Increasing student comprehension of protein synthesis through inquiry based laboratory activites and DNA models

The goal of this project was to teach protein synthesis to high school juniors and seniors in a secondary Anatomy and Physiology class using DNA models and laboratory techniques. The activities were aligned to develop a macro-to-micro approach so that each activity was intentionally related to the overall goal of making a protein.The unit began with students learning about proteins and how they work in the body, and the activities were then organized to scale back to how the proteins are made. To objectively evaluate the learning, students were given a pre-test and a post-test that covered the points to be presented. Data analysis, which included a paired T-Test, indicated that participation in unit activities successfully increased the students' understanding of protein synthesis.