DNA and protein modeling
Safety gate · before any work
- This is a paper/physical modeling activity; standard classroom safety applies.
- If using plastic model kit pieces, do not put small pieces in your mouth and store all pieces in their labeled bag at the end of class.
- Handle scissors with care; pass them closed, handle-first.
Do now
Model transcription and translation following an SOP and introduce a mutation to observe its effect.
- Hand in
- Lab notebook entry: original DNA template strand, mRNA transcription, original amino acid sequence (with codon chart citations), mutated sequence after the point mutation, mutation type classification with justification, and one model limitation.
- Where
- Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not.
You get two school days for every day you were absent, so this deadline moves with you.
When you transcribe and translate a real DNA strand by the SOP and then change one base, what happens to the amino acid sequence, and why?
Model and following an SOP and introduce a to observe its effect.
- • I can model and accurately.
- • I can show how a alters a .
- An mRNA codon reads three bases. How many amino acids does one codon specify?
- What RNA with the DNA base A during ?
- 1Read the modeling SOP and set up a DNA template strand.
- 2Transcribe the template into mRNA, recording each base pair.
- 3Translate the mRNA into an amino acid sequence using a codon chart.
- 4Introduce a point and re-translate to compare the .
- 5Record one limitation of the model and one source of error.
What did this day actually feel like?
DNA and protein modeling
LAB We modeled transcription and translation with physical pieces, then introduced a point mutation and tracked what happened downstream.
Mine changed one base and the amino acid did not change at all, which I thought meant I had done it wrong. I had not. The genetic code is redundant, so several codons can code for the same amino acid, and some mutations are silent. Finding that out by accident, from my own model, is far better than being told it.
The person next to me changed one base and got a stop codon, which ends the protein early. Same size change, completely different consequence. We compared and it made the point better than the lesson would have alone.
Turned in: notebook entry with both sequences → Lab Reports folder
Fiction. There is no such student. The lessons, labs and dates are the real planned course; the student, the classmates and the conversations are invented.
The same day, drawn.
I changed one base and the amino acid did not change at all. I thought I had done it wrong. The genetic code is redundant. Some mutations are silent.
Fiction. There is no such student. The lessons, labs and dates are the real planned course; the student, the classmates and the conversations are invented.
🛠 Get unstuck · pick your level
Lab day: Tier 1 is the whole class at the bench. No extension today.
🔑 Today's words · 5
Tap a word in the lesson for a plain meaning and one example. Recycled into next week's Do-Now.
Do the work · 80-minute blockfirst 5 min = hook▸
💡 Big idea: Modeling and by hand makes each base pairing visible, so you can pinpoint exactly where one changed base rewrites the .
- 0:00Quick review of Tuesday's pre-lab: confirm template sequences; check codon chart is accessible
- 0:10: write the mRNA sequence complementary to the template; verify against a partner before proceeding
- 0:22: use the codon chart to identify each amino acid; write the full original amino acid sequence
- 0:38: change one specified base in the DNA template; re-transcribe and re-translate; record the new amino acid sequence
- 0:56Classify the type (silent, , or ) and record in the notebook with justification
- 1:05Record one model limitation and one source of error; preview Thursday analysis
- • Today you are going to physically model the central dogma. You will use your pre-lab sequence, transcribe it to mRNA base by base, translate it to an amino acid sequence codon by codon, and then change one base and see what happens.
- • The codon chart is your decoder ring. Every three bases in the mRNA corresponds to exactly one amino acid, with two exceptions: start (AUG) and stop (UAA/UAG/UGA). Know those before you start.
- • The is the heart of today's lab. You are going to discover for yourself whether a single base change is catastrophic, minor, or completely silent. The type of mutation determines the answer.
- • Read the SOP before you begin. Record every base pair as you write it. Do not skip steps and fill them in later, because errors compound quickly in a sequence model.
- • In , the template strand is read 3' to 5' and the mRNA is synthesized 5' to 3'; each DNA with its RNA complement (A with U, T with A, G with C, C with G).
