SMGB 19 Sciences Genes in a bottle (or rather a test tube!)

Students participated in a scientific workshop which first introduced them to the idea of DNA and how it is formed which they had to recreate using long sweets and jelly babies on cocktail sticks.  After creating a double helix out of sweets, students were given information about different types of DNA extraction.  As we share 50% of our DNA with a banana and it is easy to show the process, students were given a banana to mush up, added water, bended it further, break down the fat cells using a salt and washing up liquid solution and then extracted a liquid which had DNA floating in and then poured it into a test tube.  After adding an alcohol solution, students were able to watch the DNA strand rise up in the test tube where they could pick it out with a skewer.