Unit 5 Reflection

DNA Extraction Lab

   This unit was about genetic code and how it is regulated, expressed and in rare cases mutated. In the DNA Extraction Lab I learned how to extract DNA. This involved the process of first extracting the cheek cells, then adding salt, detergent, and a catalyst pineapple juice, and finally a layer of alcohol on top to extract. In the process of this lab I learned more about the structure of DNA and how it wraps around histones inside the nucleus. In the Protein Synthesis Lab I learned how proteins where created. This involved the process of the RNA polymerase zipping down the DNA and making a strand of messenger RNA in the process. The RNA can be thought of as a temporary copy for the DNA. Then, the RNA goes out the nucleus through the pores and travels to the ribosomes where it attaches and each 3 bases on the RNA are one codon which codes for one amino acid. Once the amino acids have built up and the ribosome reads a stop codon on the RNA, the amino acids are released and fold up into a protein. Some of these concepts, where quite confusing at first because they are complicated and hard to understand. But over time I came to learn and understand the concepts of this Unit, and now I understand them very well. I want to learn more about these concepts because they are very interesting and I could learn more on this topic.

Protein Synthesis Lab

   Over this unit and over the last semester I have also grown as a student. To be a good student means that you can learn better and make connections better in the things you learn, rather than just memorizing the facts. Since finals is coming up I made a study guide for the semester. Although this was an assigned assignment I wanted to make the most of it so I would be better able to understand some of the topics that I still do not understand from this semester. Since I am a visual learner I decided to make my study guide mostly containing visuals. I think these visuals will help my studying a lot because they are not only just facts written down but they show how everything connects, which is necessary for any practical application of this knowledge in the future. Before I would just study what I had to study to get a good grade, however studying in a way that connects all the concepts would not only help me more now, but also help a lot in the future when I am learning science. Also as a student I have learned to pay attention to the details more. When our group was doing the DNA Extraction Lab we had at first put the instructions in the wrong order. But after I double checked it I found that we where supposed to layer the alcohol on last after it was shaken so that it would have a layer and not be mixed into the solution. If I had not double checked these instructions, we would not have been able to successfully extract the DNA in this lab.

Semester 1 Study Guide