- • In , each mRNA codon (triplet of bases) specifies one amino acid using the codon chart; a stop codon (UAA, UAG, UGA) terminates the chain.
- • A silent changes the DNA but produces the same amino acid (due to codon degeneracy); a mutation changes one amino acid; a mutation introduces a premature stop codon.
Unit 2.2 Decoding a Diagnosis: DNA, chromosomes, genes, proteins, protein synthesis, mutation, inheritance. · DNA and modeling
Day 3 of this lesson. Open this exact section in myPLTW (find it in Clever, Microsoft sign-in), then do the work below.
Do this: In myPLTW, open the Lesson 2.2 Decoding a Diagnosis lab activity and record your original and mutated amino acid sequences.
Mark the Lesson 2.2 lab activity started in myPLTW and record your sequences.
You prepared your plan Tuesday. By the end of today both the original and mutated sequences should be complete in your notebook.
Notebook page showing original DNA template, mRNA, original amino acid sequence, mutated sequence, and type classification.
The official PLTW activity stays inside myPLTW. If myPLTW will not open, use F1 and E1-E3 on this page to complete today's local evidence decision, then make up the official activity when access returns. Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not.
Check things off as you work, then submit. This tells Mr. Mendoza how you're doing so he can help the class. It does not replace turning in your producible through the submission route shown below.
Use the code Mr. Mendoza gave you, not your name. Saved on this device.
Unit 2.2 Decoding a Diagnosis: DNA, chromosomes, genes, proteins, protein synthesis, mutation, inheritance. · DNA and protein modeling
In myPLTW, open the Lesson 2.2 Decoding a Diagnosis lab activity and record your original and mutated amino acid sequences.
You prepared your plan Tuesday. By the end of today both the original and mutated sequences should be complete in your notebook.
This is how Mr. Mendoza sees the class keeping pace with PLTW. Be honest, it only helps if it is accurate.
🎯 Model and following an SOP and introduce a to observe its effect.
- Read the modeling SOP and set up a DNA template strand.
- Transcribe the template into mRNA, recording each base pair.
- Translate the mRNA into an amino acid sequence using a codon chart.
- Introduce a point and re-translate to compare the .
- Record one limitation of the model and one source of error.
Lab report: Lab notebook entry: original DNA template strand, mRNA , original amino acid sequence (with codon chart citations), mutated sequence after the point , mutation type classification with justification, and one model limitation.
Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not. Use the checklist just below and upload by 11:29 PM for full credit. Absent with an excused absence? You get two school days for every day you were absent, so this deadline moves with you.
| Task | Who |
|---|---|
| Read the modeling SOP and set up a DNA template strand. | _______ |
| Transcribe the template into mRNA, recording each base pair. | _______ |
| Translate the mRNA into an amino acid sequence using a codon chart. | _______ |
| Introduce a point and re-translate to compare the . | _______ |
| Record one limitation of the model and one source of error. | _______ |
Working solo? Put your own name in "Who" for every row.
- I can model and accurately.
- I can show how a alters a .
- 1Do thisModel transcription and translation following an SOP and introduce a mutation to observe its effect.
- 2Use this resource
- 3Submit thisLab report: Lab notebook entry: original DNA template strand, mRNA transcription, original amino acid sequence (with codon chart citations), mutated sequence after the point mutation, mutation type classification with justification, and one model limitation.
- 4Submit it here
- 1Open the drop folder.
- 2Sign in with your district Microsoft account, not a personal one.
- 3Upload the file, named Lastname_Firstname__Assignment Title.
- 4Your own upload panel says Uploaded with a green check: that is your receipt.
Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not. Principles of Biomedical Technology (Principles of Biomedical Science) › Unit 2.2 Decoding a Diagnosis: DNA, chromosomes, genes, proteins, protein synthesis, mutation, inheritance. › Lab reportOpen the drop folder
Learn it · deck, reading, and vocabulary▸
The deck carries the prior idea forward, lets you inspect an analogy, maps the rule to biology, and ends with the same evidence decision and exit ticket used on this page.
Generated from this lesson's canonical data with a red-team citation check.
