Middle School Program

Baggie Cell Model

Students will explore the structure and function of cells - the building blocks of life. Using a simple factory analogy, they will discover how the major parts of a cell work together to make a product. Each student will build a 3-D cell model to help visualize the abstract world of the microscopic cell. 

Students will:

• discover that in nature “form fits function”;
• understand that there is order to a living thing, and that cells give rise to tissues, tissues to organs, and organs to organ systems;
• identify organelles and other cellular structures by their scientific names;
• learn how organelles and other structures work together in a cell; and
• build a macroscopic model of an animal cell.

Diversity of Life

Examine the five kingdoms of life through a microscope! Slides of animal, plant, fungi, protist, and bacteria cells are magnified up to 400x in a compound microscope as part of an exploration of biodiversity and classification.

Students will:

• view cells from all five kingdoms magnified through a compound microscope;
• record microscope observations;
• compare and contrast cell types; and
• learn how to prepare a wet mount slide with cheek cells and use a compound microscope.

DNA Models

Understanding the structure of DNA helps to explain its function.  In this lab, students are introduced to the composition of DNA building blocks called nucleotides. They will discover how the subunits of the nucleotides - nitrogenous bases, phosphate groups and deoxyribose sugars—fit together to form the double helix. The lab concludes with the construction of 3-D models that show the famous structure.

Students will:

• discuss the role of DNA in living things; 
• explore the structure and function of the DNA molecule; 
• learn about the base pairs of DNA and the importance of sequence; and
• construct a model of DNA.

Mendelian Inheritance

Gregor Mendel is known as the “Father of Genetics.” His proposed principles of heredity—based on his own observations of heredity in garden plants—formed the basis of our understanding of classical genetics.  In this lab, kernel color in corn is used to illustrate some of Mendel’s laws of inheritance.

Students will:

• collect data from corn crosses to show patterns of heredity;
• use Punnett squares to predict possible outcomes from genetic crosses; and
• learn how Mendel’s laws can be applied today.

Observing Mutant Organisms

Mutations are changes in DNA that can sometimes lead to variation in traits. Through a comparison of wild-type and mutant strains of Drosophila fruit flies—a common model organism in genetic research—students will observe how mutations in DNA can affect the traits of a living thing and draw conclusions about the role that mutations play in natural selection, evolution, and genetic disease.

Students will:

• observe fruit fly traits using a stereo microscope or pocket magnifier;
• describe and record traits of different fruit flies;
• draw conclusions about the fitness of flies with different trait variations; and
• discuss the role of mutations in species survival and evolution.

Our Human Inheritance, featuring Ötzi the Iceman

Museum Tour, DNALC in Cold Spring Harbor

In the fall of 1991, two hikers in the Ötztal Alps came upon the mummified remains of a 5,300-year-old man. Now preserved in a climate-controlled freezer at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Ötzi's body and accompanying artifacts provide a window into life in Europe during the Copper Age. The DNALC worked with the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology to make a 3D replica of the Ötzi the Iceman mummy that is now installed in the exhibit at the DNALC in Cold Spring Harbor.

Students will:

• take a tour of the exhibit;
• learn about Ötzi’s microbiome, medical and genetic history, and untimely death;
• see the world’s first reconstruction of a complete Neanderthal skeleton; and
• explore what we know about the history of our species using fossil and DNA evidence.

What DNA Says about Our Past and Future, featuring Ötzi the Iceman

Museum Tour, DNALC NYC at City Tech

In the fall of 1991, two hikers in the Ötztal Alps came upon the mummified remains of a 5,300-year-old man. Now preserved in a climate-controlled freezer at the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology, Ötzi's body and accompanying artifacts provide a window into life in Europe during the Copper Age. The DNALC worked with the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology to make a 3D replica of the Ötzi the Iceman mummy now installed in the exhibit at the DNALC NYC in Brooklyn. At around the same time, from 1985-2016, scientists from the Leon Levy Expedition uncovered 2900-year-old graveyards in Ashkelon, Israel where ancient DNA has revealed evidence of human migration, and gene mixing in the middle east. See some of the artifacts found on this expedition, along with a life-size reproduction of one of the burials.  

Students will:

• take a tour of the exhibit;
• learn about Ötzi’s microbiome, medical and genetic history, and untimely death;
• see a life-size reproduction of a 2900-year-old Philistine burial; and
• explore how ancient DNA and artifacts from Ashkelon, Israel show that there was not only sharing of technology in the Bronze age, but also gene mixing among ancient populations.

