Understanding the Functions of Proteins and DNA

This overview provides a sequence of learning activities to help students understand that proteins and DNA are not just abstract concepts in biology textbooks, but rather crucial components of our bodies that affect functions and characteristics that students are familiar with.  Students learn about how proteins contribute to the digestion of food and to characteristics such as albinism, sickle cell anemia and hemophilia.  Then, students learn about the relationship between the genetic information in DNA and the different versions of these proteins.  The discussion, web-based, and hands-on learning activities presented in the attached file are appropriate for an introductory unit on biological molecules.