Francis Crick

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/francis-crick

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. When was Francis Crick born?June 8, 1916
2. Where was Francis Crick born?Northampton, England
3. When did Francis Crick die?July 28, 2004 (age 88)
4. Who was Francis Crick?He was a scientist from England who helped scientists understand how life works by studying DNA.
5. What did Francis Crick discover about DNA?He showed that DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder, a double helix, which lets it copy itself.

Double Helix: The iconic spiral staircase-like structure of DNA, comprising two polynucleotide strands wound around a central axis.
Central Dogma: The principle stating that genetic information flows from DNA to RNA to protein, with no reverse flow from protein to nucleic acid.
X-ray Diffraction: A technique used to determine the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal by analyzing the pattern of X-rays scattered by it.
Consciousness: The state of being aware of and responsive to one's surroundings; the subjective experience of the mind.