nucleic acids and

proteins in the phases of drug testing and drug delivery.

In this lesson, students will learn about the “central dogma”

of biology and how genetic information is perpetuated

through RNA and the creation of proteins. DNA and DNA

replication is at the center of all biological processes, and

through study of these phenomena, students will develop

a more thorough understanding of disease and advances in

medical research and treatments. The unit project will be

introduced wherein students will consider a treatment for

a disease without a cure. They will consider the mechanism

of the disease and which treatments and drugs that already

exist. With their groups, they will create a device that will

improve upon these to prevent or treat the disease.

DRIVING QUESTION

How can you tell the dierence

between DNA and RNA?

BIOMED / NUCLEIC ACIDS AND PROTEINS: DISEASE TREATMENT INNOVATIONS

The Central Dogma of Biology

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Materials

Cardboard

Colored Pencils

DNA Model Build (printout)

Glue

Large Paper (Desk or Table-sized)

Markers

DNA and RNA Venn Diagram

Protein Synthesis Flow Chart Rubric

DNA Protein Illustration Rubric

Code for an Animal Instructions

Trait Guide Capture Sheet

Gene Tracker Capture Sheet

Codon Table Capture Sheet

Animal DNA Code Capture Sheet

Macromolecules as Medicine

Capture Sheet

Macromolecule Medicine Guide

Macromolecule Medicine Rubric

Nucleotide Cut-outs Capture Sheet

DNA, RNA, and Protein Foldable

Comparative Foldable Rubric

Design Journal

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The development of COVID-19 vaccines brought synthetic mRNA

technology into mainstream conversation. Many people looked at these

vaccines with skepticism, imagining that they were manufactured using

brand new and untested methods. The truth is that mRNA research is

more than thirty years old and incredibly well studied. Scientists have

long believed that synthetic mRNA therapies could protect against some

of the worst diseases plaguing humanity, like HIV and the ﬂu. Vaccines

are just one way that existing treatments are delivered to patients. In

this lesson, students will think about other mechanisms that could be

used for implementing DNA and RNA therapies.

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: How could anything

developed this quickly be safe?

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Pedagogical Framing

SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Students will complete work every

day in groups, honing important self

awareness and management skills along

with critical responsible decision making

skills. They will need to demonstrate

self management, like persevering in

the face of setbacks and frustrations, in

completing research and projects while

working with others. Some students

will have had personal experience with

disease, and carry that experience with

them into sensitive discussions. This

requires all discussion participants

to demonstrate empathy and practice

appropriate social awareness skills.

CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY

RESPONSIVE INSTRUCTION

This lesson employs culturally and

linguistically responsive strategies

in order to encourage learners from

all backgrounds to engage in a

format that is comfortable for them.

Material is presented in a variety of

formats—written, video, and hands-on

assignments. Equitable practices allow

students to safely discuss sensitive

topics like the role medical devices play

in the treatment of patients’ health,

any disparities in that treatment,

and questions involving speciﬁc

communities. While the lesson centers

the students’ personal experience in

their learning, they will complete many

of their assignments in cooperative

learning groups.

ADVANCING INCLUSIVE RESEARCH

This lesson introduces students to

the challenge of creating a theoretical

innovative drug delivery system,

planning for a clinical trial, and showing

how the drug will target certain

molecules to stop a disease. They need

to consider the diversity of patient

populations as they consider how the

drug will be delivered. They must ensure

that information is communicated in an

equitable way that allows patients to

make informed decisions.

COMPUTATIONAL THINKING PRACTICES

Students will use the computational

thinking strategy of ﬁnding patterns

as they explore the basics of DNA.

They will decompose the process of

demonstrating how DNA is translated

via RNA transcription. With this

knowledge, students collect and analyze

data in order to determine what codons

are required to make amino acids.

They wrap up by abstracting what

features of DNA would enable it to be

used in a drug.

CONNECTIONS TO THE PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE

This lesson focuses on the discovery

aspect of the product life cycle.

At this point researchers would be

acquiring more information on the

topic of DNA, RNA, and protein

recombinant technologies as they seek

out a drug delivery method for new

pharmaceuticals.

Instructional materials are

designed to meet national education

and industry standards to focus

on in-demand skills needed across

the full product development life

cycle—from molecule to medicine—

which will also expose students and

educators to the breadth of

education and career pathways

across biotechnology.

Through this collection,

educators are equipped with

strategies to engage students from

diverse racial, ethnic, and cultural

groups, providing them with

quality, equitable, and liberating

educational experiences

that validate and arm

student identity.

Units are designed to be problem-

based and focus on workforce skill

development to empower students

with the knowledge and tools to be

the change in reducing health

disparities in communities.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

How does this connect to the

larger unit storyline?

Learning about the central dogma

provides the scientiﬁc basis

for recombinant drug delivery.

The transformation of genetic

information into proteins is at the

core of these new technologies,

and so in turn must be the basis

for new learning on the topic of

drug delivery systems. It would be

impossible to choose a new drug’s

delivery method without ﬁrst

understanding the why and how

behind that decision.

