Bioinformatics

Activity Summary
In this activity, students use sequences from one of the DNA databases to build a phylogeny (evolutionary tree) to understand how biologists use molecular sequences to group organisms. Additionally, students will use the phylogeny they just constructed to explore one practical application of phylogenetic reconstruction.

Grade Levels
9-12

Learning Objectives
1. Search for molecular sequences in an online database
2. Construct a phylogeny using DNA sequences
3. Describe the basic properties of a phylogenetic tree

Lesson Materials (view or download)
PowerPoint
Lesson Plans

Keywords
bioinformatics, GenBank, phylogeny

Last updated: 3/3/2015