DNA Replication "Like a Pirate"

Last year as I was looking for ideas to help my students understand the process of DNA replication, I found a blog post by Chi Klein titled Trouble with Lagging Strands. Chi had used two long pieces of butcher paper with traced footsteps to make a larger than life model of an opened stretch of DNA.  I loved the idea and found some butcher paper and made my own.  It took a long time to make, so I decided to laminate the sheets to help them last longer.  Unfortunately, the paper was a few inches wider than our school's laminator.  Out came the clear contact paper. I've used at least 4 rolls and it isn't completely covered, but it's pretty close.

I just got the book, Teach Like a Pirate by David Burgess and decided to give teaching like a pirate a try for this lesson. I made these signs to post outside my classroom to generate some curiosity and get them prepared for "walking" through DNA replication.

Chubby Checkers (The Twist) was playing in the classroom and they had a time limit to be ready to go (and a treat for accomplishing it).  Students had to be creative about finding a place to sit since the desks had to be pushed together to make room for our DNA.

Each student received an enzymatic role to play in the process of DNA replication.  We emphasized the anti-parallel nature of DNA and only building in the 5' to 3' direction, which led to discussions of the lagging strand and Okasaki fragments.  Now we'll see how the quizzes that they take tonight go.

One other bonus...I have these twisted silver earrings that make me think of DNA every time I wear them.  I donned the earrings this morning, as well as a sweater with a twisted knit pattern on the front. Near the end of class, one of my students commented that my earrings looked like DNA. I had forgotten to mention it, but then pointed out my "DNA" sweater as well for some chuckles.