How does this connect

to careers?

Product development engineers

examine the company’s goals and

from that help to conceptualize,

research, and test new products.

They also play a vital role in

ensuring ﬁnal products meet the

company’s standards and any legal

parameters.

Molecular biologists work with DNA

and RNA on projects such as cloning

and DNA sequencing. They work

for years conducting research that

yields some of our greatest medical

breakthroughs.

How does this connect

to our world?

The central dogma of biology may

seem like something that would only

be of importance in a classroom;

however, understanding the nature

of our bodies and emerging medical

treatments is important to us as

healthcare consumers. Many believe

the future of medicine lies in the

manipulation of DNA, RNA, and

proteins—to better appreciate and

evaluate these new treatments, we

must ﬁrst fully grasp the biological

processes they seek to alter or

suppress.

MAKE CONNECTIONS!

Have you ever wondered...

How does DNA control what I look like?

DNA is often called the “blueprint” of our body, but how does

one go from blueprints to a house? The answers lie in two

processes—transcription and translation. While DNA contains

your genes, it takes RNA to transcribe the DNA and to turn

it into something useful for our body’s ribosomes. The RNA

copy of DNA (mRNA) can be read by the ribosomes through

translation which produces proteins that inﬂuence the

physical characteristics we attribute to our DNA “blueprint.”

Isn’t RNA in viruses? Why is it in my body?

RNA is present in some viruses, but also in our bodies

naturally. Although it is often upstaged by DNA, RNA is vital

in DNA replication, transcribing genetic material, and the

protein synthesis necessary to carry out our daily lives.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Day 1

Optional Unit Launch Activity (30 minutes)

1 Launch students into their project and this unit by allowing them to take

on the role of a team of scientists researching a scientiﬁc breakthrough

in the ﬁeld of pharmaceutical research and development.

2 Students will work in groups of four to ﬁve to learn more about the

dierent roles and tasks that their team must complete. They will

need to work collaboratively and communicate eectively in order to

“breakout” within the time constraints.

3 Share the Breakout EDU link with students. Students will use clues to

unlock each digital lock and discover more about the unit ahead.

Whole Group (5 minutes)

Ask the class to Stand and Share: “Why do people often look like other members

of their family?” Students will respond with answers about similar DNA, genes,

or traits.

Teacher Note > Because this unit contains academic vocabulary, you may want to create

Quizlet decks for students to look at prior to the unit, revisit during the unit and, use for

review at the end of the unit.

Small Group (15 minutes)

1 Ask students to form small groups of three or four. Give each group a

large piece of paper and two or three markers, so that each member

will use a dierent-colored marker. Use the Roundtable strategy to

brainstorm and to activate prior knowledge. Have students pass around

the paper and write or draw what they think when they hear the term

“DNA.” Students may draw things like double-helix structures, Punnett

squares, or write facts they’ve learned in previous classes.

2 Watch this video: The Basics of DNA—Science Learning (5:23 min).

Pause the video two or three times to allow students to jot notes.

Then, students will work together using the same Roundtable strategy as

in the previous activity. They should each use a dierent-colored marker

to record on a large piece of paper any ideas about DNA from

The Basics of DNA—Science Learning that they think are important.

This might include doodles that relate to the material or any questions

that arise for them.

Continues next page >

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

Analyze a video on DNA and

its function.

INDUSTRY AND CAREER CONNECTION

Students will need to have strong

time management skills as they

write or draw what they think of

when they hear “DNA” in only

ﬁve minutes. Professional

molecular biologists use this

same skill when they conduct

research on the functioning of

cells in a timely manner.

Procedure

COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN ACTION

As students watch the video,

color code their notes, and

identify the ways their ideas

relate to one another. In doing so,

they are using the computational

thinking strategy of ﬁnding

patterns to process their

learnings about DNA.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Day 1

Continued

Procedure

3 Following the end of the video, groups should add any ﬁnal key ideas

or drawings (models) to their Roundtable paper. Next, ask students to

think about, discuss, and show how the ideas about DNA on their paper

relate to one another. They should:

• draw arrows to connect their ideas to a group member’s ideas,

• circle to highlight key points,

• doodle next to a group member’s vocabulary word to better deﬁne it,

• answer a dierent student’s question, or

• correct incorrect assumptions from their earlier brainstorming.

4 Next, ask students if they can describe the relationship between a

mutation and DNA. Allow students to share their ideas with the class

using the strategy Raise a Righteous Hand. Remind students that the

code in the DNA is used to make a speciﬁc chain of amino acids, as

seen in the video. Pose the following questions to students: How do

mutations aect proteins? What eect can this have on an organism,

such as a person? Tell students that in this lesson they will seek to

ﬁnd the answer to this question by exploring how the message of DNA

becomes proteins—the Central Dogma of Biology.

Small Group (25 minutes)

Students can remain in their groups and should begin by reviewing the short 3D

animations of Transcription and Translation.

