There are limitless number of food items that can be used to represent the DNA, it just need to be color coded and soft enough to put a toothpick through. Colored marshmallows are a popular option, as are gummies. [2] X Research source For a healthier option chop up 4 types of fruit, like strawberries, bananas, grapes, and pineapples.
Push the marshmallows close to one another on the toothpick so that there is plenty of space on the ends of the toothpick left to attach licorice. You should repeat this process to create approximately 6 base pairs. Base pairs can be arranged in any order. However, you should have at least 1 of each type of base pair for the sake of the project. [3] X Research source
You should also aim to make a ladder shape, taking several base pairs and lying them next to one another to form a line of parallel bases. If you don’t want to use licorice, you can also connect the bases to one another with toothpicks. Insert toothpicks into the top of the marshmallow on each side of the base, connecting it to the bottom of the marshmallow on the next base. Repeat until all of the bases are connected. [4] X Research source
Remember, that the order of base pairs forms a code that tells your body how to work. Think of these 2 bonds as somewhat like binary code–the system of zeros (0) and ones (1) that tells your computer what to do.
If you have done the project alone, you can also make multiple strands and compare them to each other. Consider how many different arrangements are possible.
