Celebrate National DNA Day on April 25th!

National DNA Day is the perfect time to share what you know about DNA and learn more. Visit the National DNA Day website to find resources for teachers, students, and anyone else who wants to improve their understanding of DNA, genetics, and genomics. The website also has information for experts in genetics and genomics who are interested in outreach to schools and other places in their community. Read more about how you can participate in National DNA Day.

National DNA Day offers the chance for teachers, students, and the public to learn more about genetics and genomics through activities and resources that include:

• DNA Day Teaching Tools and Student Contests Whether you’re a teacher who wants to help your students learn more about DNA or a scientist who needs ideas for how to talk to students in your community about genetics, visit the National DNA Day website for helpful resources. Modules for classroom outreach, lesson plans, and educational videos on scientific topics and experiments are among the many resources listed. Teachers: there are even contests where your students can show off what they’ve learned!
• @DNAday on Twitter Follow @DNAday on Twitter to find out the latest news about National DNA Day.
• #DNADay17 Twitter Chat Join the #DNADay17 discussion on April 25 at 1 p.m. EDT as genomics research and education programs discuss careers, technology, research and other current topics in genomics.
• American Society of Human Genetics’ DNA Day Essay Contest for High School Students Read selections from winning essays on use of gene therapy to treat diseases or conditions.
• The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History Presentation If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area, attend the DNA Day Human Origins Today (HOT) topic presentation by Dr. Dayna Dreger on April 28 at 4 p.m.

You can also find events in your area. Use the starter kit if you’d like to plan an event yourself. If you’re a teacher interested in having a genetics expert come to your classroom or a scientist interested in sharing your knowledge of genetics with schools in your community, check out the Genetics Education Outreach (GEON) program.

Congress approved the first National DNA Day in April 2003 to celebrate both the completion of the Human Genome Project and the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) at the National Institutes of Health sponsors National DNA Day.