The Beads of Translation: Using Beads to Translate mRNA into a Polypeptide Bracelet

Abstract

During this activity, by making beaded bracelets that represent the steps of translation, students simulate the creation of an amino acid chain. They are given an mRNA sequence that they translate into a corresponding polypeptide chain (beads). This activity focuses on the events and sites of translation. The activity provides students with a closer look at the process of translation, not focused solely on pairing codons with amino acids. The students move throughout the classroom, which simulates a nucleus, cytoplasm, a ribosome, and the A site, a P site, and an E site of a ribosome.