INDUSTRY AND CAREER CONNECTION

Students will need to have the

technical skills of understanding

basic lab techniques and the

ability to follow protocol. These

skills are used by professional

product development engineers.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Day 2

Individual Work (10 minutes)

1 Distribute to students a blank DNA and RNA Venn diagram.

Students should label one side “DNA” and the other “RNA.”

DNA vs RNA

Adenine

Guanine

Cytosine

Thymine

Deoxyribose

Uracil

Ribose

OH H

OH OH

DNA

deoxyribonucleic

acid

Double

stranded

Thymine Base

pair

RNA

ribonucleic

acid

Single

nucleobase

Single

standed

Uracil

2 Students will read the article DNA and RNA and complete the Venn

Diagram. Students should only read the ﬁrst sections of both “DNA”

and “RNA.” When completed, students can compare their work with a

classmate’s and add new information to their own Venn Diagram.

Small Group (15 minutes)

Place students in groups of two or three. Give each group a blank sheet of paper

and ask them to create a ﬂowchart to explain the processes of transcription, RNA

processing, and translation using the video From DNA to protein.

Small Group (20–25 minutes)

After completing the ﬂowchart, students should use their Venn Diagram and

ﬂowchart to create a digital illustration, demonstrating how DNA is translated via

RNA transcription to protein inside cells (mRNA processing does not need to be

included). Students could use SketchIO, Autodraw, or Google Drawings to create

their illustration. When illustrations are complete, they can be downloaded and

printed for display around the classroom or for students to use as notes during

the lesson.

Procedure

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

Compare and contrast DNA

and RNA.

Create a ﬂowchart

detailing the processes of

transcription and translation.

Illustrate the processes of

transcription and translation.

INDUSTRY AND CAREER CONNECTION

Students will need to have strong

organization skills and attention

to detail as they create their

transcription and translation

ﬂowcharts. Professional product

development engineers use

these same organization and

detail skills when they test new

products.

COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN ACTION

As students develop their Venn

diagrams and ﬂowcharts, they

are using the computational

thinking strategies of abstraction,

decomposition, and developing

algorithms to understand the

transcription process.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Day 3 Procedure

Teacher Note > Cut the Animal DNA Code Capture Sheet into strips before class.

Whole Group (5 minutes)

1 To begin the lesson, ask students to review their infographics from the

previous day. Explain that these infographics show the “Central Dogma

of Biology,” the set of principles that explains how all proteins are

created from the message in the DNA.

2 Tell students that they will now look in more detail at how the nucleotide

bases in the DNA are transcribed and translated by RNA to create

proteins that give living things their unique traits.

3 Project this video on The Central Dogma of Biology, using the

instructional strategy AEIOU to capture student impressions.

Small Group (30 minutes)

1 Have students move into groups of two to three to complete the Code for

an Animal activity. Then distribute to each group the following capture

sheets: Code for an Animal Instructions, Gene Tracker, Codon Table,

Trait Guide, and an Animal DNA Code.

2 Ask students to translate their animal DNA code strip into its mRNA

counterpart. Have groups then work to break this into codons, recording

all information on the Gene Tracker Capture Sheet.

3 Have groups compare their codons to the Codon Table, determining

which amino acid is being coded for. It may be helpful to display the

Codon Table on the overhead screen or front board and to demonstrate

how to translate a codon into an amino acid. Each amino acid will code

for a speciﬁc part of each group’s animal. When they’ve completed

transcribing and translating their DNA strip onto the translator, give

students a blank sheet of paper and ask them to attempt to draw their

new animal.

Continues next page >

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

Transcribe a strand of DNA

into mRNA.

Convert a strip of DNA into a

unique animal.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

OptionalDay 3

Continued

Small Group (10 minutes)

1 As a challenge, ask groups to choose one trait their animal has and ﬁnd

the gene that corresponds with it on the Trait Guide. Ask the students to

determine what would have to happen in their animal’s DNA to change

it to one of the other listed traits for that gene. They should work

backwards using the Codon Table to determine what mutation would

have to occur in the DNA of their animal to cause this. For example, a

base may have to change from cytosine (C) to adenine (A) in the codon

to code for a dierent amino acid. Once ﬁnished, ask students to report

on the following:

• What codons are required to make those amino acids?

• What is the corresponding mRNA and DNA code?

• What are these changes in the DNA called?

2 Afterwards, groups should compare animals and determine what

changes at the codon or nucleotide level led to dierences between

their two animals.

Teacher Note > If there is enough time and students want to explore more about codons,

this activity would be appropriate. It is acceptable if not all students do this activity and

focus just on the required assignment.

Replication DNA DNA

Transcription DNA RNA

DNA

RNA

Protein

Translation RNA Protein

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Day 4 Procedure

Whole Group (15 minutes)

1 Allow students to select from one of the following three sources.

Give students 10 minutes to review their chosen resource, and

summarize it on their Macromolecules as Medicine Capture Sheet

under the correct section.

