1. DNA Keychains

2. Part 1: Get Your Materials
1. Choose your large beads for the sugar and phosphate molecules that make up the backbone. You will need 26 beads of 2 different colors for a total of 52 beads. Write the color of each in the key on your IAN worksheet.
2. Choose your small beads for the nitrogen bases. You will need 6 beads of 4 different colors for a total of 24 beads. Write the color of each in the key on your IAN worksheet.
3. Get 2 pieces of wire- red and silver, or gold and silver from the teacher and bend them it in half slighty.
4. Add 1 SUGAR beads, then 2 PHOSPHATE beads, and 1 SUGAR bead

3. Part 2: Build Your DNA Molecule
5. Take the other wire and string it through the same 4 beads. Then near the end of one of the wires, put in a couple of twists- you will use this later.
6. String on the rest of your sugar and phosphate beads- 12 of each on each side of the wire being sure to alternate sugar, phosphate, sugar,
7/8. Check the length of your wires; make sure they are even; now twist the wire with all of the beads on it a couple of times near the end, so they don’t fall off.
9. Untwist the unused wire and thread on 2 base beads onto the right wire- A and T or G and C
10. Take the left wire and thread it through the 2 beads you just placed on but in the opposite direction.
Thread the other end of the wire through the little beads in the opposite direction.
Pull on both ends of the thin wire to “tie” it together

4. 12. Thread the Left wire up through one sugar and one phosphate bead
13. Repeat with the Right wire.
14. Now string on 2 more base beads, A and T or C and G.
15. Repeat steps 12 and 13.
16. Continue building the DNA molecule following the same process until you run out of beads.
Remember the process…
Thread two wires through two big beads on the sides, Cross two wires through two small beads in the middle & tie.
Remember …
Make sure you keep the bases paired correctly – A with T and G with C.
Make sure to keep your wires pulled tight as you add all of the bases.
Go slow and try not to get kinks in the THIN wire!