DNA

DNA LESSON

Directions:

Print the DNA reading comprehension passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions.  Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt

Have you ever wondered what is inside your body that helps you to grow? Maybe you have wondered why you were a different size shoe than your friends, your brother, or your sister. Looking around your classroom will show you that your peers are all different sizes. Some of the people in your class might be quite tall while others may be somewhat short. There will be children in your class that have hair which grows very fast and some kids who rarely need to get haircuts.

These things are determined based on your body's physical makeup. They are the things that make you unique. Your body is made up of cells and something called DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid). DNA is what makes your body and hair a certain color. It even helps your body to determine how intelligent you will become.

Before a person is born there is a map of how they are going to turn out that is already inside them. This map is stored in their body and comes in the form of DNA. The DNA that you receive from your mother and father contributes to who you become as a person. Nearly everything about you is determined based on the structure of your DNA. There is information on every cell that you have which explains something about your physical makeup. In fact, there are billions of DNA strands in a single person!

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