Gene Therapy Video

Therapeutic Proteins Podcast (stop at the 6:15 mark)

RNA Therapy Reading

2 After completing their section of the capture sheet, allow students

to meet with classmates to complete the rest of the capture sheet.

Students may want to discuss with more than one person of each group

(time allowing) as students may have chosen dierent things to focus

on in their summary. Students that ﬁnish early may access one of the

other resources for themselves and compare their thoughts with their

classmates.

Small Group (15 minutes)

1 Students should form groups of two to three with other students who

read the same initial article.

2 Distribute to students the Macromolecule Medicine Guide and

Macromolecule Medicine Rubric. Groups should use an app

or free design software, such as Creatopy, to create a ﬂyer or brochure

that will highlight their research about the drug. Review the rubric so

students are aware of what information must be included.

Individual Work (10 minutes)

After all projects are complete, ask students to conduct a Gallery Walk and provide

feedback to their peers on at least three other projects, either virtually, using post-

it notes, or with a simple feedback form attached to each poster.

Continues next page >

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

Investigate how DNA, RNA,

and proteins can be used in

pharmaceuticals.

COMPUTATIONAL THINKING IN ACTION

Computational Thinking in

Action: Here, students are using

the computational thinking

strategies of collecting and

analyzing data to examine three

dierent ways genes can be used

in therapies.

INDUSTRY AND CAREER CONNECTION

Students will need to have

an openness to learning

and motivation to learn as

they research a drug and

create a presentation on its

usage. Professional product

development engineers use

these same skills when they

conceptualize and discuss new

product ideas.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Day 4

Continued

Procedure

Whole Group (5 minutes)

1 Review answers to the Macromolecule Medicine Guide with the class.

Ask volunteers to share answers and record them on the board.

2 To end the lesson, explain to students that in today’s lesson they have

learned how nucleic acids—DNA and RNA—and proteins can be used as

medicine to treat disease. Ask students if they think that these same

biomolecules might eventually be used to stop or cure diseases that do

not have a known cure, such as HIV and chronic heart disease. Allow

students to share their thoughts brieﬂy with a partner.

3 Tell students that at the end of this unit, they will take what they have

learned to create a theoretical innovative drug delivery system that

might be used to cure or prevent a disease and improve the lives of

countless people faced with health issues currently or in the future.

They will create a model or animation of the “mechanism of action” of

their drug, which will show how the drug will target certain molecules to

stop the disease, and a plan for a clinical trial for their drug. All of this

information will be presented at a mock Mystery Disease Conference as

they role play as a member of a drug research and development team.

4 Distribute the Design Journal for students to use throughout the unit.

They will refer back to this journal during each lesson.

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Day 5 Procedure

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to:

Build a model of DNA.

Create a foldable

representing the dierences

between DNA, RNA, and

proteins.

Small Group (20 minutes)

Have students work in groups of two to three to complete the DNA Model Build

and respond to the included questions. They should use the Nucleotide Cut-outs

Capture Sheet to complete their model.

Teacher Note > Before starting this activity, feel free to provide vocabulary scaolding, such

as the culturally responsive strategy called Vocabulary Quadrants, for any students who may

have diculty understanding certain terms of the DNA Model Build. This may help get them

started in their groups.

Small Group (25 minutes)

1 In their same groups, ask students to create a foldable to detail the

dierences between DNA, RNA, and proteins using the DNA, RNA, and

Protein Foldable Template. Have students fold along the solid line and

cut down the dotted lines.

2 The end result should look like a skinny paper with three ﬂap doors.

Students should label the front of the ﬂaps “DNA” “RNA” and “Proteins.”

Continues next page >

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Procedure

3 When each ﬂap is lifted, the top portion should include a description

of the structure and function of the material, with an emphasis on

what makes the material unique. Each lower portion should include a

drawing of the structure. Have students turn in their foldable once they

are ﬁnished, to be graded on how well they explained the dierences.

Students should work together and use the things they have created in

this lesson (the Venn Diagram, illustration, etc.) to help them complete

their foldable.

DNA RNA PROTEINS

Teacher Note > When completed the interior of each section should include a picture

and information like the following:

DNA: Double stranded, double helix shape, deoxyribose, thymine, found in nucleus,

stores genetic information

RNA: Single stranded, ribose, uracil, found throughout cell, turns stored information

into proteins

Proteins: Complex 3D shapes, not a nucleic acid, made of amino acids/polypeptides

4 Provide time for students to respond to the lesson questions in their

Design Journal. They will elaborate on the dierences between DNA and

RNA, explain how DNA is used to make proteins, and consider medical

treatments that rely on central dogma.

Day 5

Continued

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Generation

Science

Standards

Career and

Technical

Education

(CTE)

LS1.A Structure and Function

All cells contain genetic information in the form of DNA

molecules. Genes are regions in the DNA that contain the

instructions that code for the formation of proteins.

Science and Engineering Practices

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

Critically read scientiﬁc literature adapted for classroom use

to determine the central ideas or conclusions and/or to obtain

scientiﬁc and/or technical information to summarize complex

evidence, concepts, processes, or information presented in a

text by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.

