LABORATORY PRACTICES

BIOLOGY 1

BICULTURAL

DRA. ALONDRA ESCAMILLA.

 PRACTICE 1
DNA Extraction Lab

Summary:
Students will extract and compare DNA from both bananas and strawberries.

Goals & Objectives:

Students will be able to experience how DNA looks the same from one organism to another.
Students will be able to describe how genetic engineering is important in today’s society.

Investigate:
a. The general structures and functions of DNA, RNA, and protein.
b. How genetic engineering (biotechnology) is used to produce novel biomedical and agricultural
products.

Time Length: 60 minutes

Background Knowledge:
The soap is to dissolve the lipid bilayer around the cell and nucleus. The salt is to neutralize the
negative charge of the DNA. The alcohol is used because DNA is soluble in water but not soluble in
alcohol. The bubbles on the DNA in the alcohol layer are just dissolved gasses and are not part of
the DNA.

Prerequisite Knowledge: Students have been introduced to cell organelles and know that DNA has
the same structure in all organisms.

Pre-Lab
Set-up stations: alcohol station with ice-cold alcohol and a buffer station with two graduated
cylinders. The buffer should be made using a large flask and then be poured into a 100mL beaker.

Accommodations:
Students can take the handout home if they need extra time but must finish the lab procedures in
class.

Evaluation:
Questions 1-6 are worth 2 points each for a total of 12 points. Question 7-8 are worth 1 point each
for a total of 6 points. The assignment is worth a total of 18 points.
Problem Statement:
Does DNA have the same structure in different organisms?

Hypothesis:

Materials:
• Strawberries (fresh or • 1L Erlenmeyer flask and 100 mL beaker
thawed), and fresh bananas • 10 mL graduated cylinder
• Cheesecloth • 7 mL DNA buffer
• Small funnel o 50 mL dish soap
• 90% Ethanol ice-cold o 15 g salt
• Graduated cylinders o 900 mL tap water
• Large test tubes • Glass stirring rod
• Zip-lock freezer bags • Safety goggles

Procedures:
1. In groups of 3: one student is the assistant (gets buffer solution, hold funnel while pouring juice
into a test tube, and put away materials), one student is in charge of extracting the strawberry DNA,
and the last student is in charge of extracting the banana DNA.
2. Place one strawberry in a zip-lock bag, press the air out, then seal it. Softly mash the
strawberry/banana with your fingers until it becomes a juice puree (1-2 minutes).
3. Add 8 mL of buffer to the strawberry/banana and then press the air out of the bag and seal.
4. Mash the strawberry/banana carefully for 1 minute without creating many bubbles.
5. Place the test-tube in a cup. Put the funnel on top of the test-tube. Place the cheesecloth on top
of the funnel.
6. Open the bag and drain carefully the strawberries/bananas on top of the cheesecloth to fill the
test-tube with ¼ juice. The juice will drain through the cheesecloth but the chucks of
strawberries/bananas will not pass through into the test-tube.
7. Tilt the test-tube and pour in an equal amount of alcohol, ¼ of test-tube, through the funnel and
down the sides of the test-tube. This will allow for better separation of the DNA.
8. Place the test-tube so that it is eye level. Using the stirring rod, collect DNA at the boundary of
alcohol and strawberry juice. Do not stir the strawberry/banana juice; only stir in the above alcohol
layer.
9. Gently remove the stirring rod and examine what the DNA looks like. Clean up using the teacher’s
instructions after you have finished the lab write-up.

Variables:
1. Independent Variable

2. Dependent variable

Data:
Draw the DNA you see in each of your test tubes in the sample test tubes below.

Conclusion:

Was your hypothesis correct? Explain why it was or not

 What did you learn from this experiment?

Where is DNA located in the cell?

The soap buffer dissolves lipids of the plasma membrane which is composed of two rows of

DNA is built from nucleotides. Does the phosphate and sugar backbone provide the
genetic code?

Do nitrogen bases provide the genetic code?

Which part of a nucleotide makes the banana and strawberry different?

 Many of the fruits and vegetables today have been genetically modified. If a scientist
wanted to genetically engineer a plant, what would the first step be?

Scientists can cut out a gene from one organism and place that gene into another
organism, like a fruit plant. Give 4 benefits of genetically engineering food plants.
 Practice 2
Osmosis and Diffusion Lab

Summary:
Students will observe diffusion and osmosis of cell membranes.

Goals & Objectives:

Students will be able to analyze the type of osmotic solution.
Students will be able to perform diffusion.
Students will be able to analyze the turgor of plants.

Investigate:
a. Osmotic solution.
b. Diffusion
c. Turgor of plants
d. Semipermeable membranes that regulate their interaction with their surroundings.

Time Length: 90 minutes

Prerequisite Knowledge:
Knowledge of osmosis and diffusion, cell knowledge, use of a balance, and the ability to
measure the circumference of an object.

