This assignment asks students to implement several dynamic programming string-matching algorithms to compare DNA sequences. Since the matching is approximate, their goal is to find the closest match to a given query in a database of known sequences. We use real DNA sequence data to ensure that solutions are reasonably robust. Students get hands-on experience with algorithms they may have only seen on paper and learn about the complex world of approximate string matching. The assignment is appropriate for a upper-level Algorithm Analysis course, where students are learning dynamic programming and algorithm analysis. We use in-person code demonstrations as an opportunity to discuss external factors that affect software engineering beyond just algorithm design, tying abstract algorithm knowledge to real-world concerns and broadening student perspectives.