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Home > STEM Learning Journeys > DNA: The Building Blocks — Advanced Lessons Bundle

Lesson 5: Secret Codon

A stylized white DNA double helix made of dots appears along the left edge of a blue background with a subtle grid pattern, leaving ample blank space on the right.

Secret Codon Image

Prepare for lesson:

  1. Review Secret Codon lesson
  2. Print out Amino Acid Codon table handout for small groups
  3. If possible, assign each bead color to one of the 4 DNA bases:
  4. Adenine (A) is red
  5. Thymine (T) is yellow
  6. Cytosine (C) is blue
  7. Guanine (G) is green
  8. Have youth start with the following sequence, remember that the first 3 letters always start with a Methionine amino acid and end with a stop codon!
  9.  RYGGBBRGRRBGGBYRRBGRYYBYYGYRYYGRGRRYYGYGRGYRR
  10. Supplies per small group:
    1. Pony beads in red, yellow, blue and green, if possible
    2. Cotton string

During the lesson:

  1. Explain to class that they’ll be decoding a message
  2. Share the handout, a handful of colored beads, and string, to the small groups
  3. Project the sequence, giving each group a copy of the Amino Acid codon table
  4. Give them ~10-15 min to complete the message
  5. Have them share out
  6. Now, let them try to create a secret code in their small groups