Crosscutting Concepts

Patterns

Dierent patterns may be observed at each of the scales

at which a system is studied and can provide evidence for

causality in explanations of phenomena.

Structure and Function

Investigating or designing new systems or structures requires

a detailed examination of the properties of dierent materials,

the structures of dierent components, and connections of

components to reveal its function and/or solve a problem.

A3.1

Deﬁne and describe the structure and function of DNA

ribonucleic acid (RNA) and proteins, explain the consequences

of DNA mutations on proteins.

A4.3

Use information and communication technologies to

synthesize, summarize, compare, and contrast information

from multiple sources.

A9.2

Identify several products obtained through recombinant

DNA technology.

National Standards

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Educator Resources

BreakoutEDU Set-up and Answers

Students access the digital breakout and work together to

solve the clues. The locks may be completed in ANY order.

No one lock is required to unlock other locks.

Number Lock

Go to the FDA website Review Team Responsibilities

(Found under Center for Drug Evaluation and Research).

Each of the job titles has a description in the right

column with a number.

Using the order of the job titles, the description numbers

appear (top to bottom) as 4–1–5–2–3.

Continues next page >

BreakoutEDU Set-up and Answers

Continued

Letter Lock

In the Investigational New Drug process ﬁle, the ﬁrst letter of

each of the steps is in bold print. Going top to bottom on the

bullet points, enter A–M–C–D–I.

Continues next page >

Educator Resources

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

BreakoutEDU Set-up and Answers

Continued

Directional Lock

Using the ﬂowchart to place the dropped “index” cards,

the ﬁrst card would be down, the second card would

be a NO response so it would go to the right, the third

card would be the option on the left, the fourth card

is below that so the movement would be down, the ﬁfth

card would also be down (and based on the hint, you

would not repeat that entry), and the sixth card

moves to the right.

Continues next page >

Educator Resources

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

BreakoutEDU Set-up and Answers

Continued

Color Lock

In this lock, reading the colored sticky notes will lead the

learner to the order of the Clinical Trial Phases which result in

the order of Blue–Red (Pink)–Yellow–Purple–Green.

Educator Resources

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

DNA and RNA Venn Diagram

A N S W E R K E Y Do not share with students

Directions

Label the left side “DNA”, the middle “Both”, and the right

side “RNA.” Compare and contrast DNA and RNA. Write down

at least three dierences for both in the outer circles and

three similarities in the inner circle.

Answer Bank

Bases are adenine, uracil,

guanine, and cytosine

Bases are adenine, thymine,

guanine, and cytosine

Found inside and outside

nucleus in eukaryotes

Found inside nucleus in

eukaryotes

Has sugar ribose Has sugar deoxyribose

In all living organisms Is a nucleic acid

Double-stranded Single-stranded

Nucleotides that consist of

a nucleobase, ribose sugar,

and a phosphate group

DNA RNABoth

— found inside nucleus in eukaryotes

— double stranded

— has sugar deoxyribose

— bases are adenine, thymine,

guanine, and cytosine

— both are in all living

organisms

— both are nucleic acids

— both have nucleotides

that consist of a

nucleobase, ribose

sugar, and a

phosphate group

— found inside and outside

nucleus in eukaryotes

— single stranded

— has sugar ribose

— bases are adenine, uracil,

guanine, and cytosine

The Central Dogma of Biology | TEACHER SECTION

Macromolecules as Medicine Capture Sheet

A N S W E R K E Y Do not share with students

Directions

Select one of the following three sources.

Then, summarize your learning below.

Gene Therapy Video

Therapeutic Proteins Podcast

(stop at the 6:15 mark)

RNA Therapy Reading

(stop after section “For what diseases are…”)

Gene Therapy Video

How Does Gene Therapy Work?

Works by targeting genes that may cause disease

Isolates a gene and either turns the gene o or enhances a

gene within a cell to help stop certain diseases

Used with CRISPR to ﬁnd the correct genes

Therapeutic Proteins Podcast

Therapeutic Proteins:

Medicine made out of proteins instead of chemicals like older

medicine

Proteins are our bodies natural defense against disease.

Can help the body defend against things it is not naturally

defending

Has less if any side eects than chemical medicines

RNA Therapy Reading

RNA Therapies Explained:

RNA is used as a blueprint for DNA for a cell so it can be used

to change DNA.

RNA silencing is a way to use RNA to destroy certain RNA

with a speciﬁc code, causing protein expression from a gene

to be silenced.

Because RNA is central to all biological processes, there are

numerous potential avenues for addressing human disorders

using RNA.

RNA can also be used to turn down the expression of some

proteins and not turn them all the way o.

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

DNA and RNA Venn Diagram

Directions

Label the left side “DNA”, the middle “Both”, and the right

side “RNA.” Compare and contrast DNA and RNA. Write down

at least three dierences for both in the outer circles and

three similarities in the inner circle.

