New
New
Year 7

Genetic material and DNA

I can describe what genetic material is and where it is stored in animals, plants and microorganisms.

New
New
Year 7

Genetic material and DNA

I can describe what genetic material is and where it is stored in animals, plants and microorganisms.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Plant and animal cells are made of parts including a cell membrane, cytoplasm and a nucleus.
  2. In plant, animal and fungi cells, the genetic material is stored in the nucleus.
  3. Bacteria are microorganisms and do not have a nucleus; their genetic material is stored in the cytoplasm.
  4. The genetic material of all organisms is made of a chemical substance called DNA.
  5. DNA is built from molecules that form a code used as instructions to build inherited features and control life processes

Common misconception

Bacteria and plants do not have genetic material to be passed to offspring.

Examples of both bacteria and plants passing genetic material and features to offspring in reproduction, and the outcomes, i.e. growth.

Keywords

  • Cytoplasm - Cytoplasm is the jelly-like substance inside a cell where the chemical reactions of the cell take place.

  • Nucleus - The nucleus stores the genetic material of plant, animal and fungi cells.

  • Bacteria - Bacteria are unicellular microorganisms.

  • DNA - Genetic material is made of a chemical substance called DNA.

  • Genetic code - DNA is built from four different molecules (ATCG), which form a genetic code used as instructions to build and control living organisms.

Be careful introducing DNA and its code. At this point the letters are only there to exemplify that a code exists that provides instructions for features, the mechanism is not needed. You can link to KS2 coding though.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Where is genetic material stored in an animal cell? Choose the correct structure.
An image in a quiz
Mitochondria
Cytoplasm
Correct answer: Nucleus
Cell membrane
Q2.
Choose the features which all living cells have.
Correct answer: cytoplasm
Correct answer: cell membrane
nucleus
Correct answer: genetic material
Q3.
Genetic material is passed on to offspring during the process of...
Correct Answer: reproduction, reproducing
Q4.
Match the keyword to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:Heredity,Passing genetic material from parent to offspring.

Passing genetic material from parent to offspring.

Correct Answer:Cell,The living building blocks of all living organisms.

The living building blocks of all living organisms.

Correct Answer:Inherit,To gain features or processes from a parent.

To gain features or processes from a parent.

Correct Answer:Nucleus,Where the genetic material of some cells is stored.

Where the genetic material of some cells is stored.

Correct Answer:Reproduction,Process of making offspring.

Process of making offspring.

Q5.
Who is correct?
An image in a quiz
Bacteria don't have genetic material because they don't reproduce.
Correct answer: Bacterial genetic material is in the cytoplasm as they don't have a nucleus.
Bacterial genetic material is inside a nucleus just like plant and animal cells.
Q6.
Which factor passes on features by heredity?
Correct answer: genetic material
lifestyle
environment

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the label to the correct keyword.
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer:A,cell membrane

cell membrane

Correct Answer:B,mitochondria

mitochondria

Correct Answer:C,cytoplasm

cytoplasm

Correct Answer:D,nucleus

nucleus

Q2.
In animal, plant and fungi cells the genetic material is stored in the...
Correct Answer: nucleus
Q3.
In a bacteria cell, where is the genetic material stored?
An image in a quiz
nucleus
Correct answer: cytoplasm
cell membrane
cell wall
Q4.
Genetic material holds the instructions for all features and processes in a living organism.
Correct Answer: inherited, hereditary
Q5.
What is this molecule called?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: DNA, Deoxyribonucleic acid
Q6.
The role of DNA is to...
Correct answer: carry the genetic code that determines inherited features.
leave a unique fingerprint at a crime scene.
be passed from fathers to babies to prove who the Dad is.
Q1 UYSEG