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Topic: Protein Synthesis Regulation Model
Summary: Students will act out the process of transcription and translation to help build a
kinesthetic and visual memory of protein synthesis.
Goals & Objectives: Students will be able to list, describe and explain how a protein is made
using DNA code.
• Students will be able to demonstrate their thorough understanding of protein synthesis
and how genes are turned on or off.
• Students demonstrate their understanding by physically acting out the Lactose Operon
Model with explanations using vocabulary terms.
• The teacher will also cause a pretend mutation to one of the genes and the student will
need to make a claim and act out the effects of the mutation on the operon as evidence to
support their claim.
NGSS Standards:
HS-LS1-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the structure of DNA
determines the structure of proteins which carry out the essential functions of life through
systems of specialized cells.
Time Length: 4 days (1 ½ days for building the model and 2 ½ days for evaluating students
acting out the model)
Materials:
• Photocopied handout
• cardboard tubes from middle of paper towel and toilet paper roll
• tape
• different colors of construction paper
• string
• sharpie pens
Procedures:
Before Day 1
1. Tell students to bring in an empty paper towel tube and toilet paper tube.
2. Download the free PhET animation from:
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/gene-machine-lac-operon
Day 1
1. Launch the activity by showing students how the lac Operon work using the animation.
It is important to understand that one goal of the model is to generalize the lac operon to a
main type of gene regulation with the use of transcription factors.
2. Students then need to start building the model. The model should include
a. The paper towel tube and all the colored papers taped to the tube represent DNA.
b. The toilet paper tube represents RNA polymerase enzyme. The tube needs to be
cut so it can slide over to the DNA paper towel tube.
c. Loose cut outs to represent the ribosome, transcription factor (repressor), and
structural protein
d. String can represent messenger RNA.
e. Students should use their sharpie to label all of the parts of the model. This will
help them when they explain the model to you.
3. Many students can finish building and labeling their model in 60 minutes.
Day 2
1. At the beginning of the period, show students the PhET animation with your projector
and say out loud how you would want the model to be explained. Do not give students
any examples of mutations as this is the transfer portion of the assignment.
2. Students who finished building their model on Day 1, should practice using their model
by acting it out and explaining with a partner who is also done.
3. After about 15 minutes, you can call up volunteers who are ready to explain their model
to be evaluated. Only one student acts out their model in front of you. Make sure other
students are not nearby listening in. You can make your teacher desk the evaluation area.
Students may not bring up any handouts, notes, nor flash cards to help them with their
explanation.
a. When a student first comes to the evaluation area, tell them to layout all of their
parts of the model so it is facing them and makes it easy for them to see the labels.
b. Have them start with RNA polymerase transcribing the regulatory gene.
c. The lactose in this activity is named the signal molecule.
d. For the mutation, you chose to mutate one of the following (promoter for
regulatory gene, regulatory gene, promoter for structural gene, operator, structural
gene). Students then need to act out once again from the beginning but include
the consequences of the mutation. There can be multiple correct answers.
Students don’t need to know point mutations, but should know that a mutation is a
change in the DNA.
e. Switch up which mutations you give students.
4. Other students in the class are completing their model and practicing their presentation to
you by acting it out.
5. Students who have already presented their model to you can coach up other students.
Day 3
1. For the students who have already presented on Day 2, give them a packet to work on for
the entire period. Students who present on Day 3 get the packet after presenting and can
complete it as homework if they don’t finish it in class.
2. On this day, first as for volunteers and then call up the remain students who have not
presented. If you need more time with the individual assessments, this may require part
of day 4 to complete the assessments.
Evaluation:
Students individually explain gene regulation verbally to you while acting out their model.
Students need to use correct vocabulary in their explanation.
© NGSS Life Science 2018
Protein Synthesis & Regulation Model
Your goal is to make a working model of how genes are switched on and off in bacteria.
•
Conceptual Video:
o Easier: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10YWgqmAEsQ
o Harder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPQZXMKZEfw
Model Requirements: Having made and labeled all parts of the model is required.
1. regulatory gene
2. promoter
3. operator
4. polymerase enzyme
5. transcription factor protein
6. structural genes
7. signal molecule
8. mRNA
9. ribosome
10. structural protein
Explanations: You must explain to the teacher by “acting out” how gene regulation works in
detail using the list below. The use of all the vocabulary above is graded as part of your
explanation. Only the above words can be written on your model.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Where the polymerase enzyme binds to DNA
The process of transcription
The process of translation
The difference between structural genes and regulatory genes
How & why the transcription factor switches off the structural gene
Make a prediction on how a mutation influences the functioning of a cell. Teacher
chooses what segment of DNA is mutated.
Rubric:
Explanation
(40 points)
•
•
D
C
B
A
Missing 3+
(24 pts)
Missing 2
(28 pts)
Missing 1
(32 pts)
1-6 are explained & acted out correctly
using scientific vocabulary from the model
requirements
(40 pts)
A total score of zero is earned if you don’t act out your own gene regulation model.
Your model may only have labeled parts, not any information explaining how it works.
© NGSS Life Science 2018