My students love this activity. It's such a fun way to model DNA in a science classroom. Hands-on Edible Model Lab Activity. My students favorite part is being able to twist/spiral the DNA after creating their model. Highly recommend this for your students! They truly enjoy this one. When I complete this activity I have always have great support from my parents. I send out a Sign-up Genius. We have around 200 - 7th graders at our school between two teachers. We complete this activity together. I usually ask for 15 bags of multicolored fruit flavored marshmallows. You need 9 Toothpicks perso student. So I usually get around 1800-2000 depending on packaging. Most boxes have between 500-1000 in each box. And I ask for 15 bags of Twizzlers. We ALWAYS have Twizzlers left over. Which is used for class rewards/treats later in the year. To help with numbers when preparing for this activity, a 16oz bag of Twizzlers has 40. Twizzlers The big pack - 32oz bag have around 80 Twizzlers. Exploring DNA through Candy LESSON PLAN: Building a Sweet Model Supplies for Each Student: 1 pencil 1 activity packet 9 toothpicks 5 pink marshmallows 5 green marshmallows 4 orange marshmallows 4 yellow marshmallows 2 Twizzlers 1 sheet of paper towel Objective: Students will be able to create a candy model of DNA representing the phosphate and sugar parts of the nucleotide using Twizzlers and identifying the nitrogen bases (A, T, C, G) with multicolored marshmallows. Assessment: Students will be assessed based on their ability to correctly identify and assemble the components of the candy DNA model, including the correct pairing of the nitrogen bases with the Twizzlers sides. Key Points: Identify the phosphate and sugar parts of the nucleotide in DNA Recognize adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G) as nitrogen bases in DNA Understand the concept of base pairing in DNA Opening: Introduce the lesson by asking students: "What do you know about DNA? Why is DNA important?" Show a simple visual representation of DNA structure to spark curiosity Introduction to New Material: Explain the structure of DNA using Twizzlers as the sides representing phosphate and sugar parts, and assorted marshmallows as nitrogen bases Engage students with hands-on demonstration of building the candy DNA model Common Misconception: Confusing the roles of the different nitrogen bases Guided Practice: Provide students with materials (Twizzlers, marshmallows, toothpicks) to build their own candy DNA model Scaffold questioning by starting with simple identification of components and progressing to base pairing Circulate around the classroom to monitor and assist students as they construct their models Independent Practice: Instruct students to complete a worksheet packet where they label the parts of the nucleotide and nitrogen bases in the candy DNA model.  Students will correctly complete a DNA sequence filling in the correct complementary base pair in a provided table.  Emphasize the importance of accuracy and neatness in their work Closing: Summarize the key points of the lesson on the importance of base pairing in DNA structure Summarize the key points of the lesson on the importance of base pairing in DNA structure Students will complete comprehension questions on DNA, these are provided in their activity packet -  for students to answer as a form of review and assessment. Standards Addressed: NGSS: MS-LS3-1 - Develop and use a model to describe why structural changes to genes (mutations) located on chromosomes may affect proteins and may result in harmful, beneficial, or neutral effects to the structure and function of the organism.