UNIT PLAN Molecular Genetics

Part I: Anchoring Phenomenon

Unit Plan Science Area:
9th Grade Honors Biology
Disciplinary Core Idea focus of Unit Plan from NGSS:
HS-LS1-1.
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA
determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life
through systems of specialized cells.
HS-LS3-1.
Ask questions to clarify relationships about the role of DNA and chromosomes in
coding the instructions for characteristic traits passed from parents to offspring.
HS-LS3-2
Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations
may result from: (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors
occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental
factors.
Standard Focus of the Unit Plan from Connecticut State Standards:
Genetics
Ribosomes synthesize proteins, using tRNAs to translate genetic information in
the mRNA.
The sequence of amino acids in a protein can be predicted from the sequence of
codons in the RNA, by applying universal genetic coding rules.
Mutations in the DNA sequence of a gene may or may not affect the expression of
the gene or the sequence of amino acids in an encoded protein.
Proteins can differ from one another in the number and sequence of amino acids.
Proteins having different amino acid sequences typically have different shapes
and chemical properties.
Base-pairing rules are used to explain the precise copying of DNA during
semiconservative replication and transcription of information from DNA into
mRNA.
Evolution
New mutations are constantly being generated in a gene pool.

Phenomena:
Staphylococcus aureus is a typically harmless bacteria that is commonly found on
the skin and in the human respiratory tract. Some strains of the bacteria cause
disease and were usually treated with penicillin until the bacteria no longer
responded to the drug. In 1959 methicillin was first allowed to be used to treat S.
aureus in England. Between 1961-1967 hospitals and British studies were
reporting that methicillin was no longer affecting S. aureus and called the bacteria
Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). MRSA is responsible for
several difficult-to-treat infections in humans and now according to the CDC an
estimated 5,500 deaths linked to MRSA that occur each year in the United States.
Crosscutting Concepts:
1. In considering phenomena, it is critical to recognize what is relevant at different
measures of size, time, and energy and to recognize how changes in scale,
proportion, or quantity affect a systems structure or performance.
The cause of resistance can be described genetically, molecularly and
evolutionarily depending on the scale of detail.
2. The way in which an object or living thing is shaped and its substructure
determine many of its properties and functions.
The genetics of MRSA determine the shape of proteins which define the
properties and functions of the protein leading to methicillin resistance.
3. For natural and built systems alike, conditions of stability and determinants of
rates of change or evolution of a system are critical elements of study.
Humans can alter a system by changing the selective pressures leading to
evolution of organisms.
Explanation of phenomena:
1) Methicillin is a drug that doctors would give to patients affected with S. aureus
which would stop the bacteria from cell wall synthesis causing the cells to no
longer divide properly and pass on their genes.
2) Humans changed the selective pressures on S. aureus by consistently using
methicillin to treat infections, leading to a reproductive advantage in resistant
bacteria allowing the surviving bacteria to pass on their genes.
3) DNA inside the resistant bacteria contained a gene called mecA which is
translated to mRNA and transcribed into proteins to stop the active agent in
methicillin.
4) Specifically mecA codes for the protein PBP2A which due to its shape binds with
-lactam (an antibiotic protein in methicillin) stopping -lactam from halting cell
wall synthesis.
5) Strains of S. aureus that contained the mecA gene would be more likely to survive
and pass on the infection to other hosts starting MRSA.

Principles:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

DNA as a molecule
DNA replication
DNA transcription + translation
Protein structure and interactions
Mutations
Artificial Selection

Activities for each Principle:

A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

DNA movie and model making

DNA replication tutorial
DNA transcription + translation class wide demonstration
Protein folding game and demonstration
Central Dogma Mutation activity
TedEd Antibiotic resistance video

Part II: Unit Development

Unit Sequence:
1. Anchoring Phenomena and Initial Model
2. Historical Experiments
3. Double Helix Video
4. DNA Structure
5. Model of DNA
6. DNA Replication tutorial
7. DNA Replication Worksheet
8. Transcription Tutorial
9. Translation Activity
10. Transcription and Translation Demonstration
11. Protein Folding
12. Mutations Demonstration
13. Resistance Laboratory activity
14. Revising Models
15. Presenting Models