A genetic result is partly shared with relatives, so deciding who may see it is an ethical problem that ordinary private lab tests never create.
Modeling and by hand makes each base pairing visible, so you can pinpoint exactly where one changed base rewrites the .
A library keeps a master plan protected while working copies guide production at different stations.
- Why protect the master copy?
- What information moves?
- Where can an error change the final product?
Stored information can be copied, read, and converted into a functional product.
Genes are regulated biological sequences, not conscious instructions, and one gene rarely determines a whole trait alone.
- • Master plan maps to DNA.
- • Working copy maps to RNA.
- • Production output maps to or a regulated cell function.
Driving question: When you transcribe and translate a real DNA strand by the SOP and then change one base, what happens to the amino acid sequence, and why?
What you already know: A genetic result is partly shared with relatives, so deciding who may see it is an ethical problem that ordinary private lab tests never create.
New idea: Modeling and by hand makes each base pairing visible, so you can pinpoint exactly where one changed base rewrites the .
Visual or model: F1. F1. A lesson illustration or teaching diagram for DNA and protein modeling. Use it with E1-E3; it is a model or context image, not experimental or patient data. What to notice: Trace the labeled observation or evidence sequence before choosing an explanation.
- Observe or measure the relevant feature in DNA and modeling.
- Organize the observation with a stable evidence ID.
- Apply this rule: Stored information can be copied, read, and converted into a functional product.
- Choose the option the evidence supports and state the limit of the conclusion.
Real biomedical example: When you transcribe and translate a real DNA strand by the SOP and then change one base, what happens to the amino acid sequence, and why?
What the evidence supports: E1-E3 and F1 support the daily take-home when the response meets the stated success criteria.
What it cannot prove: The package does not support claims beyond this lesson's or any real patient diagnosis.
- • DNA: The molecule that stores genetic instructions in a twisted double helix, with paired bases that spell out the code for building an organism.
- • : A tightly coiled package of DNA wrapped around proteins that carries genes; humans normally have 46 of them, arranged in 23 pairs.
- • gene: A stretch of DNA that codes for a product (usually a ) and carries an instruction for the cell.
- • : One of the alternative versions of a gene found at the same spot on a , like the blue or brown options for eye color.
- • : A folded chain of amino acids that a gene's instructions are used to build, serving as the cell's machines and structural building blocks.
- • : The first step of making a : copying a DNA gene into messenger RNA.
- • : The second step of making a : the ribosome reads the mRNA and builds a chain of amino acids.
- • : A change in the ; some change a enough to cause disease, many do not.
Use it now: Choose one decision option. Cite E1 and E3, then explain how the rule connects the evidence to your choice.
Go further, optional: The source links below are optional enrichment. Every fact required for today's local evidence decision appears in this lesson package.
In , the template strand is read 3' to 5' and the mRNA is synthesized 5' to 3'; each DNA with its RNA complement (A with U, T with A, G with C, C with G).
Limit: E1 supplies context or an observation; it does not by itself establish the explanation.
Modeling and by hand makes each base pairing visible, so you can pinpoint exactly where one changed base rewrites the .
Limit: E2 is a teaching statement or comparison and must be checked against the task evidence.
I can model and accurately.
Limit: E3 supports only the result or product criterion named here; it cannot justify a broader clinical or causal claim.
PLTW-PBT-2026-10-21 · Simulated classroom evidence scenario
Your role: biomedical investigator
Decision: Your team must decide what the evidence from DNA and modeling supports before submitting the lab report named on the lesson page.
- • Keep the current design.
- • Revise the feature that misses a criterion.
- • Run one more fair test before choosing.
Response: State one choice, cite at least two evidence IDs, explain the rule that connects them, and add one limitation. Submit it as the lab report.
Claim ceiling: The supplied lesson evidence can support an observation, pattern, classroom mechanism, or next-step decision about DNA and modeling. It cannot by itself prove causation, establish a real clinical diagnosis, or justify action outside this classroom task.
Reason for review: Your team must decide what the evidence from DNA and modeling supports before submitting the lab report named on the lesson page.
Context: Building and with physical pieces makes the abstract central dogma concrete, so you can see the precise point where a single base change disrupts the .
- • T1: Read the modeling SOP and set up a DNA template strand.
- • T2: Transcribe the template into mRNA, recording each base pair.
- • T3: Translate the mRNA into an amino acid sequence using a codon chart.
- • T4: Introduce a point and re-translate to compare the .
- • T5: Record one limitation of the model and one source of error.
- • E1: In , the template strand is read 3' to 5' and the mRNA is synthesized 5' to 3'; each DNA with its RNA complement (A with U, T with A, G with C, C with G).
- • E2: Modeling and by hand makes each base pairing visible, so you can pinpoint exactly where one changed base rewrites the .
- • E3: I can model and accurately.
Measurements: No patient measurement is supplied unless it appears explicitly in E1-E3 or F1. Do not invent a value.
Figure finding: Teaching diagram for DNA and modeling. Trace the labeled observation or evidence sequence before choosing an explanation. This is a teaching model, not patient or experimental data.
Uncertainty: This is a composite classroom scenario. Missing history, measurements, or confirmation tests remain unknown and limit the conclusion.
- • The solution must address the stated need in DNA and modeling.
- • The decision must be supported by E1-E3.
- • The final product must make the success criteria visible.
- • Complete the work inside the 80-minute block.
- • Use only supplied or teacher-approved materials and evidence.
- • Do not trade , accessibility, or privacy for speed.
- • and evidence quality: must pass before scoring other criteria.
- • User need and effectiveness: highest scored criterion.
- • Time, cost, and ease of use: compare only after and effectiveness pass.
Test evidence: For each option, record the E1-E3 result that supports or fails each criterion. Do not assign a score without a named observation.
- Version or option tested
- Criterion met or missed
- Evidence ID and result
- Revision made
- Reason for the revision
- Need and user
- Criteria and constraints
- Chosen option and evidence
- Test result
- Revision and reason
Students often think Students often think mRNA is identical to the DNA template it was copied from, just with the same letters.. The trap: The trap is forgetting the base-pairing rules and the U-for-T swap. mRNA is complementary to the template, not a copy, and RNA uses uracil, so A on DNA gives U on mRNA. Get this wrong and every codon is wrong.
Lab notebook entry (Patient A gene model):
- Original DNA template (3'-5'): T A C A C C G A G
- mRNA (5'-3'): A U G U G G C U C
- Original amino acids (codon chart): Met (AUG, start) - Trp (UGG) - Leu (CUC)
- Point mutation introduced: DNA template ACC changed to ACA, so mRNA UGG becomes UGU
- Mutated amino acids: Met - Cys (UGU) - Leu
- Mutation type: missense. Justification: one base changed, which changed one codon, which changed one amino acid (Trp to Cys) without making a stop codon.
- Limitation: the model shows the amino acid sequence but cannot show how the protein folds in 3D, so it cannot prove how much function is lost.
| Version | mRNA codons | Amino acids |
|---|---|---|
| Original | AUG UGG CUC | Met Trp Leu |
| Mutated | AUG UGU CUC | Met Cys Leu |
| Change | UGG to UGU | Trp to Cys (missense) |
This model shows the level of evidence and organization needed to complete: A lab notebook entry showing the original DNA template, the mRNA, the original amino acid sequence with codon-chart citations, the mutated sequence, the mutation type with justification, and one model limitation.
- State the question and method.
- Present the observations and data with units.
- Explain the result, limitations, and next investigation.
Keep the structure. Replace the question, facts, measurements, and evidence. Then recheck units, vocabulary, and whether the conclusion goes beyond the evidence.
Also due today: Photograph the notebook entry and upload to the tracker before leaving class.
- CER:
- Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: make a claim, back it with evidence, explain your reasoning.
- SOP:
- Standard Operating Procedure, the exact steps to follow (especially in a lab).
- Tracker:
- Your PLTW progress log where you record completed evidence.
