Objective #2: Nucleic Acid Structure
Objective #2a: I can describe the structure of a DNA nucleotide.
1) Read page 134 in the new book (or Section 8.2) focus on the section titled “Building Blocks of DNA” and the
figure 8.4. OR Read p. 60 and p. 198 of the old book. Read for the parts of nucleotides, as well as what a
nucleotide looks like after the parts are connected together.
2) Make your own boxes to CONNECT to the box below. Your boxes should contain:
a) The three parts of a nucleotide (not all in one box!)
b) A drawing of each of the four types of nucleotides found in DNA (again, not all in one
box!)
DNA NUCLEOTIDES
Summarize the concept map you made above in 3-4 sentences. Use the words below in your summary:
phosphate group
deoxyribose
nitrogen base
thymine
cytosine
guanine
adenine
purine
pyrimidine
To begin with
also
for example
in fact
most important
1
Objective #2b: I can describe how DNA nucleotides are connected together to make a DNA molecule.
1) Read page 135 in the new book (or Section 8.2) focus on the section titled “DNA’s Base Sequence” and figure
8.6. OR Read p. 196-199 of the old book. While reading, look for the following:
a) The overall shape of a DNA molecule
b) How nucleotides are connected to make a strand of DNA
c) How many strands of nucleotides are in a DNA molecule
d) How the strands are connected to each other
e) The types of bonds involved
2) Create a flow chart in the space below that shows how a DNA molecule is made. Label your arrows with
connectors. You may only have words and phrases in your boxes—not sentences! Make sure all of the items
you were reading for (the list above) are included in your flow-chart. In the space next to your flow chart, a
picture has been drawn of a DNA double helix to aid in creating your flow chart.
Nucleotides
PICTURE:
(small)
(hook together to form)
DNA Double Helix
(large)
3) Summarize how nucleotides are connected together to form a DNA double helix in the space below. Do this
by writing 2-3 sentences, using all the words in your flow chart and picture.
2
Objective #2: Nucleic Acid Structure
Objective #2c: I can describe the structure of a RNA nucleotide.
1) Read page 148 in the new book (or Section 9.1) focus on the section titled “DNA to RNA” and the figures
9.1 & 9.2 OR Read p. 205 of the old book. Read for the parts of nucleotides, as well as what a nucleotide looks
like after the parts are connected together.
2) Make your own boxes to CONNECT to the box below. Your boxes should contain:
a) The three parts of a nucleotide (not all in one box!)
b) A drawing of each of the four types of nucleotides found in RNA (again, not all in one
box!)
RNA NUCLEOTIDES
Summarize the concept map you made above in 3-4 sentences. Use the words below in your summary:
phosphate group
ribose
nitrogen base
uracil
cytosine
guanine
adenine
To begin with
also
for example
in fact
most important
3
Objective #2d: I can describe how RNA nucleotides are connected together to make a RNA molecule.
1) Read page 148 in the new book (or Section 9.1) focus on the figure 9.1. OR Read p. 205 of the old book.
While reading, look for the following:
a) The overall shape of a RNA molecule
b) How nucleotides are connected to make a strand of RNA
c) How many strands of nucleotides are in a RNA molecule
d) How does the RNA molecule compare to the DNA molecule
e) The types of bonds involved
2) Create a flow chart in the space below that shows how a RNA molecule is made. Label your arrows with
connectors. You may only have words and phrases in your boxes—not sentences! Make sure all of the items
you were reading for (the list above) are included in your flow-chart. In the space next to your flow chart, a
picture has been drawn of a RNA strand to aid in creating your flow chart.
Nucleotides
PICTURE:
(small)
(hook together to form)
RNA Single Strand
(large)
3) Summarize how nucleotides are connected together to form a DNA double helix in the space below. Do this
by writing 2-3 sentences, using all the words in your flow chart and picture.
Summary for Objective #2c:
4
Summary for Objective #2a:
Summary for Objective #2b:
5
Summary for Objective #2c:
Summary for Objective #2d:
6
Objective #3: DNA Replication
Objective #3a: I can describe the three steps of DNA replication.
Complete a 4 Step Summary after reading pages 138-139 or Section 8.4 in new book. (p. 200-202 in old book)
What are you
summarizing?
How does it begin?
What happens in the
middle?
How does it end?
Final summary:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Transition words: first, second, third, finally, before, after, next, lastly
Vocabulary words: double helix, nucleotide, base, thymine, cytosine, guanine, adenine, purine, pyrimidine, replication fork, DNA
polymerase, base-pairing rules, DNA helicase, DNA replication
7
Objective #3b: I can explain the importance of hydrogen bonds in the replication of DNA.
Remembering what we learned in unit 1 about chemical
bonds…why is it a good thing the nitrogen base pairs are
held together with hydrogen bonds rather than ionic bonds?
Objective #3c: I can identify what’s happening in each stage of DNA replication from diagrams.
Use the diagram below and label the stages of DNA replication:
8
Objective # 4: Protein Synthesis
Read pages148-155 (of Sections 9.1-9.4) in the new book OR book pages 204-210 in the old book and answer
the following questions.
Key Vocabulary: transcription, translation, RNA, mRNA, rRNA, tRNA, protein, amino acid, codon, anticodon, ribose, uracil,
ribosome, introns, exons
1. List four ways that structure of RNA is different from DNA?
2. What are the three main types of RNA?
3. What are the two main events of protein synthesis?
4. What happens during transcription, summarizes its main steps?
5. What is the genetic code?
6. What is a codon?
9
7. What happens during translation, summarizes its main steps?
8. How are the three main types of RNA involved in protein synthesis, translation?
9. What is the connection between transcription and translation?
10. Why are proteins so important for a cell? What are their functions in a cell?
10
11
12