Ticks and Lyme Disease

Activity Summary

Students will go through a computer-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by a gel-electrophoresis computer simulation.  Students will load practice gels in order to gain micropipetting skills.  Students will view the results of a gel electrophoresis DNA from DNA they extracted in a previous lab (Tick DNA Extraction), or an example photo of a gel will work (example is included in the PowerPoint). Students will determine which DNA bands were genetically similar based on the gel photo.

Grade Levels
9-12

Learning Objectives
1. List the steps of PCR along with their significance
2. Load gels correctly
3. Draw conclusions based on DNA bands as to which DNA bands were genetically similar

Lesson Materials (view or download)
PowerPoint
Lesson Plans
Teacher prep video: Micropipetting
Teacher prep video: Preparing DNA samples
Teacher prep video: Pouring a DNA gel
Teacher prep video: Running a DNA gel

Keywords
Deoxyribonucleic acid, gel electrophoresis

Last updated: 6/19/2015