
Middle School Program
Our program of genetics laboratory field trips includes a variety of hands-on experiments to introduce elementary and middle school students to genetics and molecular biology. Instructors encourage a student-centered approach linking the process of discovery to learning and guide students through cutting-edge experiences inspired by techniques and tools used by research scientists.
Suggested for Grades 5 & 6:

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5 & 6
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
- plastic bag
- string plastic
- plastic ball (2 parts)
- gelatin
- paper plate
- assorted dried beans
- spaghetti pieces
- plastic cup
- cup of water

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1–2 hours
- Grades 5 & 6
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5 & 6
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
(additional $5 charge per student kit)
- black and white striped foam strips
- wooden dowels painted orange, green, yellow, and blue
- upholstery tacks
- clear vinyl tubing pieces
- popsicle sticks
- tag wire
- tape (masking tape preferred, but any tape will work)
- markers

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5 & 6
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5 & 6
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
(additional $5 charge per student kit)
- student microscope or magnifier
- petri dish with 3 wild type fruit flies
- petri dish with 3 mutant fruit flies
Suggested for Grades 5-8:

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5 and above
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)
- Offered only at DNALC in Cold Spring Harbor

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5 and above
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)
- Offered only at DNALC NYC in Brooklyn

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5, 6, 7, & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
- 2 g wheat germ
- 6 ml soap
- 6 ml ethanol
- empty 1.5 ml tube
- droppers
- plastic loop
- string
- cup of water

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5, 6, 7, & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5, 6, 7, & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 5, 6, 7, & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required), Virtual Live (requires Adobe Flash plug-in on participant computers; not available after 12/31/20)

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”.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 or 2 hours (see options)
- Grades 5, 6, 7, & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
- fingerprinting booklet
- disposable nitrile gloves
- fingerprint identification card
- dusting wand
- magnet powder
- magnifying card, wallet size
- white latex balloons
- fingerprint ink pad
- pen or pencil
- permanent marker
- colored markers (any)
- clear tape
- scissors
- flat, light-colored, nonporous surface (avoid wood, unglazed pottery, or similar material)
- items that can be dusted for prints (i.e. glass, plastic, glazed ceramic, etc.)
Suggested for Grades 6, 7, & 8:

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 6 & 7
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 6 & 7
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
- 5 ml sodium alginate
- 50 ml calcium chloride
- droppers
- lactase pill
- coffee filter
- plastic cups
- glucose testing strips
- ½ cup of milk

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 6 & 7
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
- 2 ml emporase enzyme
- 2 ml pectinase enzyme
- plastic droppers
- cheese cloth
- coffee filters
- plastic cups
- wooden craft sticks
- plastic dishes
- empty 50-ml tube (for measurements)
- applesauce
- permanent marker
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup buttermilk
- large cup of warm water
- kitchen thermometer (suggested, but not required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 or 2 hours
- Grades 6, 7, & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live*, Virtual Demo*
*The kit for this lab (used in Virtual Live and Demonstration Labs) is only available to teachers who are able to pick up the kit at the Dolan DNALC in Cold Spring Harbor, 1-2 days prior to instruction.
- competent mm294 cells in CaCl2
- 10 µL pGFP plasmid
- plastic droppers
- Petri dish with LB/Amp agar
- sterile glass beads
- Cup of hot water
- Cup of ice
- Tape
- Permanent marker
- Kitchen thermometer (not required)
- Black light (not required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 2 hours
- Grades 6, 7, & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
- 9 wooden popsicle sticks
- 2 tag wires
- permanent marker
- colored markers, 5 different colors
- tape
- scissors

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 6 & 7
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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).
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 6 & 7
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Live, Virtual Demo, On-Demand
- yeast packet
- plastic cups
- plastic dishes
- vinegar
- hydrogen peroxide
- permanent marker
- ½ potato (per student), cut into small pieces
OPTIONAL for FOLLOW UP: small samples of various fruits and vegetables such as banana, onion, kale, spinach, radish, carrot, kiwi, cucumber, carrot

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 hour
- Grades 6 & 7
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)
Suggested for Grade 7+:

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”.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 or 2 hours
- Grades 7, 8, & 9
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 or 2 hours
- Grades 7 & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)

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.
Information:
- Lab time: 1 or 2 hours
- Grades 7 & 8
- Available: In-Person, Virtual Demo (no kit required)
The Importance of Field Trips for Middle School Education
Middle schoolers have the distinction of being in a wonderful in-between stage of life. No longer young kids, but not quite teens, they are eager to learn and extremely curious about many subjects. Nothing excites them quite as much as field trips custom-designed to inspire 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade minds.
At the DNALC, we specialize in offering various field trips for the middle school market. From gene therapy and genetics to cell models and pollen analysis, our specially created curricula span the scientific world. Give the preteen middle schoolers in your life the advantages of diving deeper into critical STEM topics.
Why Take Your Middle School Class on a Field Trip to a DNALC?
What kinds of benefits can you expect from a field trip to a DNALC? Here are a few:
- Applied learning: Kids may not understand how what they are learning in the classroom or in a book applies to real-world situations. Field trips provide them with fresh perspectives and a deeper understanding of how everyday professionals utilize science in numerous fields.
- Improved discussions: Middle school youngsters like to share their opinions. However, they might not have the background for robust debates and classroom conversations about science concepts and theories. Going on a middle school field trip can improve their know-how and guide them toward more detailed, healthy dialogue with teachers and peers.
- Access to experts and equipment: Most schools do not have state-of-the-art science equipment capable of helping students analyze cells or explore genetic engineering. A leading science center like DNALC has all the tools necessary to breathe life into the scientific realm. Plus, expert staff members can explain scientific principles and answer questions on the spot.
- Improved cognitive ability: Kids tend to be visual learners, especially in today’s environment where devices and screens are the norm. Being able to read about a concept and apply it boosts memory and deepens personal knowledge. One of the best ways to foster memorization and a broader understanding of any concept is to put it into action.
- Higher student engagement: Although middle schoolers have a reputation for soaking up new information, not all students are engaged in an in-person or virtual classroom environment. Getting them away from the status quo assists in removing the barriers to their success. A well-planned gene therapy, genetic engineering, or cell model lab field trip can revitalize the desire to learn in disengaged young people.
- Career exploration opportunities: The middle school years are a time when kids begin branching out when thinking about what they might want to do professionally. Taking field trips opens their eyes to occupations they might never otherwise consider. Plenty of kids end up falling in love with specific careers after hearing more about them.
Bring Your Middle Schoolers for a Lab-based Field Trip
Are you ready to bring the benefits of a middle school field trip to your students? The DNALC makes it easy to arrange a field trip to our bustling, leading-edge lab. Schedule your upcoming visit today and get ready to deliver a field trip to your middle schoolers that they will always remember.