Looking for a meaningful and memorable way to teach DNA? This hands-on station lab turns your classroom into a DNA discovery zone where students explore structure, function, and real-world applications. While it takes some prep, the payoff is huge: your students will be engaged, curious, and confident about one of biology’s most important topics. DNA appears across nearly every biology unit—macromolecules, replication, heredity, evolution, the cell cycle, and protein synthesis. This lab will help your students build the big picture understanding they need to make connections throughout the entire year!

Armed with a one-page student worksheet, students rotate through four interactive stations. Each station includes a one-page class copy of directions. At each stop, students complete a hands-on task—building a candy model, extracting real DNA, sculpting a clay food item, or completing a karyotype—which you can check and stamp before they move on. They’ll also answer aligned questions on their worksheet to reinforce key concepts and solidify understanding.

4 Interactive Stations (~15–20 min each):

• Station 1: Candy DNA – Students build (and eat!) an edible DNA model while exploring base-pairing and double helix structure.
• Station 2: Strawberry DNA Extraction – A student favorite! They extract and observe real DNA and review the cell > nucleus > chromosome > DNA hierarchy.
• Station 3: DNA to Protein Analogy – Students use air-dry modeling clay to create a food model (pizza, taco, etc.) to show how DNA codes for proteins. Have them turn their creations into keepsake keychains!
• Station 4: Karyotyping – Students build a karyotype from a printed and cut chromosome set. They analyze if the karyotype is normal or if the person has down syndrome.

Materials List (by station):

• Station 1: Candy DNA
  • Twizzlers
  • Gummy bears or gumdrops
  • Toothpicks
  • Paper towels
• Station 2: Strawberry DNA Extraction
  • Strawberries
  • Ziplock bags
  • Extraction buffer (water + dish soap + salt)
  • Plastic cups or small beakers
  • Coffee filters or cheesecloths
  • Cold rubbing alcohol (store over ice)
  • Popsicle sticks or stirrers
  • Paper towels
• Station 3: DNA to Protein Analogy
  • Air-dry modeling clay (can be purchased on Amazon - linked in download)
  • Optional: keychain kits (can be purchased on Amazon - linked in download)
• Station 4: Karyotyping
  • Printable chromosome sets already included in download.

Please Read Before Purchasing:

• This resource is not editable, in order to comply with copyright guidelines.
• Students should have prior lecture notes on DNA structure and function to complete this activity.
• This resource was created for high school use.
• This activity will take about 60-80 minutes to complete.

Relevant Links:

• Introduction to the Nucleic Acids Lesson Bundle (PPT, Guided Notes, this lab)
• HERE is the link to my Biology labs page
• Biology Unit 1 Biochemistry Complete Resource Bundle
• Check out my Entire Full-Year Biology Curriculum

Terms of Use:

• Sharing: This resource is for personal classroom use by the original purchaser only. Duplication, redistribution, or commercial use without permission is strictly prohibited. For additional licenses, customizations, or permissions, please contact MP Science (owned by Science with Grapes). If you would like to share this resource, please redirect teachers to my TPT store.
• Editing: This resource is not editable. You also may not remove the copyright footer on any of the pages.
• Posting: The materials in this resource are print-only and may not be posted online, including personal classroom websites. If a student is absent, you may email it to them to prevent falling behind, although I suggest giving them the make-up worksheet that came in the download instead. Limiting digital access helps reduce unauthorized uploads to sites like Course Hero and Quizlet. Since this curriculum is on TPT, keeping activities and answer keys secure is a team effort. Thank you for your understanding & cooperation in this digital age J

Reviews

If you and your students enjoyed this resource, I would be so grateful for a review! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviews help other teachers know what to expect and earn you TpT credits toward future purchases. If you have questions or concerns, please email me directly — I’m happy to help until you’re 100% satisfied.

Contact Me

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Use the Q&A tab or email me directly at AshleyLGrapes@gmail.com — I usually respond within the hour!