Our friendly, interactive foam DNA model makes double-stranded DNA and single-stranded RNA. It will quickly capture your students’ attention as you introduce the basics of DNA structure then move into replication and transcription.

The DNA Starter Kit^© is a schematic DNA model that transforms from the familiar ladder shape to the double helix with a simple twist. Your students can explore the structure of color-coded DNA bases showing purines and pyrimidines, which connect to a continuous sugar-phosphate backbone. Then they can explore the process of DNA replication and transcription. Using the DNA model kit’s individual gray sugar-phosphate pieces, they can synthesize a new strand of DNA – one base at a time – showing the semi-conservative replication of DNA. Finally they can synthesize mRNA – using the purple sugar-phosphate pieces – to show the process of transcription.

You can turn the nucleotide monophophates into nucleotide triphosphates with the DNA Starter Kit^© Triphosphate Expansion Pack. The extra phosphates allow your students to model the action of the DNA polymerase as it cleaves the triphosphate and joins the nucleotide monophosphate to the growing DNA strand in replication. Triphosphates can also be used in transcription and to model ATP.

DNA Starter Kit©	1-Group	2-Group
Bases	51	102
Red Adenine	12	24
Yellow Thymine	12	24
Blue Cytosine	12	24
Green Guanine	12	24
White Uracil	3	6
Continuous Gray Backbones	4	8
Gray Sugar-Phosphates	24	48
Purple Sugar-Phosphates	12	24
Bag with Bands	1	2
Blue	24	48
Yellow	24	48
White	24	48
Each Triphosphate Expansion Pack includes 48 phosphate pieces and 48 connectors.

Colors may fade. Consider storing foam kits in a dark location such as a closet, cabinet or drawer.

3D Molecular Designs and the Milwaukee School of Engineering Center for BioMolecular Modeling continually develop and update lesson plans and other resources for our educational products. Teacher notes, student handouts and other supporting documents vary based on the applications and activities of the kit or model. We appreciate your feedback and encourage you to submit your own lessons, assessments and videos.

Materials on our DNA Starter Kit© Teacher Resources page include:

General Instructions
Assembly Directions
Expansion Pack Instructions
Molecule of the Month
Next Generation Science Standards