Answer Bank

Bases are adenine, uracil,

guanine, and cytosine

Bases are adenine, thymine,

guanine, and cytosine

Found inside and outside

nucleus in eukaryotes

Found inside nucleus in

eukaryotes

Has sugar ribose Has sugar deoxyribose

In all living organisms Is a nucleic acid

Double-stranded Single-stranded

Nucleotides that consist of

a nucleobase, ribose sugar,

and a phosphate group

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Protein Synthesis Flow Chart Rubric

Score 3 2 1

Flowchart

Flowchart is easy

to navigate and profes-

sional looking; steps

are contained in boxes

and arrows dictate

the direction.

Some eort was made to

develop ﬂowchart, appears

more as list or is missing

steps; has errors, sloppy

and dicult to navigate.

Student did not create

a ﬂowchart.

Transcription

All steps are included,

explained, and in the

correct order.

Transcription steps are

missing detail, out of order,

or not complete.

Most or all of the

transcription steps are

missing.

Processing

All steps are included,

explained, and in the

correct order.

Processing steps are

missing detail, out of order,

or not complete.

Most or all of the

processing steps are

missing.

Translation

All steps are included,

explained, and in the

correct order.

Translation steps are

missing detail, out of order,

or not complete.

Most or all of the

translation steps are

missing.

Final Score

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

DNA Protein Illustration Rubric

Score 3 2 1

General

Appearance

Illustration is eye-catching

and colorful; it takes up the

entire page.

Some eort is made in

illustration, some color

used, takes up most

of the page.

Illustration is not

attempted or very little

created.

Transcription

Transcription is

included and illustration

demonstrates the

student’s understanding

of the process.

Transcription is included

and somewhat correct.

Transcription is

not depicted.

Translation

Translation is

included and illustration

demonstrates the

student’s understanding

of the process.

Translation is included and

somewhat correct.

Translation is not depicted.

Macromolecules

DNA, RNA, and proteins

are all included in

the illustration and easy

to distinguish.

Macromolecules are all

or mostly present but

poorly rendered and hard

to identify.

Major macromolecules are

missing from illustration.

Final Score

Directions

Today, you will be using a genetic code to create a new animal.

You will ﬁrst transcribe your unique DNA code into its mRNA

counterpart, translate it into tRNA and codons, and use the

associated amino acids to determine traits.

Start by converting your DNA code into mRNA. This is done by

determining your code’s complement nucleotides (remember

that RNA uses uracil instead of thymine).

For example, if your DNA code looked like this:

TACCCGTTAGCG

Then this would be its complementary mRNA strand:

UACGGCAAUCGC

1. Write your DNA code on the ﬁrst line, and write its mRNA

complement on the second line.

Next, use the mRNA strand to determine the tRNA strand.

Again, match complementary nucleotides (tRNA still uses

uracil instead of thymine).

This is the complementary tRNA strand for the example above:

AUGCCGUUAGCG

2. Write your mRNA strand from question one on the

ﬁrst line, and write its tRNA complement on

the second line.

Code for an Animal Instruction

Next, divide your code into groups of three to determine your

codons. You’ll use the results to determine the amino acid.

To use our previous example, it would look like this:

AUG CCG UUA GCG

3. Write your codons on the line below.

You can now insert your ﬁndings into the Gene Tracker Capture

Sheet and use the Codon Table to determine an amino acid.

Gene 1

DNA

ATG

mRNA

UAC

Codon

AUG

Amino Acid

Met

Trait

Start

In this case the ﬁrst codon codes for Methionine (Met or M),

which is the universal START codon for protein synthesis.

Once you determine your amino acids, match them to their

corresponding traits in the guide below. After compiling all of

your animal’s traits, attempt to draw your new organism.

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Directions

Once you determine your amino acids, match them to

their corresponding traits in the guide below. Record the

traits on your Gene Tracker capture sheet.

Trait Guide Capture Sheet

Gene 13 Adaptation

ILE Venom

PHE Camouﬂage

LEU Blubber

GLU Wings

Gene 14 Start/Stop

STOP Animal complete

Gene 1 Start/Stop

MET Start animal

creation

STOP No animal created

Gene 4 Ears

TYR Floppy

HIS Triangular, wolf-like

GLN Rounded, bear-like

LYS Tall/tued,

squirrel-like

Gene 2 Body Shape

ILE Upright,

humanoid/ape

HIS Serpentine

ARG Flat/narrow,

lizard-like

SER Long, cylindrical,

dog/cat-like

Gene 3 Head Shape

GLN Round

PRO Long/narrow

LEU Triangular, feline

ASN Round

Gene 5 Nose Shape

LEU Long snout, horse/

crocodile-like

LYS Pig nose

ASP Beak

ALA Small black nose,

dog-like

Gene 8 Tail

THR No tail

GLN Short bunny-like

tail

GLY Long ﬂuy tail

CYS Prehensile tail,

monkey-like

Gene 6 Eyes

THR 2 small eyes on top

of the head

TRP 2 big eyes,

sides of head

ARG 2 front facing

predatory eyes

PRO 1 eye, center of

head

PHE Eye clusters or

compound eyes,

spider-like

Gene 7 Limbs

GLN 4 equal sized limbs

ALA 2 big back leg, and

2 smaller front legs

LEU 8 legs

ARG 4 ﬂippers,

turtle-like

Gene 9 Skin

PRO Scales

TRP Feathers

PHE Fur

ASP Smooth, slick skin,

salamander-like

Gene 12 Adaptation

LEU Claws

SER Sharp teeth

THR Webbed feet

ILE Gills

Gene 10 Pattern

VAL No pattern

GLY Stripes

TRY Spots

Gene 11 Color

LEU Green/blue

SER Yellow/brown

PRO Purple/pink

ASN Black/white

CYS Orange/red

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Gene Tracker Capture Sheet

Directions

Today, you will be using a genetic code to create a new animal.

Record your information here as you translate the animal DNA

code strip into its mRNA counterpart and break it into codons.

Gene 1

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 5

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 3

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 2

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 6

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 4

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Continues next page >

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Gene Tracker Capture Sheet

Continued

Gene 7

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 11

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 9

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 8

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 12

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

Gene 10

DNA

mRNA

Codon

Amino Acid

Trait

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Codon Table Capture Sheet

Directions

Use the Codon Table to determine the amino acids and

record your ﬁndings on the Gene Tracker.

1 2 3

U C A G

UUU

Phe

UUC

UUA

Leu

UUG

UCU

UCC

UCA

Ser

UCG

UAU

Tyr

UAC

UAA stop

UAG stop

UGU

Cys

UGC

UGA stop

UGG Trp

CUU

CUC

CUA

Leu

CUG

CCU

CCC

CCA

Pro

CCG

CAU

His

CAC

CAA

Gin

CAG

CGU

CGC

CGA

Pro

CGG

AUU

AUC Ile

AUA

AUG Met

ACU

ACC

ACA

Thr

ACG

AAU

Asn

AAC

AAA

Lys

AAG

AGU

Ser

AGC

AGA

Arg

AGG

GUU

GUC

GUA

Val

GUG

GCU

GCC

GCA

Ala

GCG

GAU

Asp

GAC

GAA

Glu

GAG

GGU

GGC

GGA

Gly

GGG

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Directions

Cut the DNA sequences into strips.

Animal DNA Code Capture Sheet

ATGTCTCAATATGATACTGCATGTTGGGTTCCTAATATTTAA

ATGCGTCAGTATGACACCCAATGCGACGGGCCCATCATCTAG

ATGAGACCTTATGCTCCCTTATGTTTTTACCCACTTATATAG

ATGTCACCCTATAAAACACAGTGCTTTGGCCCGATTCTTTAG

ATGATTTTACATAAGTTTTTGTGCGATGGTAATATACTCTAG

ATGAGCTTGCATGCCACGCTGTGTCCCGTGAATTCACTATAG

ATGATCAATCATTTATGGCGTGGTCCATATAACACTTTTTAG

ATGTCCAACCAATTGTTCTTGGGCTTCGTAAACACCTTTTGA

ATGATTCAACAAGCATGGCGCGGACCTTACTCTACATTCTGA

ATGCATCTTCAACTTTGGGCTGGGCCGGTGTCCACGGGATGA

ATGCGTCTCAAACTCAGAGCCGGGTTCGTTTCATCGGAGTGA

ATGTCTAATAAAGCGTTCGCAGGCTTGGGTTCGAGTGAGTGA

ATGTCCAATAAACTAAGGCTGGGTGATTACCCTAGCGAGTGA

ATGATCCAGTACCTGAGAGCGCAACCAGGGTGTAGTGAGTAG

ATGCACCAGTACCTGCCTCGACAGTTCGTCTGCAGCGGATAG

ATGATACAATACCTACCCTTACAGCCCGTACCTTTATTTTAA

ATGCGTCCGCACGCGCCATTGCAGTTTGGACCATTGTTCTAA

ATGCGCCTACACCTCCCGCGGCAAGATTACAATCTTTTTTAG

ATGCGACTGCACCTTTTCCTTTATCCAGGCAACCTCCTCTAG

ATGCGGTTACAGGCATTTGCATACCCGGTCTCTTCACTTTAG

ATGAGACTTCAGTTGACTCTCTACTTGGTCTCATCGCTATAG

ATGAGGAATCAGTTAACGTTATATGATGGTCCTTTAATATGA

ATGTCATTAAAGGCCTTCCTATATCCGTATCTACTTATCTAG

ATGTCGCTTAAGAAGAGACGTTACTTTTATTGTACCATCTGA

ATGAGTAATAAGAAACCCCTGTACTTCGTTTGCATAATTTAG

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Therapeutic Proteins Podcast

Therapeutic Proteins:

RNA Therapy Reading

RNA Therapies Explained:

Macromolecules as Medicine Capture Sheet

Directions

Select one of the following three sources.

Then, summarize your learning below.

Gene Therapy Video

Therapeutic Proteins Podcast

(stop at the 6:15 mark)

RNA Therapy Reading

Gene Therapy Video

How Does Gene Therapy Work?

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Macromolecule Medicine Guide

Directions

In your small group, select one real medicine created

from your given macromolecule.

DNA RNA Protein

Humulin

Recombivax

Intron A

Glucagon (for

injection)

Pegaptanib

Golodirsen

Patisiran

Nusinersen

Epogen

Humalog

Activase

Saizen

Your group will research your medication using rxlist and

create a short presentation on your chosen medication. Be

sure to include the following in your presentation:

1. Whether it is derived from DNA, RNA, or proteins

2. What the medication is used to treat or prevent

3. Information on one of the conditions

your medication treats

4. Side eects and precautions

Notes

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Macromolecule Medicine Rubric

Score 3 2 1

Presentation

Presentation is professional

looking, includes use of

color or pictures, and

information is easy to ﬁnd.

Presentation includes all

required elements.

Presentation is incomplete

or not created.

Medication

Medication source and

usage is clearly present

and complete.

Some information is

present on the type of

medication and its usages,

but it is brief and lacks

details.

Minimal information is

present on the purpose of

the medication.

Disease

Disease information

is clearly present

and complete.

Some information is

present on the disease

process it treats, but is

brief and lacks details.

Minimal information is

provided on the disease

process for which the

medication is indicated.

Side Eects

Information on side eects

or precautions is clearly

present and complete.

Some information is

present on side eects and

precautions, but is brief

and lacks details.

Minimal information is

provided on side eects or

precautions.

Final Score

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Nucleotide Cut-outs Capture Sheet

Directions

Use the cut-outs to complete the DNA Model Build.

Adenine

Thymine

Cytosine

Guanine

Phosphate

Deoxyribose

Label

Fold

Cut

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

DNA, RNA, and Protein Foldable

Directions

Fold along the solid line and cut down the dotted lines of the

template found on the next page. Label each of the front

ﬂaps: DNA, RNA, and Proteins. Under each ﬂap, detail

the dierences between the three. When the ﬂap is lifted,

the top portion should include written information on the

structure and function with focus on what makes the material

unique, while the lower portion should include a drawing of its

structure.

DNA, RNA, and Protein Foldable Template

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Comparative Foldable Rubric

Score 3 2 1

DNA

Foldable includes a

thorough list of DNA’s

unique qualities.

Information on DNA is

included but brief.

DNA section is not

complete.

RNA

Foldable includes a

thorough list of RNA’s

unique qualities.

Information on RNA is

included but brief.

RNA section is not

complete.

Proteins

Foldable includes a

thorough list of protein’s

unique qualities.

Information on protein is

included but brief.

Proteins section is not

complete.

Final Score

Rubric for Biotech Unit Challenge

Nucleic Acids and Proteins:

Disease Treatment Innovations

Observable features of the student journal Meets Expectations

8–10 points

Progressing

5–7 points

No attempt

0 points

Research

a. Journal shows that the student has used

learning from previous lessons as a foundation

for the information in their drug innovation

as well as additional research on speciﬁc

clinical trials.

Deﬁning the Problem

a. Student identiﬁes the problem that needs to

be addressed in the treatment and prevention

of diseases.

b. Student understands how the components

of the presentation can be used to convey

information and inﬂuence the community.

Brainstorming

a. Student shows the purpose and intent for

each component of the presentation and how

those components will connect to one another

to convey the overall idea.

Final Score

Grade

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Rubric for Biotech Unit Challenge:

Mystery Disease Conference Project

Nucleic Acids and Proteins:

Disease Treatment Innovations

Observable features of the student journal Meets Expectations

8–10 points

Progressing

5–7 points

No attempt

0 points

Create design solution using scientiﬁc knowledge

a. Students use knowledge about DNA, RNA, and

proteins, as well as technology using these

biomolecules, to help them create the drug

innovation.

b. Students include information from research

and data in presentation to convey a clear

message to the target audience.

c. Students include information from research

and patient proﬁle in the presentation to

inﬂuence the target audience and support

a call for action.

d. Students create a plan for a clinical trial that

seeks to ensure equity in medical research.

Describes criteria and constraints

a. Students describe criteria (how does this

design meet the challenge) and constraints

(for example, information about the

mechanism of action of their drug innovation)

in the presentation.

Continues next page >

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION

Rubric for Biotech Unit Challenge:

Mystery Disease Conference Project

Nucleic Acids and Proteins:

Disease Treatment Innovations

Continued

Observable features of the student journal Meets Expectations

8–10 points

Progressing

5–7 points

No attempt

0 points

Evaluating potential solutions

a. Student uses data and research to determine

how their drug innovation is dierent or

improves upon existing similar products.

b. Student determines their target population or

demographic based on research and data and

took into account racial or ethnic disparities

in medicine and healthcare locally or globally.

Reﬁning or optimizing the solutions

a. Student identiﬁes revisions that may be made

to their campaign based on testing, peer

feedback, and evidence from data collection.

Final Score

Grade

The Central Dogma of Biology | STUDENT SECTION