My Science Box

Strawberry DNA: The cloudy substance in the upper layer is strawberry DNA.Summary
What is DNA? What does it look like? In this activity, students extract DNA from strawberries using diluted dish soap and alcohol. Suddenly this mysterious secret of life can be seen materializing out of strawberry juice right in front of students’ eyes. The long tangled DNA strands that ultimately form may be collected using a bamboo skewer or glass stirring rod. The DNA may even be saved in a necklace made from an eppendrof tube, alcohol and string.

Objectives
Can extract DNA.
Can recognize that DNA is found in all cells.
Can explain the steps needed to isolate DNA from a cell.
Can begin to describe the structure of DNA – that it is a long, invisibly thin polymer.

Vocabulary
DNA
Nucleus
Cell
Membrane