How do you explain Introns and Exons to someone with little knowlodge on genetics?

Exons are important parts of the gene that are actually coded for and used in proteins.  Introns are just little interruptions in the gene sequence  and are not used or coded for.  They are not even counted when they count the total number of bases in that gene.  So introns are useless and are removed in pre mRNA by spliceosomes (thats a FUN word).  OVERALL EXONS RULE AND INTRONS ARE USELESS.

Take a large strip of paper and write a moderately long sentence on it, except insert strings of nonsense words at 3-4 places within the sentence. Example:"Splicing is the process by ostrich puzzle it three green which pre-messenger RNAs are modified to cut musk fabric over up beans. out introns (intervening sequences) and connect exons (expressed airplane foxes Why zippy sequences) together to make a mature messenger RNA."

Make the paper and writing large enough that it can be held up so the audience can read it. Have someone in the skit (representing a ribosome) read the unspliced sentence aloud, and scratch their heads in confusion. Then have other people (representing the spliceosome components) cut out the nonsense bits and tape together the correct bits to make a coherent sentence. Then have the ribosome person read it aloud again.

If you want, you can add extra steps to represent copying the gene sequence to make the pre-mRNA, or design the sentence so the spliced version tells the 'ribosome' person how to make something that another person (representing some cell component) needs.

Have fun!