Materials:
• 2 Eggs per group • 1 Graduated cylinder per group
• 2 Potato slices per group • Triple beam balances or digital scales
• Corn Syrup • Pipette
• Water • Vanilla extract
• Vinegar • Balloon
• Salt water • Ziploc Baggie
• 4 Beakers or mason jars per group

Lab Setup:
Soak the eggs in vinegar for about one day until the shells of the egg have dissolved. Cut the
potato into one-centimeter thick slices. Prepare the beaker/jars 2/3 full: one with water,
one with colored water, one with salt water and one with corn syrup. Label the beakers #1-
colored water, #2-corn syrup, #3-water, #4-salt water.
Procedures:
1. Measure the circumference and mass of the three eggs. Record your findings in data table
1.
2. Place one egg into #1 beaker of water and the second egg in the #2 beaker with corn
syrup. Wait for one hour to take a second measurement.
3. Feel the texture of the potato slices. Then put one slice into the fresh water, one slice
into the salt water, and leave the third slice exposed to air. Wait for one hour to feel the
difference.
4. Place 10 drops of Vanilla extract inside a deflated balloon. Make sure not to get any vanilla
on the outside of the bag. Inflate the balloon to a size that will easily fit inside the bag. Place
the balloon in the bag and seal up the bag. Wait for one hour.
5. Try to answer the questions in the analysis section until it has been one hour for the
eggs in the beaker/jar.
5. Take the eggs out of their solutions and measure their circumference and mass. Place
the eggs back into their solution.
6. Feel the texture of the two slices of potato.
7. Open the Ziploc bag and smell the air inside. Record your results in data table 3.
8. Let the bag sit open for 2 minutes. Smell the air inside once again. Record your results.

Accommodations:
Students can take the handout home if they need extra time and/or do the even numbered
questions, or just do the potato lab and not the other two.

Evaluation:
Each hypothesis is worth 2 points, for a total of 4 points. Each of the 12 questions is
worth 3 points, for a total of 36 points. The conclusion is worth 5 points. This as signment
is worth a total of 45 points.

Problem Statement:
In this lab, you will observe the process of diffusion and osmosis. Three labs help
demonstrate these processes. Each of these labs needs time to work.

Hypothesis:
Materials:
• 2 Eggs per group • 4 Beakers or mason jars
• 3 Potato slices per group • Balance or digital scale
• Corn syrup • 1 Graduated cylinder per group
• Water • Salt water
• Vinegar • Pipette
• Food coloring • Balloon
• Vanilla extract • Ziploc bag

Procedures:
1. Measure the circumference and mass of the two eggs. Record your data in the data table.
2. Place one egg into the #1 beaker of water and the second egg in the #2 beaker with corn
syrup. Wait for one hour to take a second measurement.
3. Feel the texture of the potato slices. Put one slice into the fresh water, one slice into the
salt water, and leave the third slice exposed to air. Wait for one hour to feel the difference.
4. Place 10 drops of Vanilla extract inside a deflated balloon. Make sure not to get any vanilla
on the outside of the bag. Inflate the balloon to a size that will easily fit inside the bag. Place
the balloon in the bag and seal up the bag. Wait for one hour.
5. Wait for one hour for osmosis/diffusion to occur. The teacher may have another
assignment for you to do.
5. Take the eggs out of their solutions and measure the circumference and mass. Place the
eggs back into their solution.
6. Feel the texture of the three slices of potato.
7. Open the Ziploc bag and smell the air inside. Record your results.
8. Let the bag sit open for 2 minutes. Smell the air inside once again. Record your results.

Analysis: Use complete sentences when possible.

Egg Lab

1) What is the independent variable for the egg lab?

 2) What are the dependent variables for the egg lab?

3) What happened to the water in the egg when placed into the colored water
solution?

4) What happened to the water in the egg when placed into the corn syrup solution?

5) What type of solution was the corn syrup? And colored water?

Potato Lab

6) The texture of the fresh potato slice is turgid, in between or flaccid?

 7) What happened to the water in the potato when it was soaked in the water
solution?

8) What happened to the water in the potato when it was soaked in saline solution?

9) Comparing the potato exposed to water and the potato soaked in saline solution.
Which texture is more turgid? Why?

10) Plant cells use the central vacuole to provide support for their cell walls. When
a plant becomes turgid, what is happing inside the cell?
 Practice 3
Air Pollution

Summary:
Students put Petroleum jelly on microscope slides to collect air particulates at different
locations. Students then discuss the likely sources of the particulates.

Objectives:
1. To develop a greater awareness of the variety and amount of particulate matter in the air.
2. To determine relationships between amount of pollution and time of day or week.
3. To locate general sources of pollution for the area and to develop some suggestions for
improving air quality.

Investigate:
a. Air pollution
b. Air particulates levels

Time Length: 90 minutes

Prerequisite Knowledge:
Knowledge of air pollution.

Materials
1. Microscope slides 3. Masking tape
2. Petroleum jelly 4. Magnifying glass or microscopes

Recommended Strategy:
Coat one side of each slide with petroleum jelly. Select several different places within your city or
residential area to place the slide; e.g., inside school classroom, outside of school classroom, inside
your home, outside your home, window ledges, and field. Label the location on masking tape that
you attach to each slide. Each student should have three slides to look at, and these slides should
have been placed in the places that I mentioned above.

Expose all slides the same length of time (6 hours, 1 day, 1 week, etc.)

After collecting the slides, place them on a sheet of white paper with coated side up. Examine
under strong light with magnifying glass or microscope. Each student should have a microscope
for this purpose.

Compare exposed slides with control slides that were left indoors in a closed box or drawer.
Draw al the observations.
Analysis

Which of your slides had the most particles?

Where was this slide placed?

Which of your slides had the fewest particles?

Compare results with your classmates find out who had the slide with the highest particle count.
Where was it placed?

What is the likely source of this pollution?

 How might this pollution be reduced?

What might be done by individuals, community groups, industry, or government to help to

reduced air pollution?