- myPLTW:
- The PLTW course site where you do the online activities. Find it in Clever with your Microsoft sign-in, right next to Schoology.
Tap the speaker to hear a term. Add two of these to your notebook glossary with a definition and an example in your own words.
Pick just 2 or 3 words from today and make them yours: write what each one means in your own words, name the context clue or evidence that helped, then give one example from what you actually did in DNA and protein modeling. Try your own words first; the glossary is there if you get stuck. This is voluntary and counts as extra credit, so keep it short.
Saved on this device. Show Mr. Mendoza or add these to your notebook glossary to claim the extra credit.
Hand-picked readings and interactives for this lesson, from authoritative open organizations and PLTW's own public course outline.
Check yourself · commit, then reveal▸
Claim ceiling for this check: The supplied lesson evidence can support an observation, pattern, classroom mechanism, or next-step decision about DNA and modeling. It cannot by itself prove causation, establish a real clinical diagnosis, or justify action outside this classroom task.
A DNA template strand reads 3'-TAC-5'. Transcribe it to an mRNA codon, then use a codon chart to name the amino acid. (TAC template gives the AUG start codon.)
Write an answer and pick a confidence to unlock the key.
Fast retrieval with instant answers, not the commit-then-reveal check above. Try each from memory first: write what you remember about the earlier units, then check yourself here.
Go further and get help▸
I can name the procedure's purpose and the evidence I will record. I can identify each named hazard and the control that reduces it: This is a paper/physical modeling activity; standard classroom safety applies. My data table is ready before materials are handled.
Finish the checklist before you handle any material.
- • This is a paper/physical modeling activity; standard classroom safety applies.
- • If using plastic model kit pieces, do not put small pieces in your mouth and store all pieces in their labeled bag at the end of class.
- • Handle scissors with care; pass them closed, handle-first.
- • Return all model materials to the designated storage location at the end of class so they are available for subsequent periods.
- 1Before materials are handled, identify the purpose, variables or comparison, controls, measurement units, and stop-work condition.
- 2Read the modeling SOP and set up a DNA template strand.
- 3Transcribe the template into mRNA, recording each base pair.
- 4Translate the mRNA into an amino acid sequence using a codon chart.
- 5Introduce a point mutation and re-translate to compare the protein.
- 6Record one limitation of the model and one source of error.
- 7Record each result in the prepared table before interpreting it. Mark missing, repeated, or invalid results truthfully.
- 8Complete the named cleanup and waste route, remove PPE safely, wash hands when required, and confirm the station is ready for the next group.
| Trial or sample ID | Independent condition | Measured result with units | Observation before interpretation | Quality-control note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Before the procedure, predict the result and cite the rule behind the prediction.
After the procedure, compare the result with the prediction and name one limitation or source of uncertainty.
What today's skills lead to. These are real health-science careers this course builds toward. Tap one to see, on the US Department of Labor's O*NET site, what the job actually involves, what it pays, and how fast it is growing.
Use the virtual DNA/ builder to transcribe and translate a gene, then introduce a point and record the changed protein with one stated limitation.
learn.genetics Genetics BasicsThen submit your Lab report. Turn this in at the drop folder with your district Microsoft sign-in, or hand it to Mr. Mendoza in class. Both count as submitted. Doing the activity in myPLTW does not.
Class still runs. Complete the online activity above (it's self-guided). Need the concept taught without a teacher? Use this authoritative explainer:
Learn.Genetics (University of Utah): DNA to protein- CompleteEvery required part of the artifact is present, nothing left blank.
- AccurateThe science and the data are correct and match the evidence.
- Scientific reasoningYou explain your claim with evidence and reasoning (CER), not just an answer.
- Professional communicationClear, organized, labeled, and written the way a clinician or scientist would.
- SubmittedTurned in the right way, on the class site or handed to Mr. Mendoza in class, and confirmed. Not in Schoology: that is where the report-card grade appears later.
- Error analysis and method · counts doubleName a specific limit of the method and how it moved your result, and compare what you predicted to what happened. "Human error" does not count; say what about the procedure or instrument caused it.