How to Make a Model of DNA Using Common Materials
Gather your supplies., Cut the pipe cleaners., Bead the pipe cleaners for the double helix., Bead your nitrogenous bases., Attach your beaded pipe cleaners together., Twist the double helix.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Gather your supplies.
You will need at least four 12-inch pipe cleaners, and assorted beads in at least six colors.
Plastic pony beads work best for this project, although you can use any kind of beads that have a hole wide enough to fit over the pipe cleaners.
Each of the two pairs of pipe cleaners should be a different, color, giving you four total pipe cleaners preferably black and orange, they could be the phosphate and deoxyribose -
Step 2: Cut the pipe cleaners.
Take two pipe cleaners of the same color, and cut them into strips that are 3” wide.
You will use these to string your C--G and T--A pairs of beads on.
Leave the other two pipe cleaners at their full length. , Use two different colors of beads to represent the sugar and phosphate groups, and bead them in alternating colors down each of the pipe cleaners.
Be sure that the two long strands that form the double helix match up, so that the beads are in the same order.
Leave about a half inch of space between each bead to allow room to attach the other pieces of pipe cleaner. , Take the other four colors of beads, and pair them together.
The same two colors must always go together, to represent the pairs of cytosine and guanine, and thymine and adenine.
Place one bead from each pair at the ends of the 2” sections of pipe cleaners.
Leave a little room at the ends to wrap around the double helix strands.
It doesn’t matter what order the beads are placed on the pipe cleaners, as long as they are in the correct pairs. , Take the now beaded 2” sections of pipe cleaner and wrap the ends around the long double helix strands.
Space each small piece so they are always attached above a bead on the side of the same color.
You should be skipping every-other bead on the double helix strands.
The order of small pieces does not matter, it is up to you what way you would like to organize them on the double helix strands. , Once all of the small sections of beads have been attached, twist the ends of the double helix in a counter-clockwise direction to give the appearance of a true strand of DNA.
Enjoy, your model is complete! -
Step 3: Bead the pipe cleaners for the double helix.
-
Step 4: Bead your nitrogenous bases.
-
Step 5: Attach your beaded pipe cleaners together.
-
Step 6: Twist the double helix.
Detailed Guide
You will need at least four 12-inch pipe cleaners, and assorted beads in at least six colors.
Plastic pony beads work best for this project, although you can use any kind of beads that have a hole wide enough to fit over the pipe cleaners.
Each of the two pairs of pipe cleaners should be a different, color, giving you four total pipe cleaners preferably black and orange, they could be the phosphate and deoxyribose
Take two pipe cleaners of the same color, and cut them into strips that are 3” wide.
You will use these to string your C--G and T--A pairs of beads on.
Leave the other two pipe cleaners at their full length. , Use two different colors of beads to represent the sugar and phosphate groups, and bead them in alternating colors down each of the pipe cleaners.
Be sure that the two long strands that form the double helix match up, so that the beads are in the same order.
Leave about a half inch of space between each bead to allow room to attach the other pieces of pipe cleaner. , Take the other four colors of beads, and pair them together.
The same two colors must always go together, to represent the pairs of cytosine and guanine, and thymine and adenine.
Place one bead from each pair at the ends of the 2” sections of pipe cleaners.
Leave a little room at the ends to wrap around the double helix strands.
It doesn’t matter what order the beads are placed on the pipe cleaners, as long as they are in the correct pairs. , Take the now beaded 2” sections of pipe cleaner and wrap the ends around the long double helix strands.
Space each small piece so they are always attached above a bead on the side of the same color.
You should be skipping every-other bead on the double helix strands.
The order of small pieces does not matter, it is up to you what way you would like to organize them on the double helix strands. , Once all of the small sections of beads have been attached, twist the ends of the double helix in a counter-clockwise direction to give the appearance of a true strand of DNA.
Enjoy, your model is complete!
About the Author
Emma Wallace
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: