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Notes for Teachers

Context: This lesson takes place in a block time period for about 2 hours.

Students typically work in partnerships.

An emphasis is on demonstrating the creation of a molecular model example from the 3 macromolecule groups.

1) Amino Acid (Protein)

2) Glucose (Carbohydrate)

3) Fatty Acid (Lipid)

Note: The 4th group of Nucleic Acids are modeled later in a different lesson that also involves DNA Replication.

List of Materials:

Textbook (for reference) with descriptions and pictures of the macromolecule groups, alternatively, the included PowerPoint can be used.
Student phone for videoing
Flinn has a great, cheap class set of 15 kits suitable for on-level/Honors classes: Molecules of Life
Metal pie pan for containing kit pieces (optional but highly recommended!)
If you want more accurate biochemical details for AP/IB, I prefer individual biochemistry modeling kits from Ward’s: Wards Science

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Arizona Science Standards

Life Science

L1: Organisms are organized on a cellular basis and have a finite life span.

Plus HS+B.L1U1.7 Develop and use models to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms (plant and animal).

From Background information: “Systems of specialized cells within organisms help them perform the essential functions of life, which involve chemical reactions that take place between different types of molecules, such as water, proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Multicellular organisms have a hierarchical structural organization, in which any one system is made up of numerous parts and is itself a component of the next level. “

Arizona Educational Technology Standards 2021

Standard 6. Creative Communicator

Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.

9-12.6.a. Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.

9-12.6.b. Students create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

9-12.6.c. Students communicate complex ideas clearly using various digital tools to convey the concepts textually, visually, graphically, etc.

9-12.6.d. Students publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

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Objective(s):

Today we will model 3 examples from the 4 types of Macromolecules that make up cells (Nucleic Acids will be done later!)

We will focus on understanding the lowest level of hierarchy of life: macromolecules that are used to build cells.

We will work either alone or collaboratively with a partner (communicating effectively with our partner) to create and film each of our model with a verbal description of it and post the video to Flip (or similar platform).

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Agenda (90 minutes)

Lecture should already have happened prior to this class (You may use the PowerPoint Slides included here.)

Before class, assign either:

the video of the Bozeman video “The Molecules of Life”: The Molecules of Life
OR an EdPuzzle of that video that you create or select from one of the over 800 options of publicly available EdPuzzles created by other teachers such as this one: https://edpuzzle.com/media/60a65512127e38417edda6e4

Verify who has phones for videoing and assign partners according to phone video capabilities.

Explain what your expectations are (that BOTH students of a partnership are engaged in all aspects of modeling and determining what to say for the video) when passing out kits.

Explain the color-coding of whatever kit it is (Carbons are always black, Hydrogens are white, Oxygens are Red, Nitrogens are blue).

Have students create and video each of the 3 models and post them on the class Flip (or similar platform).

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What is a cell made of?

Cells are built using molecules from 4 basic groups: Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins and Nucleic Acids. In order to better understand the hierarchical nature of how life is organized, we are going to model examples from 3 of the 4 groups: Glucose (monomer) from Carbohydrates, a Fatty Acid from Lipids, and an Amino Acid (monomer) from Proteins. We will model nucleic acids on a different day.

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Hands-on Activity Instructions

Students should be partnered with their textbooks open to the Macromolecules chapter to help guide their modeling. (It helps to also project structural formulas such as found on slides 9, 17 & 23. Make sure students know that any unmarked “corners” of structural formulas contain hydrocarbons.)
Modeling kits should be given out and the atom colors should be defined as well as how to use the modeling bonds included with the kit.
Students will need to video each of their three models with a phone so students will need to be grouped according to whether or not they have a phone to video with.
Students should work with their partner to both build the molecule and decide what to say about each molecule keeping the class time limit in mind.

The teacher should walk around and verify the molecule is correct before filming begins and also encourage adherence to time.
While showing the model made on the video, students must verbally include information describing:

1) what molecule the specific model is of (Glucose)
2) the function of the modeled molecule (glucose is typically used for energy in cells and is also a monomer for structural polymers like cellulose in plant cell walls.)
3) the macromolecule group it is from and the typical function of that group (Glucose is a monosaccharide also known as a “sugar” in the group Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are typically used for energy and sometimes for structures.)
4) identifying the characteristic atoms of the macromolecular group on the model (carbohydrates are known for containing the equivalent of a water molecule- H2O for every carbon atom)

After posting their own videos, students must watch at least 3 other student videos and make positive comments on Flip (or similar platform) about them.

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Assessment

Students are required to post their video to the Class established at Flip (https://info.flip.com/en-us.html ) and must watch at least 3 submissions from other students and make one positive comment about each of the other videos.

*Please note: students can use a different platform for video recording and making comments.

Students should be assessed for:

1) Active participation as observed during class by the teacher (ALL students should be actively engaged in either making the model or researching what to say about the model.)

2) Video content includes (see Glucose examples on the previous slide!):

1) what molecule the specific model is of
2) the function of the modeled molecule
3) the macromolecule group it is from and the typical function of that group
4) identifying the characteristic atoms of the macromolecular group on the model

3) Posting the video itself successfully and also commenting positively on each of 3 other videos in class.

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Differentiation

Students should already have received direct instruction about Macromolecules.

Textbooks should be available, as well as any other resources used during prior instruction on the topic.

Additional videos can be provided after a quick search on YouTube.

A template of the model could be provided.

Pair students as needed.

Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

My district has purchased unlimited access to Screencastify so students could further edit their videos. Specifically, film or take pictures of each model to add voiceover to at a later time to create a single video instead of 3. This allows for more time for students to figure out what to say if that seems like too much to do all in one class period. Students could focus just on modeling during class with each student taking their own model photos but finish the project at home with the voiceover. Extra credit could be given for posting the final video to publicly available social media sites.

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