In a Central Texas high school, students view a lengthy chain of letters illustrating a human genetic sequence. They must find the link to a small DNA fragment, which is eventually discovered in one small group of letters embedded in the larger code.

Twenty minutes later, the class moves to a lively discussion about DNA fingerprinting, using the same principles. Their science teacher explains that they may confront some form of DNA testing in a future job. This sparks yet another barrage of questions about the detection of family illnesses. The teacher responds with an explanation of genetic propensities and the latest research on cell division. All the students remain clearly engaged for the entire 50-minute class.

These hands-on, absorbing experiences in science are the result of a University of Texas initiative called the Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science Teaching, which will offer more than 200,000 K-12 students a newly energized science curriculum.

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