Thames & Kosmos Biology Genetics and DNA

by Thames & Kosmos

Product Features

• Isolate the DNA from a tomato
• Learn about inheritance and how traits are expressed
• Build a DNA model
• Breed bacteria to experiment with genetic engineering
• Best Seller

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13.1 x 8.9 x 2.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B001ALT6BC
• Item model number: 663438
• Our recommended age: 10 years and up
• Manufacturer recommended age: 10 years and up
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #56,639 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Genetics and DNA: Biological Inheritance and Genetic Engineering. Head into the lab for an in-depth investigation of genetics, the brand of biology focused on heredity and variation in organisms, and DNS, the acid that holds the blueprints for life. See genetic material with your own eyes as you isolate the DNA from a tomato in a test tube. Investigate inheritance and learn how traits are passed down from parents to children. Learn about dominant and recessive genes and play inheritance games to determines how traits will be expressed. Learn about the biology of reproduction, the components of cells, and how chromosomes are combined and copied. Assemble a model to see the elegant double-stranded helical structure of DNA. Then crack the genetic code and find out how the different parts, called nucleotides, fit together to compose it. Read about how scientists use DNA sequencing to reveal the order of nucleotides in DNA. Analyze DNA evidence to identify suspects and solve a crime. Learn about the influential scientists, including Mendel, Watson, and Crick, who made breakthrough contributions to this field. Breed your own bacteria colony to experiment with genetic engineering. Read about how mutation affects genes and how scientists clone plants and animals.

Product Description

In depth investigation of genetics and DNA. Isolate the DNA from a tomato, learn about inheritance and how traits are expressed, build a DNA model, breed bacteria to experiment with genetic engineering. The full-color, 48-page manual guides your experiments.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars 7th grade daughter's Christmas present, June 20, 2009

By 

Amazongirl (VA) - See all my reviews

= Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thames & Kosmos Biology Genetics and DNA (Toy)

My daughter received this for Christmas. There is only one experiement she was really excited to do. The others were a bit 'boring' and had already been done in her 7th grade science class. So, I think it had a great price, but the manufactuer should have thought more carefully about what kids want in a set ... cool, fascinating, and fun. You should not have to purchase a larger set to get more exciting experiments.

31 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars There's lots of Styrofoam in the box, November 26, 2009

By 

Bruce Bain "Romans 9:33/Remember Jackie Robinson" (Englewood, CO United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:1.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Thames & Kosmos Biology Genetics and DNA (Toy)

.

Here's the deal with the Thames & London Genetics & DNA Kit. You buy the big box. The art work on the outside holds lots of promise. You open the box, and you pull out a huge chunk of STYROFOAM in a Top and Bottom half.

Inside the chunk of STYROFOAM packaging is a tiny little plastic bag about 1/4th the size of a normal SANDWICH BAG. Inside that plastic bag are some itsy-bitsy tiny pieces of plastic with which a little kid is supposed to build the famed DOUBLE-HELIX.

In addition to that, there is a booklet (about the size of a common paperback novel in small print. There are some paper charts and cut-out materials, some plastic test tubes and other paraphernalia for doing the familiar Tomato Experiment.

I mean, that is all very nice, but mostly you are buying the big chunk of STYROFOAM for storage. Frankly, in this day and age, the one thing that should come cheap is BIG PLASTIC PARTS.

. I cannot recommend this highly.

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37 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great book, lousy experiments - expensive, October 23, 2009

By 

Hjordes Norman "Home educator" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:1.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Thames & Kosmos Biology Genetics and DNA (Toy)

Very disappointing.

It says that it provides everything you need except for common household items, but the first experiment requires denatured alcohol (not isopropyl!) which can run [...] at Home Depot. It also called for a hand blender; who owns a hand blender anymore?

We skipped experiment one, to the disappointment of my daughter.

The next few experiments plummeted from 6 - 8th grade level to about grade level three. Again, very disappointing.

The lego-like structure you build as a double-helix was ridiculously frustrating and had my puzzle-expert daughter in tears.

By the last experiment, which actually is kind of cool, we hadn't even used the product so we skipped it to re-sell the almost-new box to someone who doesn't read product reviews.

However, the small booklet that comes in the kit is wonderful. It has great pictures and clear explanations. If they publish that in normal size print I could actually read without a magnifying glass I would recommend the manual alone for, [...]