A Berry Good Experiment at the Library

 

 

Story and Pictures by Beverly Bonilla

 

If you weren’t at the Butler County Public Library on Tuesday, October 6, you missed a fun and fascinating hands-on science experiment that had children and adults alike taking a closer look at something they normally can’t see, DNA.

Ms. Tracy led the group through an experiment that allowed participants to extract DNA from ordinary strawberries.  The activity drew a great crowd, with 21 children and 14 adults, to learn how science can be found in something as simple as a piece of fruit.

The experiment began by creating a simple extraction solution using 1/3 cup water, 1/2 tsp of salt and approximately 1 Tbsp of dishwashing liquid.  After the ingredients were blended, participants placed a couple of strawberries into a Ziploc bag and mashed them up, then a spoonful of the solution was added to the strawberries and mixed until it made a paste.

The strawberry mixture was then poured into a piece of cheesecloth. Participants learned that patience was important during this step. The mixture was allowed to drain through the cheesecloth on its own, without squeezing the cheesecloth.  Once the liquid had finished draining the remaining strawberry material was discarded.

Next came the part everyone was waiting to see. A spoonful of rubbing alcohol was carefully added to the liquid that had been collected after being strained. Participants then used a skewer to gently stir the mixture. As the skewer was moved through the liquid, a cloudy, stringy substance began gathering around it as they pulled it out of the solution. That substance was the DNA from those strawberries.

 

 

The experiment provided a fun way for children and adults to see science in action and learn that DNA, something usually discussed as being microscopic, could be observed through a simple hands-on experiment using an ordinary strawberry.

For many of the children, seeing the DNA appear right before their eyes was the highlight of the experiment. They had been looking at a pink, strawberry-filled mixture, only to pull out a clear, almost slimy strand, giving them a chance to see firsthand something they normally only hear about in a science lesson

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used by living things.  It contains information that helps determine how an organism develops, grows and functions. While DNA is far too small to see with the naked eye inside a living cell, activities such as this one allow students to gather enough DNA together to see it.

The Butler County Public Library continues to offer educational and engagement programs for children and families, providing opportunities to learn, explore and discover together.

Before long, the library will have an exciting new chapter of its own, as the community looks forward to the opening of the new Butler County Public Library. With more space and new opportunities ahead, there will be plenty of room for programs that encourage children to learn, create and explore, perhaps even discovering a little more about the science hidden inside the world around them.