DNA Extraction from Wheat Germ

DNA is a molecule inside the cells of all living things, including things we eat! In this lab students will follow a simple procedure to extract DNA from wheat germ.  Upon completion, they will have a visible DNA sample that can be collected and preserved.

Students will:

• review the structure of plant cells;
• follow a simple lab procedure;
• explain how DNA can be visible without a microscope; and
• collect DNA and make a keepsake necklace.

Pollen Tells a Story

Discovered in the Italian Alps in 1991, the 5,300-year-old mummy nicknamed Ötzi the Iceman has become an important source of information about the Neolithic. Still, there are many unanswered questions about his life and death. Discover how pollen in Ötzi’s digestive system was used as a forensic tool to track where he may have been in the final 36 hours before his untimely demise.

Students will:

• learn how to use a compound microscope;
• explore how pollen can be used to track an individual’s location;
• view and identify pollen types found in Ötzi’s body; and
• use pollen observations to estimate Ötzi’s movement in the days before he died.

Ötzi FURensics

Learn how forensic scientists analyze materials to understand ancient life and then use these techniques to examine Ötzi the Iceman’s clothes and gear. Using microscopes to analyze fabric, hair, and fur from different animals, identify which materials the Iceman sourced for his Neolithic wardrobe and toolkit.

Students will:

• learn how to use compound microscopes;
• view and identify hair types found on some of Ötzi’s clothes and gear; and
• interpret class data to draw conclusions about the origin of Ötzi’s clothing.

The Mystery of Anastasia (computer lab)

During the Russian Revolution of 1917 the last royal family of Russia—the Romanovs—went missing. It was determined that that the family was likely murdered, yet in 1920 a mysterious woman resurfaced in Germany and claimed to be the missing Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov.  Learn about this very interesting time in Russian history and use computers to see how modern science was used to solve the mystery of Anastasia!

Students will:

• learn the story of the Romanovs and their disappearance in 1917;
• collect and interpret forensic evidence;
• perform DNA comparisons to identify important people; and
• use evidence to support a claim and solve the mystery.

Forensic Fingerprint Analysis

In the late 1800’s, anthropologist Francis Galton established that the microscopic ridges and valleys on the pads of our fingers make uniquely identifiable patterns. In the early 1900’s, scientists and criminologists began to realize that fingerprints could be used in criminal investigation, linking evidence to suspects.  In these labs, learn more about fingerprint collection, differentiation and analysis.

Option 1: Loops, Whorls, and Arches (1 hour)

Students will:

• learn about the history of fingerprint analysis in forensics;
• explore the general classifications of different patent (visible) prints;
• analyze their own fingerprint minutiae.

Option 2: Dusting Away Crime (2 hours)

Students will:

• learn about the history of fingerprint analysis in forensics;
• explore the general classifications of different patent (visible) prints;
• analyze their own fingerprint minutiae;
• lift and analyze fingerprints from surfaces; and
• apply their fingerprint analysis skills to solve a “mystery”.

Bacteria and Antibiotics

In this lab, two different strains of bacteria are treated with two different antibiotics. After a day of growth, the presence or absence of growth inhibition zones indicates the effect of each antibiotic and helps to determine if any of the bacterial strains are antibiotic resistant.

Students will:

• learn to culture bacteria in Petri dishes and perform antibiotic sensitivity tests;
• observe the effect of antibiotics on different bacterial strains; and
• discuss how antibiotics work and how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.

Better Milk for Cats

In this laboratory students will learn the interesting combination of genetics and culture that led to lactase persistence - the ability to digest lactose in milk - in humans. Next, they will build a “bioreactor” where the enzyme lactase can be used to remove lactose from milk, as is done in industry to produce some lactose free products.

Students will:

• create enzyme "beads" using sodium alginate and use them in a "bioreactor";
• observe the enzyme substrate reaction of lactase and lactose;
• understand the genetics behind lactase production and lactose intolerance; and
• test for the product of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction to demonstrate enzyme efficiency.

Enzymatic Food Production

Using the enzymes emporase and pectinase, students will make cheese and juice, and observe how enzymes can be used in the food production industry. The concepts of enzymes as catalysts and enzyme-substrate specificity are demonstrated in these two simple activities.

