Tuning In

This song by BioRad is a funny discussion starter on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and biotechnology.

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Finding Out, Sorting Out

In this task, students watch the video and use their own copy of the GoogleSlides presentation to make notes on PCR, using the prompt questions given on each slide. There is space of citation of sources.

Useful animations: 

• Learn.Genetics
• McGraw Hill
• Dolan DNA Learning Center
• Sumanas

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Formative Assessment

This TED-Ed lesson, made to go along with the BioRad video, contains 15 multiple-choice questions, as well as links to further resources and discussion.

Click to go to the TED-Ed lesson on PCR.

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Extension

This song gives a great provocation for learning more about the process of PCR. It’s inventor, Kary Mullis, received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry for his innovation. You can read his 1993 Nobel Lecture here.

In this TED Talk, “Play! Experiment! Discover!” Mullis gives an engaging account of a life scientific. Watch it and think about what inspirations you might draw from his experiences in the scientific method.

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Here’s MrT’s Lyrical Science hero, Tom McFadden, and his Stanford class doing Get Taq, outlining the use of Taq polymerase in PCR: