BIOLOGY ACTIVITY
RNA Transcription
Objective: Formulate a model to show how the order of bases in DNA determines the
order of bases in mRNA and infer why the structure of DNA enables it to be
easily copied.
Materials:
DNA nucleotide templates
RNA nucleotide templates
scissors
glue
colored pencils or markers
Assigned order of DNA bases
Procedure:
1. Color the DNA template nucleotides and RNA template nucleotides with these colors:
deoxyribose – orange
adenine - red
ribose – brown
thymine – green
phosphate – black
guanine – blue
cytosine – yellow
2. Cut out the nucleotides and arrange the DNA nucleotides in the following order:
TATACG. Glue the nucleotides together. This will only be half of your DNA molecule.
3. Arrange and glue the complementary strand of DNA nucleotides that will complete
your DNA molecule.
4. On the back of your paper, create and glue the original DNA strand again. Begin
matching complimentary mRNA nucleotides and glue these together.
5. You have demonstrated how DNA provides the message for mRNA.
7. Turn in your DNA and RNA models. Answer the following conclusion questions on
your worksheet.
Conclusions:
1. Does the mRNA model more closely resemble the DNA strand from which it was
transcribed or the complementary strand that wasn’t used? Explain
2. Whys is RNA important to the cell? How does an mRNA molecule carry information
from DNA?