Biochemistry Literacy for Kids
Redefining What Young Learners Can Achieve
Biochemistry Literacy opens the door to the incredible world of chemistry and biochemistry and challenges traditional notions of what is possible from young learners. Through carefully constructed animated videos, students learn how to build and interpret chemical structures and understand their meaning in everyday life. The program gives students durable and deep foundational understanding, and will give them an incredible advantage in school science and beyond.
No previous science knowledge is necessary! Join the 3000+ elementary, junior high, and high school students who have found success in Biochemistry Literacy.
Begin Your Learning with Biochem 2.0
This unit provides a survey of key chemistry and biochemistry topics, laying the foundation for students to move on to more advanced lessons. After completing this unit, students can continue to the Classic Course, a kid-friendly adaptation of a college-level biochemistry class. Over the next year, additional Biochem 2.0 units will be developed, gradually expanding the learning experience and offering students a richer, more comprehensive program.
Revolutionizing STEM learning
Developed by a Yale-educated chemistry professor, the curriculum creates a unique visual and tactile learning environment that makes high-level chemistry and biochemistry fun and rewarding for kids of any age.
Documentary Trailer from the Summer Institute
Summer Institute
In July 2023, we had our first in-person camp with 50 students from 17 states, Canada, and Australia! What an amazing community! Keep posted for news on the 2024 camp. The camp is an opportunity for kids to apply what they’ve learned in the Zoom classes, work together in lab, and make lifelong friends.
What These Young Minds Can Do
Model Building
Molecular Modeling
Drawing Amino Acids
Medicinal Chemistry
Media and Parents Review
Sample Lesson
Watch the Lesson 1 video narration from the Biochemistry Literacy for Kids Classic course. Learn about chemical bonding, hemoglobin, and molecular modeling.
Live Zoom Classes
A fun way to enhance the program is by participating in live weekly group classes. In these sessions, students build molecules together, ask questions, explore new molecular modeling software, and apply what they have learned. These dynamic Zoom classes operate much like college courses, designed specifically for kids.
For Australian Parents
I have partnered with two great groups in Australia, HEA and GATCA WA, which distribute curriculum access and molecular model sets. Please contact them for access to my program.
Schools
The Biochemistry Literacy curriculum was developed by Dr. Daniel Fried over 10 years in public and private schools in the New York area. It is designed so that every student feels empowered to learn science. Check out these videos to hear from parents, students, teachers, and administrators, and to see how the program works in classrooms.
Molecular Modeling
The Mole Concept
The Periodic Table
Flavor Molecules
Montessori School Program
About the Creator
I’m Dr. Daniel Fried, creator of Biochemistry Literacy. I teach chemistry and biology in the Upper School at The Pingry School. Previously, I was a tenured assistant professor of chemistry at Saint Peter’s University, where I began integrating ideas from K–12 education with college-level STEM instruction. I hold a B.S. in Biochemistry from Binghamton University, a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University, and I also and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in microbiology at the Weizmann Institute of Science.
I created the Biochemistry Literacy curriculum to bridge the gaps that I felt had held me back in my own education. When I began piloting my first classes at Yale’s Peabody Museum, I quickly realized that students were eager for high-level learning. They did not want to be treated as children, but as capable, intellectually serious learners.
I set out on the ambitious task of reimagining how life and physical sciences could be taught. After years of working with dozens of schools and thousands of students, Biochemistry Literacy is now positioned to prepare the next generation of scientists who will tackle the health and environmental challenges of the future.
I hope you and your students will join me on this exciting journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kids from early elementary school through high school have completed the program. Check out the sample lesson on the home page and on the Biochem 2.0 page to see how the lessons work. Biochem 2.0 is specifically designed to be fun, easy, and rewarding for everyone!
The classic course is a kid-friendly college biochemistry course, which covers an intro to chemistry and chemical bonding, charge, and the mole concept. Advanced lessons cover the biopolymers: proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, membranes, DNA, and RNA.
Biochem 2.0 enhances some of the early lessons of the classic course, and focuses on mastery of chemical bonding and nomenclature, It is multidisciplinary and connects chemistry to other fields, such as astronomy, biology, geology, natural history, and industry. You can download a syllabus at the top of the Biochem 2.0 page.
The custom kit has special pieces that are aligned to the program and learning biochemistry. This combination of pieces can’t be found in other kits, so it’s highly recommended that you purchase a kit along with curriculum access. If you can’t order my kit, you can order the Molymod MMS-008, which has many similarities.
Yes! Biochem 2.0 will eventually replace the entire classic program, but for now, Biochem 2.0 Unit 1 is an amazing way to begin learning. When you complete that course, you can skip some of the classic course lessons, but most of the content of the classic course will be new.
Yes! Biochem 2.0 has some safe and cheap home experiments that add a lot to the experience.
Biochem 2.0 is specifically aligned to the elementary standards, but goes far beyond the typical depth that would be expected at that level. Elementary schools should use this program to give their kids an amazing orientation to chemistry and its connections to other sciences.
Not usually. The majority of kids from 3rd grade up can learn from the video lessons independently. Very young students may require more support. While parents sometimes enjoy learning alongside their students, the intention is that kids learn on their own from the videos and activities.
This is designed for every kind of student, and no previous background or special skills are needed, despite the rich and high level content.