Subject Area	Biology/Bacteriology
Age/Grade Level	Freshmen or Sophomores
Estimated Length	2 50-minute class periods
Prerequisite Knowledge/Skills	Students should have a general understanding of molecules and atoms.
Description of New Content	Introduces students to the process of DNA replication and how mutations can occur.
Goals	Students will use cardboard or paper cutouts of DNA bases to build a DNA molecule.  They will then replicate the molecule using semiconservative replication, the process that is used to replicate cellular DNA.  Students will then use their model to see how mutations can occur and spread.  Students will complete a worksheet while they are performing this activity.  In the second class period, students will take notes on a powerpoint presentation about DNA.
Materials Needed	Different colored cardboard or construction paper; scissors, a marker
Procedure	See worksheet here.  Powerpoint for second day is here.
Evaluation	Evaluation questions can be found at the end of the worksheet in the link above.
Extensions	This lesson naturally leads into a lesson on transcription, followed by a lesson on translation.