1. ANCHORING PHENOMENA AND INITIAL MODEL

Day 1
Resources:
Introduction to AP Power Point
Initiation:
Introduction Questions to elicit discussion:
o What does it mean when you are sick?
o Have the students heard of Staphylococcus aureus?
o How does your body fight infections?
o What can doctors do to help you recover?
Lesson Development:
The teacher will explain the importance of models in science explaining that it is
an ongoing and ever changing process as new concepts are discovered.
Introduce the anchoring phenomenon (AP) and post the question of how (on a
molecular, genetic and evolutionary scale) did MRSA become antibiotic resistant?
The teacher will explain that the class will be attempting to model their AP over
the course of the next few days starting with a list that contains all of the topics
that need to be included on the list.
o Ask for student suggestions, some potential options:
Passage of generations
Proteins
Resistant bacteria vs non resistant bacteria
o Ensure that students know that their initial model must include DNA
Model Making
o Place the students into groups of 3 or 4 to make initial models of the
anchoring phenomenon.
o Their models should incorporate everything listed in the Gotta Have List
and focus on how the anchoring phenomena works.
o Students should also be aware that this model is not going to be perfect
because during the unit they will dive deeper into aspects of the model.
Closure:
Each group shares their models to the class without commentary between the
groups
Before class ends the teacher will create a class wide list of statements that
explains the AP
o Include any competing theories as well, not just what is correct

2. INTRODUCTION OF RESOURCES
History of DNA and DNA Structure
Vocabulary:
DNA (Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid)
Griffith
o S/R Strain of Streptococcus
o Heat-killed
o transformation
Avery, MacLoed, and McCarty
Chargaffs Rule
o Nitrogenous Bases: Adenine (A), Thymine (T), Guanine (G), and Cytosine
(C)
o Purines
o Pyrimidines
Hershey and Chase
o Bacteriophage
Watson and Crick
o Hydrogen bonds
o Phosphate Sugar Backbone
o Anti-parallel
Rosalind Franklin
o X-ray crystallography
Day 2
Resources:
Historical Experiments Guided Notes
Introduction:
Start the class with introduction questions to elicit discussion:
o How do organisms pass on traits to their offspring?
o Should every cell contain the same amount of DNA?
Activity:
Historical Experiments Guided Notes covering:
o Nucleotide structure (5 and 3 sides)
o Discovery of DNA as the genetic material
Griffithss Experiment
Avery-MacLeod-McCarty experiment
Hershey-Chase experiment
Closure:
Ask the students why they think this is important to MRSA allowing the students
to form their own opinions but an example of a good answer would be:
o DNA is the code for life which should code for antibiotic resistance or how to

fight infections
Day 3
Resources:
Summary Table Handout
DNA Research and Structure Summary Handout
Bioware interactive The Double Helix video and transcript
Introduction:
Ask students if we have solved the structure of DNA just yet
What else do we need to know?
o How do we know it is a helix yet? What proof do we have?
Activity:
Watch Bioware interactive The Double Helix video and have the students fill
out the remaining scientists from their guided notes
Go over the answers to the DNA Research and Structure Summary Handout
Closure:
Introduce the Summary Table as the place that the class will summarize what they
learned after each activity and how this relates to the phenomenon and pass out
their summary table
o As a class come to a consensus for what they learned and how it relates to
MRSA from the History of DNA
Day 4
Resources:
DNA Structure and Replication Pogil worksheets
Introduction:
Start of the class with a mini-formative assessment asking the students to write
down 3 words/names related to DNA that they remember from the last few classes
and a sentence explaining what they wrote down.
Afterwards ask students for some of the words they wrote and make a list on the
board reminding them that if they do not know what some of these terms mean
they should write them down and use their book or todays activity to learn them.
Activity:
Distribute the Pogil activity on DNA structure and replication
Ask a student to read the first paragraph entitled Why?
Allow the students to complete the DNA Structure half of the packet (pages 139
and 140)
Closure:
Encourage the student to complete the Pogil activity in class today or finish it for
homework.

Day 5
Resources:
DNA Model Making kit
DNA Model Kit analysis questions
Introduction:
Start the class by reviewing the Pogil activity from last class calling on students to
answer the questions
Activity:
Hand out the DNA model kit and the DNA model kit questions and analysis and
place the students in small groups (based on how many DNA kits are available)
Ask the students to follow the instructions in the kit to produce a ball and stick
model of the DNA molecule
While in groups have students answer questions and analysis
o They may work together but are required to each hand in their own worksheet
Closure:
After clean-up of the materials bring the students back into a discussion of what
they learned over the past few days and fill out the DNA models section on their
summary table

