Highlights of Teaching - Bio.:DNA structure

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) is a double-stranded, helical molecule that carries genetic information in living organisms. The building blocks of DNA are nucleotides, which consist of a sugar molecule (deoxyribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.The structure of the nucleotide is introduced to the students first and then they were asked to stick each nucleotide. By linking the nucleotides together, the students learned the covalent bond – the chemical bond between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the deoxyribose of another nucleotide. 

The tricky part of DNA structure is that the sugar-phosphate backbones of the two strands of DNA run in opposite directions, creating a ladder-like helical structure. The students managed to understand the structure of DNA and also knew why DNA structure operates like this by using the two strands to form one complete DNA double-helix strand. The DNA structure is essential for its function as genetic material, as it allows the replication and transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next.