1. I bet you didn’t know….. Miracle healing could come from the axolotl
Teacher Guide
Curriculum Areas
Animals (Amphibians)
Life cycles
Habitats & adaptation
DNA
Ages
6-11

2. Copyright
The materials included in these resources are ©Primary Science Teaching Trust 2019, but may be freely reproduced by teachers in schools for educational purposes, subject to the source being credited.
Materials may not be used for promotional or commercial purposes without the express permission of the PSTT. On no account may copies be offered for sale.
Disclaimer
Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) is not liable for the actions or activities of any reader or anyone else who uses the information in this document or the associated classroom materials. PSTT assumes no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information contained in these plans.
PSTT recommends that a full risk assessment is carried out before undertaking in the classroom any of the practical investigations contained in the power point.
Safety note
PSTT advises teachers to refer to either CLEAPSS website or SSERC website for up to date health and safety information when planning practical activities for children.
This power point is intended to be a guide for teachers for their reference although they may wish to show certain slides in the classroom.
We would welcome any feedback on these materials.

3. Who are the scientists?
Paper
The axolotl genome and the evolution of key tissue formation regulators
Sergej Nowoshilow1,2,3, Siegfried Schloissnig4, Ji-feng Fei5, Andreas Dahl3,6, Andy W. c. Pang7, Martin Pippel4, Sylke Winkler1, Alex R. Hastie7, George Young8, Juliana G. Roscito1,9,10, Francisco Falcon11, Dunja Knapp3, Sean Powell4, Alfredo Cruz11, Han Cao7, Bianca Habermann12, Michael Hiller1,9,10, Elly M. Tanaka1,2,3 & Eugene W. Myers1,10
Authors
How many scientists were working on this project?
Why do you think there are so many people?
Look at the next slide to find out where they all worked.
How did they manage to work together?

4. Where did the scientists work?
Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Dresden, Germany
Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna, Austria.
DFG Research Center for Regenerative Therapies, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, Heidelberg, Germany.
Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation,South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China.
Deep Sequencing Group, Biotechnology Center (Biotec) Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Bionano Genomics, San Diego, California, USA.
The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, Dresden, Germany.
Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany.
Molecular and Developmental Complexity Group, Unidad de Genómica Avanzada, Langebio-Cinvestav, Irapuato, Mexico.
IBDM – Institut de Biologie du Développement de Marseille, CNRS &Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France.

5. What did the scientists know?
The axolotl is able to regrow parts of its body. All self-reproducing cellular organisms so far examined contain deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA).
DNA is 2-stranded molecule with a double-helix shape.
Each strand of DNA is made of long sequences of nucleotide bases (4 bases in total). The order of the bases determines the genetic code for building an organism. It is unique to each organism.
The genome of an organism is the complete DNA sequence.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): a two-stranded molecule which has a double helix shape (like a twisted ladder)
Nucleotide base: part of the DNA molecule that pairs to the opposite strand of DNA
Genetic code: the sequence of nucleotide bases on the DNA molecule
Genome: an organism’s complete set of genetic instructions made of a chemical called deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
Tip: To explain the significance of the DNA sequence, think about the way in which letters of the alphabet appear in a certain order to form words and sentences.
DNA
What do you think will happen if some of the genetic code is missing or in the wrong order?

6. Can you make ‘complementary’ DNA bracelet?
Quick Activity
Can you make ‘complementary’ DNA bracelet?
Use 4 colour of beads to represent the 4 nucleotide bases of DNA molecule.
Decide which beads will be matching (complementary) pairs,
e.g.
Thread a sequence of 4 coloured beads onto one pipe cleaner.
Thread complementary beads onto the second pipe cleaner.
There are only 4 types of nucleotide bases in DNA: adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), and guanine (G).
The bases on one strand of the DNA molecule always pair together with specific bases on the opposite strand of DNA to form the ‘rungs’ of the DNA ‘ladder’: A always pairs with T, C always pairs with G.
When the bases pair in this way, the two DNA strands are said to be complementary.
You will need beads of 4 colours for this activity.
Each bead represents one nucleotide base.
Before making the complementary strand, the children must agree what the complementary colours will be.
A single strand of DNA
Complementary strands of DNA
Resources
Beads (4 colours) & pipe cleaners or string; felt-tips (4 colours) & paper strips; coloured plastic cubes or bricks (4 colours)

7. Complementary DNA competition
Longer Activity
Complementary DNA competition
Using 4 colours of blocks or beads or felt tips, choose 2 pairs of bases for your code.
Create a sequence (10-30 ‘bases’ long).
Give your partner the code.
Can your partner use matching base pairs to replicate the code without making mistakes (in less than 1 minute)?
Who is quickest? 
Who is most accurate?
What do you think would happen if there was a mistake in a real DNA sequence?
Resources
4 colours of either: beads & pipe cleaners or string,
or plastic blocks (e.g Unifix or Lego), or felt-tips & paper strips

8. Can you build a DNA molecule?
Longer Activity [2] KS2
Can you build a DNA molecule?
Connect 5 or 6 sweets with cocktail sticks to make a single strand of DNA bases.
Make the complementary strand of bases.
Now connect the 2 strands with cocktail sticks so that it starts to look like a ladder.
Hold the top and bottom rungs and twist. Your top rung should turn anti-clockwise and the bottom rung clockwise.
Resources
4 colours of jelly sweets, cocktail sticks

9. Questions for further learning
What are the characteristics of amphibians?
Children could research the life cycle of a frog find out what metamorphosis means. You could keep tadpoles at school. Note: we recommend you consult CLEAPSS for up to date information about how to do this.
How do axolotls differ from most amphibians?
Hint: they don’t experience metamorphosis.
What do axolotls eat?
Children could research the food chain for the axolotl.
Why are axolotls endangered?
Children could find out about the habitat of this animal and changes in its environment.
If scientists can find out the DNA code responsible for axolotls regenerating, how could this help humans?
Children could debate the advantages/disadvantages of genetic research.

10. Maths links
Area of learning
Activity
Sequencing
Matching and decoding bead pairs in a sequence.
Meaning of number
How big is a giga-base? Compare and contrast a variety of large numbers. What do the children notice about the numbers?
Measuring – mass and volume
Weigh out ingredients to follow method for making DNA.

11. Writing links Area of learning Activity
Sentence types – questions and statements
Think about and write down questions you would like to answer.  Once you have researched the answers, write the answers found as statements.
Non-fiction writing – research and writing
Write a fact-file about the axolotl – include a description of the axolotl’s habitat, diet and predators/why endangered?
Sentence types – statements and exclamations
Give children a picture of an axolotl.
Children to write a description of what they think they can deduce about the animal and where it lives from what it looks like and what they know about animals.
Sentence types – statements, commands, exclamations and questions
Newspaper report related to the demise of the axolotl.
Endangered poster/Save the axolotl poster.

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