DNA Replication
Vocabulary:
Semiconservative
Helicase
Replication Fork
Single Stranded Binding Proteins (S.S.B.s)
Primase (RNA Polymerase)
DNA Polymerase
RNase H
Ligase
Leading Strand
Lagging Strand
Okazaki Fragment
Day 6
Resources:
DNA history and structure mini-assessment questions
DNA replication tutorial
DNA replication video
Introduction:
Start the class off with a quick formative assessment covering each of the
significant experiments/scientists, Nucleotide structure and base pairing rules
from the last few classes
Next ask the students questions to give context to their learning:
o Where do you find DNA?
o Why does DNA need to replicate?
Activity:
The teacher will inform students that they will next be learning exactly how DNA
is replicated through an online tutorial as a class
o Call on students to answer the questions presented during the activity
During the activity the teacher should stop the tutorial to emphasize knowledge
that was not pictorially stressed:
o The difference between DNA and RNA
o The 5 and 3 directions in the DNA molecule
Closure:
The teacher will show the students a DNA replication video pausing to ask which
proteins are which in the video
Day 7
Resources:

 DNA Structure and Replication Pogil worksheets

Introduction:
Start of the class with a mini-formative assessment asking the students to write
down 3 proteins related to DNA replication and a sentence to explain their
function
Afterwards produce a class wide list of all the proteins they remember from DNA
replication
o Inform students that the Replication specific proteins we will focus on in this
class are:
Helicase
Ligase
RNA Polymerase
DNA Polymerase
Activity:
Return to the Pogil worksheet and have the students complete the DNA
Replication pages (pages 141 and 142)
Closure:
After the majority of students have finished the activity return to the summary
table and fill out the DNA replication boxes
o There should be a focus on the fact that DNA needs to be replicated and
contain resistance genes in order to make more MRSA

Transcription & Translation

Vocabulary:
Transcription
Uracil
Gene
Messenger RNA (mRNA)
Amino Acids
Polypeptide
Codon
Transfer RNA (tRNA)
Anti-codon
mecA
Day 8
Resources:
Transcription online tutorial
Transcription worksheet
Introduction:
Present the class a simple coded message asking them to decode the message:
o Question
46-16-2-40 8-18-8 40-16-10 8-28-2 38-40-36-2-28-8 38-2-50 4030 40-16-10 36-28-2 38-40-36-2-28-8 46-16-10-28 40-16-10-50
28-30-40-18-6-10-8 40-16-10-18-36 6-30-8-18-28-14 46-2-38 8-1812-12-10-36-10-28-40?
What did the DNA strand say to the RNA strand when they noticed their
coding was different?
o Answer
42-36-2-6-18-24---24-50 30-28-10!
Uracil-ly one.
Allow the students at least 2 minutes to attempt to crack the code themselves.
Inform the students that the key is simple if the code was in the correct form, but
first they must transcribe the code into a form that can be solved
Provide the students with the way to write the code into the correct language of
the key (transcribing the code): divide all of the numbers by 2
After some more time to allow the students to try to decipher the key, give them
the key to the code: each number represents the numerical place that letter
belongs in the alphabet.
Activity:
Inform students that this is similar to DNA getting read
o The sequence of nucleotides in DNA is the original string of numbers
o We transcribed the information into a different form like how DNA is

transcribed into RNA

o We then read our new string of numbers (RNA) and used our key to translate
it into words like how RNA is translated at ribosomes to make proteins
As a class work through the transcription online tutorial stopping to draw the
difference between DNA and RNA again
o Call on students to answer the questions presented during the activity
Closure:
Pass out the transcription worksheet encouraging the students to finish it now or
for homework.
Before the ending of the class fill out the Decoding activity on the Summary
Table
Day 9
Resources:
Translation online activity
Protein synthesis online activity
Translation worksheet
Introduction:
Start the class off by reviewing the transcription worksheet from last class to
judge if anything needs to be retaught
Next remind the students that there are 20 amino acid subunits yet only 4
nucleotides in RNA
Ask the students how they think RNA is able to code for all of those different
types of amino acids.
Activity:
Begin with the translation online activity pausing when necessary to provide
better pictorial representation of the codon/anti-codon relationship asking students
to provide the anticodon for an RNA strand
o Call on students to answer the questions presented during the activity
Next move on to the protein synthesis online activity
o Call on students to answer the questions presented during the activity
Closure:
Pass out the translation worksheet encouraging students to work on it now or to
finish it for homework
At the ending of the class fill out the Translation section on the summary table
o Encourage the students to use the proper name of the gene that relates to
MRSA
Day 10
Resources:
Protein Synthesis Chalkboard Questions
Introduction:

Start the class by asking students why they think DNA needs to go through this
decoding process and be moved out of the nucleus
Activity:
The goal of this day is for the students to demonstrate transcription and translation
by becoming RNA codons, tRNA and Amino acids
Show students a DNA sequence (that is called mecA- the gene responsible for
resistance in MRSA) on the board and pass out notecards containing codons of
RNA, anti-codons of tRNA and amino acids. A section of the room should be
denoted as the nucleus and a cytosolic ribosome
o Students who are RNA will find where they line up on the DNA strand
(starting with AUG) and ensure they are in the proper reading frame
o Students who are tRNA and amino acids will find their match using a mRNA
codon table
o Once the RNA students have formed a chain they will leave the nucleus and
move to the ribosome
o tRNA students will begin translation by creating a polypeptide by bringing the
amino acid students through the Ribosome
Closure:
Once the students have formed the proper protein ask them now what?
o What do proteins do?
o Why was the message taken outside the nucleus?
o What would have happened if there was a ribosome in the nucleus?
Hand out the protein synthesis chalkboard questions and encourage students to
finish them now or for homework

