Unit #1 – The Chemistry of Life
6th Edition – Ch. 2,3,4,5,6.
Day 1
BIG IDEA 2: Biological systems utilize free energy and molecular building blocks to grow, to
reproduce, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis.
EK 2.A.3.b
LO 2.6 The student is able to use calculated surface area-to-volume ratios to predict which cell(s)
might eliminate wastes or procure nutrients faster by diffusion.
SP 2.2 – The student can apply mathematical routines to quantities that describe natural phenomena.
SP 2.3 - The student can estimate numerically quantities that describe natural phenomena.
SP 3.1 - The student can pose scientific questions.
SP 4.3 - The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.
SP 5.1 - The student can analyze data to identify patterns or relationships.
Activity
Objective
Intro – Leaf Lab
The objective is this lab is
severalfold: Firstly, it’s a nice
first day activity instead of
going over green sheets and
stuff they do in every other
class.
Secondly, it allows them to
organize themselves into
groups on the first day. At
the completion of the lab and
write-up, my students are
allowed to decide whether
those groups are permanent
for the year or given their
only chance to switch.
Materials
Required
Lots of random
leaves of many
different kinds.
Walk around your
neighborhood
and/or campus and
collect them.
“Introduction to
Measuring Leaf Lab
2012” handout.
Time
Notes
One
double
period
day.
This lab is a nice starter. I
really don’t give them
much instruction on this.
It asks for students to
measure 20 different
leaves, calculate surface
area, make a data chart
and construct some
graphs. It neither says
how to construct or label
the data table nor the
graphs; this is our chance
for a nice learning
opportunity in terms of, at
the end when we’re
assessing it, how to
construct data tables and
graphs and, very
importantly, how to label
them. It should all be
constructed and labeled
so that a random person
picking up their notebook
would understand what
it’s talking about. It also
has them come up with
testable predictions at the
end. This should also
facilitate a good
discussion regarding
acceptable hypotheses.
Day 2
Activity
Objective
Finish activity from
previous day if needed. (I
do NOT let lab notebooks
leave the room, so
students need extra time
on occasion to finish.)
Finish lab.
After everyone is done
with the lab, hand out
“Standard Science
Notebook Procedures
2012” paper.
The main objective
is not to make kids
re-write a lab to be
mean, however, this
sets the tone for the
entire school year
regarding how their
labs are to be
written up.
Re-do write-up
accordingly.
Materials
Required
Notebooks.
“Standard
Science
Notebook
Procedures
2012” handout.
Time
Notes
One
period.
This is literally just giving
them time to finish
creating graphs and
answering questions from
the previous day. Give a
strict time limit of the first
hour of class though!
One
period.
The consensus was that
having the kids look at
their own “free form” lab
write up, then going over
in class some things wrong
with it (i.e. lack of
thorough instructions,
TOC, illustrations, data
tables NOT labeled, graphs
not labeled, pages not
numbered, etc. would be
beneficial to setting a
standard for lab
notebooks. This standard
will carry them through to
their college lab notebooks
and into industry.
Day 3
EK 4.A
LO 4.17 - The student is able to analyze data to identify how molecular interactions affect structure
and function.
LO 4.22 - The student is able to construct explanations based on evidence of how variation in
molecular units provides cells with a wider range of functions.
Activity
Introduction to chapter 2:
“The Chemical Context of
Life”
Green sheet explanation
Some teachers might take
this time to familiarize
themselves with the class
– memory game, etc.
Objective
Materials
Required
Learning/refreshing Ch. 2-3 Chemistry
chemistry
Powerpoint.
Course familiarity.
Course Green
Sheet
Time
Notes
1 hour.
This PP is adapted from
Foglia.
1 hour
I know it’s hokey, but I go
over my green sheet for
the first hour or so, class
procedures, safety, etc.
Day 4
LO 4.17 - The student is able to analyze data to identify how molecular interactions affect structure
and function.
LO 4.22 - The student is able to construct explanations based on evidence of how variation in
molecular units provides cells with a wider range of functions.
Activity
Collect green sheets.
Introduction to chapter 3:
“Water and the Fitness of
the Environment”
Time for group discussion
regarding the properties
of water.
Objective
Materials
Required
Learning about the
chemical properties
of water.
Same as above.
Ch. 2-3
Chemistry
Powerpoint.
“Water and
Inorganic Ions”
handout.
Time
Notes
5 minutes.
One hour.
Bookkeeping task.
One hour.
This should really be a
review from chemistry
for most students.
Day 5
LO 4.2 - The student is able to refine representations and models to explain how the subcomponents
of a biological polymer and their sequence determine the properties of that polymer.
Activity
Introduction to Ch. 4 –
Carbon Chemistry
Objective
Learning about
carbon.
Materials Required
Powerpoint “Ch 4
Carbon”
Time
1 hour.
Ch. 4 – organic molecules.
Learning organic
molecules.
“Organic
Molecules”
handout.
1 hour.
Notes
Straightforward
PP from Foglia
regarding
carbon
chemistry.
Can do as class
or in groups
with discussion.
Day 6
LO - 4.3 The student is able to use models to predict and justify that changes in the subcomponents of
a biological polymer affect the functionality of the molecule.
Activity
Organic
chemistry
lecture.
Objective
More familiarization
with carbon
chemistry.
Materials Required
Overheads and white board.
Time
30-60
minutes.
Protein Lab
Begin learning about
protein structure,
function and
properties.
“Protein Lab” handout.
 Beakers safe for
consumable items.
 500 ml whole milk per
group.
 10 ml vinegar per group.
 Stirring rods.
 Filtering material
(cheesecloth or heavy
coffee filters).
 One egg per group.
30-60
minutes
Notes
This is just a plain old
lecture regarding
naming carbon
compounds, carbon
properties (recap
from yesterday), etc.
Fun and edible lab
regarding denaturing
proteins. Good
example relating a
concept to something
the kids have all seen
before but perhaps
couldn’t explain.
Day 7
Activity
Objective
Intro to Ch. 5 –
Macromolecules
Learning about
carbohydrates.
Carbs handout
Learning about
carbohydrates.
Materials
Required
“Ch. 5 Carbs”
Powerpoint.
“Carbs” handout.
Time
Notes
30-60 minutes.
Powerpoint
regarding
carbohydrates.
Can do as class
with whole-class
discussion, or in
groups with
discussion.
30-60 minutes.
Day 8
Activity
Objective
Ch. 5 Macromolecules
Continued Discussion
Learning about
Lipids today.
Lipids Handout
Learning about
lipids!
Materials
Required
“Ch 5 Lipids” PP
from Foglia.
“Lipids” handout.
Time
Notes
30-60 minutes.
Lecture
regarding lipids
– properties,
structures, etc.
Can do wholeclass with
discussion, or in
groups with
discussion.
30-60 minutes.
Day 9
LO 3.2 - The student is able to justify the selection of data from historical investigations that support
the claim that DNA is the source of heritable information.
LO 3.4 - The student is able to describe representations and models illustrating how genetic
information is translated into polypeptides.
Activity
Objective
Amino acids and proteins!
Learn about
AA/protein.
Materials
Required
“Nucleic Acids” and
“Proteins” PP from
Foglia.
“Amino Acids” and
“Proteins” handout.
Time
Notes
30-60 minutes.
Lectures
regarding
nucleic acids and
proteins.
Can do wholeclass discussion,
or in groups
with discussion.
30-60 minutes.
Day 10
SP 6.1 - The student can justify claims with evidence.
SP 5.2 - The student can refine observations and measurements based on data analysis.
SP 4.2 - The student can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular scientific question.
SP 4.3 - The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.
Activity
Enzyme Lecture.
Intro to Enzyme
Objective
Learning about
enzymes.
Beginning to learn
Materials Required
“Ch 6 Enzymes”
Powerpoint from Foglia.
 “Enzyme Lab
Time
Notes
60
This is a lecture leading right
minutes. into the Enzyme Lab below.
30-60
This is the alternate to the
Lab
about setting up a
lab.





Background Info”
Enzyme Lab
Grading Rubric
Enzyme Lab
Prompt
Jell-O packets or
plain gelatin
packets.
Lactaid Pills.
Milk of various
types (I buy
Half&Half all the
way down to NonFat and even Silk).
minutes
official AP Lab #13
regarding enzymes.
Students are given the
handouts. We can certainly
have much discussion in the
room regarding expected
outputs, i.e. creating a setup
that will test lactose/lactase
or the fruit proteases.
The lab groups will
definitely need time for
whole class discussion, ingroup discussion and
planning, then conferring
with you in terms of their
ideas (for approval or
modification), then
beginning their lab write-up.
We can also use today to
make some jello so it sets
overnight, or to freeze any
Lactaid or milk as per the
students’ lab design.
Day 11
SP 6.1 - The student can justify claims with evidence.
SP 5.2 - The student can refine observations and measurements based on data analysis.
SP 4.2 - The student can design a plan for collecting data to answer a particular scientific question.
SP 4.3 - The student can collect data to answer a particular scientific question.
Activity
Objective
Enzyme Lab.
Learning and
experimenting with
enzymes.
Materials
Required
Those listed
yesterday, plus hot
plates.
Time
Notes
2
hours.
This is the day for the students
to finalize their lab plans (all lab
groups should be doing a
DIFFERENT lab in terms of
independent variable) and test
out their hypotheses. Today
they should be focusing on
testing and data acquisition.
Since I don’t allow notebooks to
be taken out of my classroom,
tomorrow is for finalizing their
write-ups, summaries, data
tables, etc.
Day 12
EK 2.A.2 - Organisms capture and store free energy for use in biological processes.
Activity
Metabolism
Lecture
Objective
Learning about
metabolic processes.
Materials Required
“Ch 6 ATP” Powerpoint
from Foglia.
Time
30-60
minutes.
Notes
Lecture regarding energy
usage in terms of ATP in
cells and organisms.
Finish Enzyme
Lab Write-up.
Documenting lab
and familiarizing
students with lab
procedures and
write-up process.
Just their lab notebooks
and data.
30-60
minutes.
This is just the time for
lab groups to finalize their
data and write-ups from
the day before.
Day 13
Activity
Enzyme Review
Test Review
Objective
Finalize student
knowledge
regarding enzymes.
Prepare students for
assessment.
Materials Required
“Enzymes 2012”
handout.
Time
30-60
minutes.
Book, notebook,
brains.
30-60
minutes.
Notes
Class discussion or small
group discussion of
handout.
This can either be a whole
class discussion of
concepts to know for the
assessment, or can be left
to students.
Day 14
Activity
Objective
Assessment
Assess learning of
students.
Materials
Required
Not provided. No
tests have been
generated as of this
writing. Check
eCoach or School
Loop group as the
year progresses.
Time
Notes
Variable
per
instructor.
This is the first
assessment of the year.
The consensus is that it
should encompass:
 30 MC (1 pt each)
 2 grid-in (10 pt
each)
 2 short response
(10 pt each)
 1 essay (30 pt)
100 pts total.