Students will:

• use enzymes to make two common foods;
• observe enzymes acting as catalysts of chemical reactions;
• discuss the relationship between structure and function of enzymes and their substrates; and
• discover factors that can affect enzyme function.

Glowing Genes*

This experiment illustrates the direct link between an organism's genetic complement (genotype) and its observable characteristics (phenotype). Two genes, for antibiotic resistance and luminescence, are introduced into the bacterium E. coli. Following overnight incubation, transformed bacteria are compared to non-transformed bacteria for their ability to grow in the presence of ampicillin and glow when exposed to ultraviolet light.

Students will:

• observe the effect of antibiotics on bacteria;
• learn how plasmids are used to introduce new genes into bacterial cells;
• understand how bacteria can be used to make human proteins such as insulin; and
• discuss how GFP can be used as a molecular reporter in research.

RNA Transcription

Genes are like recipes that tell cells how to make proteins, and proteins give us traits! In this lab students will explore the processes of RNA transcription and translation, two important steps used by cells in the protein production pathway. They will then build a 2-D model that shows both steps.

Students will:

• discover the differences between DNA and RNA;
• visualize how coded information in RNA is translated by ribosomes to make proteins;
• make connections between specific proteins and traits; and
• build a model that shows both RNA transcription and translation.

Bubbling Liver

By placing small pieces of liver into a cup of hydrogen peroxide, chemical activity of the enzyme catalase is visible as it splits hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Draw conclusions about enzymes and the chemical reactions that they catalyze upon observation and implementation of variables.

Students will:

• observe the chemical reaction of catalase and hydrogen peroxide;
• explore factors that affect the function of enzymes; and
• demonstrate the structure and function relationship between enzyme and substrate.

Bubbling Potatoes

By placing small pieces of potato into a cup of hydrogen peroxide, students will see the enzyme catalase chemically change hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Upon observation and implementation of variables, several conclusions can be drawn about enzymes and the chemical reactions that they catalyze. 

OPTIONAL for FOLLOW UP: small samples of various fruits and vegetables such as banana, onion, kale, spinach, radish, carrot, kiwi, cucumber, carrot

Students will:

• observe the chemical reaction of catalase and hydrogen peroxide;
• explore factors that affect the function of enzymes;
• demonstrate the structure and function relationship between enzyme and substrate; and
• test household foods for the presence of catalase (optional).

Viral Infection

Bacteriophage are viruses that use bacteria as a host to reproduce. In this lab, a harmless strain of bacteria is infected with the T4 bacteriophage. After a day of growth in a Petri dish, small plaques indicate where infected bacterial cells have died.

Students will:

• learn how bacteriophage use host bacterial cells to reproduce;
• infect bacterial cells with a bacteriophage virus;
• culture bacteria in Petri dishes; and
• observe infection and spread of virus among cultured cells.

DNA Fingerprint

Human DNA is more alike than different, so how do we find the differences? Restriction enzymes are proteins that recognize specific DNA sequences and can be used to determine whether a particular DNA sequence is present. In this lab, DNA from “evidence” and “suspects” will be compared using restriction enzyme digest and agarose gel electrophoresis. DNA analysis will then be combined with crime scene data to draw conclusions about each suspect.

Students will:

• learn about restriction enzymes;
• observe how agarose gel electrophoresis is used to produce a DNA fingerprint;
• compare DNA fingerprints from “evidence” and “suspects”; and
• determine who left their DNA at a “crime scene”.

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is an experimental technique that can be used to treat or prevent genetic disease. In this lab, a mutant strain of E.coli is genetically engineered with a missing gene so it can survive in a Petri dish with a selective food source. After overnight growth, a color change indicates the bacteria have been transformed and the “therapy” was a success.

Students will:

• Perform a bacterial transformation;
• Culture bacteria in Petri dishes;
• Learn about enzyme mediated digestion of lactose; and
• Discuss medical applications of genetic engineering.

Protein Purification

In this lab, green fluorescent protein (GFP) is isolated from genetically engineered bacterial cells. Using a technique called hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC), GFP is separated from cellular proteins through binding with a hydrophobic resin. Upon completion of the lab, tubes of purified GFP fluoresce bright green when exposed to UV light.

Students will:

• learn how GFP is used as a molecular reporter in research;
• lyse engineered bacterial cells to release GFP and cellular proteins;
• use chromatography to separate GFP from other cellular proteins; and
• discuss how bacterial cells can be used to produce human proteins.