Protein Structure
Vocabulary:
Substrate
Active Site
Enzyme
Products
Catabolism
Anabolism
Primary Structure
Secondary Structure
o Alpha Helix
o Beta Sheet
Tertiary Structure
Quaternary Structure
PBP2A
Day 11
Resources:
Protein structure guided notes
Fold it: Protein folding game
Introduction:
Start the class by asking the students what they think proteins do and how do they
perform their functions.
Activity:
Protein structure guided notes covering:
o Each level of organization in protein structure
o Protein shape determines function
o PBP2A protein produced in MRSA from the mecA gene
Show the students the Fold it: Protein folding game to show how proteins make
the shapes they have
Closure:
Return to the Gotta Have List from Day 1 and as a class refine the list based off
of what they now know in the second Gotta Have List
At the ending of the class fill out the Protein Folding sections on the summary
table
o Encourage the students to try to use the correct names of proteins when
relating this back to MRSA

Mutations
Vocabulary:
Point mutation
Insertion
Deletion
Missense mutation
Nonsense mutation
Silent mutation
Day 12
Resources:
Table of Mutation Types
Introduction:
Discuss with the students what we know so far talking about DNA to RNA to
Protein
o Ensure to relate this back to MRSA
Activity:
Tell the students we are going to play a new version of telephone where I will
give instructions to one student who will then tell the next student and so on.
Once the instructions reach the final student they will have to write down the
instructions and act out whatever the instructions asked for them to do.
Split the students into two groups and have each group form a circle and tell one
student from each group two different instructions:
o Stand up, touch your nose with your right hand and stand on one foot
o Go to the board and draw a circle with a square underneath it and a triangle on
top
Once each student has acted out their mutated instruction show the class the
original message and compare the two
As a class fill out the Table of Mutation Types
Activity
Molecular Genetics
The passing of message from student to
The passing of DNA from parent to offspring
student
Any time the message was changed it
Mutations occur when the DNA is replicated
occurred when it was replicated
or repaired
What the student performed at the end of The function of the protein that was coded for
the telephone game
in that message
Any time a single word was changed
A point mutation in DNA
Any time a single word was lost
A deletion mutation in DNA
Any time a single word was added
An insertion mutation in DNA
Any time a single word was changed to
A missense mutation in DNA
have a different meaning
Any time a single word was changed but A silent mutation in DNA

the meaning stayed the same

Closure:
Ask students if they can think of any type of simple mutations that could lead to
catastrophic changes in the protein created while showing them a codon chart
o Use this as a chance to teach a nonsense mutation when a codon is changed
into a stop codon
At the end of the class fill out the Mutations Activity section on the Summary
Table

Resistance
Vocabulary:
Resistant strain
Antibiotic
Adaptation
Selective Pressure
Day 13
Resources:
The Evolution of Super Bugs Laboratory Activity
Introduction:
As a class diagram on the board what they now know
o This should include DNA, DNA replication, DNA translation, RNA
transcription, protein structures and mutation
o Ask the students how does evolution play into all of this?
Activity:
Have the students group up into groups of 2 or 3 and have them complete the
Evolution of Super Bugs laboratory
Closure:
Once they have completed the lab students will work on the analysis questions

3. SUBSEQUENT MODELING
Revising and Presenting Models
Day 14
Resources:
TedEd Antibiotic Resistance
Introduction:
Open the class with the TedEd Antibiotic Resistance video
After the video ask the class if there were any key words that might help us better
explain MRSA
o If needed point out -lactams role as an antibiotic
Activity:
Return to the AP showing the students exactly what we are trying to model
Revisit the Gotta Have List and add or remove items based off of what we
know now into the third Gotta Have List
Finish the summary table
Return the students into the same groups from Day 1 and re-make their initial
models based off of what they have learned
Day 15
Introduction:
Place the students into their model making groups and have them look over their
models and make any last minute changes
Activity:
Each model making group will have 5 minutes to talk about their model
o The should focus on explaining the answering phenomena
Closure:
With the remainder of the class create a consensus model that explains how this
specific bacteria became antibiotic resistant
o This should be similar to the explanation of the phenomena earlier in the
document