Help students explore biotechnology and genetic engineering with this Grade 12 biology worksheet.
Students will review CRISPR, plasmids, recombinant DNA, and genetic modification concepts.
Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering — Practice
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Try these before or after you print the worksheet. The printable asks you to fill in the words. This asks what each tool is actually for — and the insulin story is worth following, because it is the clearest example of why any of this matters.
Question 1 — put them in order
Click the steps of making insulin with bacteria, in order.
Find the gene → put it in a plasmid → back into the bacteria → let them multiply. The bacteria do the manufacturing; the engineering is only in getting the gene into them.
Question 2
What is a plasmid?
Small circular DNA. Plasmids are useful precisely because they are small and can be taken in and out of bacteria.
Question 3
What does recombinant DNA mean?
Combined from more than one source — a human gene inside a bacterial plasmid is the classic example.
Question 4
Why are bacteria used to make insulin?
They multiply fast and follow instructions. Give them the human gene and a vat of bacteria becomes an insulin factory.
Question 5
What is CRISPR?
A gene-editing tool. It lets scientists change a specific stretch of DNA far more precisely than earlier methods.
Question 6 — select all that apply
Select every tool or material used in genetic engineering, then press Check.
Plasmids, bacteria and CRISPR. Chloroplasts, mitochondria and ribosomes are parts of cells that exist whether or not anyone is engineering anything.
Think about it
Bacteria can be made to produce human insulin. What does that tell you about how universal the genetic code is?
Before this, insulin came from animals. Why is the engineered version an improvement?
CRISPR can edit genes precisely. What questions does that raise beyond the science?
What is the difference between biotechnology and genetic engineering?