K-12 students have lacked equipment,such as electronic microscopes to explore this “inside” world in their own class laboratories. Sites like these turn mere words into concepts students can learn and explore.
Genetics, Genomes & DNA

National Human Genome Research Institute
This site tracks and consolidates the latest news and advances. Includes special sections for students and educators. With the human genome sequence completed, scientists around the world have… learn more

Teaching Evolution 101
Evolution is essential to our curriculum and to scientific literacy. To understand the big picture of biology, students need to understand life in terms of both its history… learn more

Stem Cell Basics
The National Institutes of Health has created a primer on stem cells. Topics include the biological properties of stem cells, the important questions about stem cells that are… learn more

Cat domestication: From farms to sofas
Years before they conquered the Internet, cats colonized our sofas. This video summarizes the same study featured in How Cats Conquered the World. The researchers analyzed DNA from… learn more

DNA Learning Center
The DNA Learning Center provides educator workshops, student research partnerships, and an index of educational, media-rich web sites. learn more

DNA Replication
This animation, part of the YourGenome site, shows the many steps and enzymes needed to make a copy of DNA in a cell. It shows how both strands… learn more

Ethics of Genetic Testing
Using a family's genetic test for Huntington's disease as a springboard, this post from the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, looks at the choices… learn more

Extract DNA from Smashed Strawberries
Scientific American has this well written recipe for extracting DNA from a strawberry using things you'd find in just about any kitchen. The post includes step-by-step instructions and… learn more

Genetic Science Learning Center
The Genetic Science Learning Center is a wonderful site for anything genetic and includes topics like "How to extract DNA from anything living" (using detergent, meat tenderizer, and… learn more

Human Genome Project Information
Completed in 2003, the Human Genome Project (HGP) was a 13-year project coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institutes of Health. The Publications… learn more

Molecular Workbench
For a deeper understanding and manipulation of mutations Look at the Molecular Workbench, developed at the Concord Consortium. learn more

YourGenome
This website, produced by scientists at the Wellcome Genome Campus near Cambridge in the UK, contains videos and activities describing genetics and genomics. Suitable for older students, this… learn more