Teaching with the DNA Landscape

Try a  DNA Landscape card sort! 

Print and cut out the DNA Landscape cards below for an engaging active learning activity you can use in class. We recommend 1 set of cards for groups of 2-4 students.

First ask your students to work together in small groups to sort the cards.  What patterns do they notice as they are sorting the cards? Which cards are similar and which cards are different? 

Next, challenge the groups to sort the cards by size (smallest to largest) and abstraction (most realistic to most abstract) and see if they can replicate the DNA Landscape matrix. You may choose to print out and provide students with copies of the axes of the DNA Landscape to help them create their sort. 

Once groups have completed their sorts, you can have students evaluate each other's sort. Ask students to compare how their sort was different from another group's. 

Finally, show students the completed DNA Landscape. Talk through each of the 9 different ways of representing DNA and explain why and when biologists use different representations in different contexts. 

Looking for more ways to engage with the DNA Landscape? 

Your students can test their DNA visual literacy skills in the Twisted Ladder game! 

Build visual literacy skills by playing three different mini-games. See how quickly you can distinguish between nucleotides, genes, and chromosomes.