* Genes are segments of DNA. DNA is a long molecule that contains the instructions for building and maintaining an organism.

* Genes are like specific recipes within the DNA cookbook. They provide the instructions for making specific proteins, which are the workhorses of the body.

* Not all DNA is a gene. There are large stretches of DNA that don't code for proteins, and these can have other important functions like regulating gene activity.

So, while genes are made up of DNA, they are not the entire DNA molecule. They are specific sections within the DNA that contain the instructions for building and running our bodies.