HomeEducational ResourcesGenetic Education Modules for TeachersDNA Kit Select Activities DNA Model Building: Pop Bead Model

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From the DNA Kit Program Manual

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Figure 3. Pop bead DNA model

Equipment and Supplies

• White 5 way beads (represent the phosphates)
• Orange beads (represent the sugars)
• Red beads (represents thymine)
• Green beads (represent adenine)
• Yellow beads (represent guanine)
• Blue beads (represent cytosine)

Things you will need that are not supplied with this kit:

• Very strong fingers to put the pop bead model together.

Where can I buy Pop Beads for my classroom or home?

The beads in this kit were purchased from Carolina Biological. We have found other beads at Wal-Mart and some specialty toy stores.

Activity set-up

1. Remove the beads from the trunk
2. Place plastic connectors in the red, green, blue and yellow pop beads. This is the most difficult part of putting this model together. It is a good idea to have this done before you use the beads with visitors.
3. Assemble a small piece of the DNA model as demonstrated in the figure below.

Things to think about when using this activity

• The pop beads are very difficult to put together the first time you use them. You will have sore fingers from trying to snap them together. Some of the beads are easier than others. If you find a stubborn bead that refuses to snap into place, try expanding the opening by inserting a ball point pen or the tip of a scissors into the hole. Press down, enlarging the opening and making it easier to insert the next bead.
  
  
• We highly recommend using your pop bead set with staff, volunteers or students before you use them for visitor demonstrations. The more you use the pop beads, the easier they become to snap together.
  
  
• Because of their size, the Pop beads could pose a choking hazard for young children. For this reason, we do not recommend allowing visitors to use the beads as an unsupervised activity.
  
  
• Place the plastic connectors in the beads that will be used as nucleotides (red, green, yellow and blue). Visitors can use these joined pieces when constructing their models. Leave the connectors in the beads when disassembling the models so they are ready for the next use.
  
  
• Encourage visitors to help in putting the models away. This is a fun activity for visitors of all ages and makes the job go much quicker.
  
  
• The base pairing in the helix can be color coded to correspond with the results the other activities in the kit:
  • Red beads (T)
  • Green beads (A)
  • Blue beads (C)
  • Yellow beads (G)

Activity clean-up

1. Take all pieces apart and place into their individual containers, except those models you would like to keep as examples. Leave the plastic connectors in the nucleotide beads to be used again.
2. Replace the lids to the containers, making sure that they are on tight.
3. Store model pieces in the program trunk.

Last Reviewed: October 26, 2007