Module 4-
Chemistry, Properties of Water, and Biochemistry
The 4.3 and 4.4 sections of the module have been completed, but the 4.1 and
4.2 sections of the module still need activities, essential questions, and
misconceptions.
Standards
B.1.1, B.1.2, B.1.3, B.3.2
Section 4.1 & 4.2 Chemistry- Terms
Acidity
polar
ions
cohesion
adhesion
pH
reactants
products
non-polar
covalent
capillary action
Alkalinity
compounds
base
solute
Solvent
solution
Section 4.3 & 4.4 Biochemistry- Terms
Lipid
carbohydrate
protein
carbohydrate
nucleic acid
Monomer
polymer
Phospholipid
saturated fats
unsaturated fats
amino acids
nucleotide
Cellulose
steroids
enzymes
substrate
Macromolecule
Activation energy
glucose
starch
polypeptide
Student Misconceptions:
Enzymes are only able to be used once.
Proteins give you energy.
Enzymes are “killed” by heat.
All carbohydrates are the same.
Starch is not a sugar.....it is something else.
Hormones are not fats.
Essential Questions:
What are the essential elements of life and why they necessary?
What organic macromolecules make up living organisms?
How does the shape of a molecule affect its function?
What important roles do enzymes play in cellular processes?
What external factors can affect the function of an enzyme?
***Why is water necessary for life?
Possible Student Learning Objectives:
1. Understand that Carbon is the molecule of life and is unique in the way that
it can form bonds.
2. Identify the properties of all 4 types of organic molecules and provide an
example of each.
3. Describe the structural composition of all 4 types of organic molecules.
4. Explain that enzymes are proteins which catalyze reactions by reducing
activation energy.
5. Discover that enzymes are reusable and cannot be used up.
6. Describe how the enzyme substrate complex works.
7. Predict how enzymes can be affected by environmental conditions such as
pH and temperature.
Sequence of Instruction:
4.1-Basic Chemistry – including pH – To be developed.
4.2-Water and its properties- To be developed
4.3 Biochemistry Paradigm: White board a menu and complete- “Whats in My
Lunch” Lab Activity (SLO 1, 2 and 3)
4.3.1 Activity- How Much Are You Worth? Students look at the individual
elements that make up living organisms. (SLO 1)
4.3.2 Activity: Gooey Gooey Gumdrops- Students will build monomers of
macromolecules. (SLO 1 and 3)
4.3.3 Macromolecule Card Sort (SLO 2)
4.3.4 Macromolecule Foldable (SLO 1,2 and 3)
4.4- Enzymes Paradigm- Demonstration (SLO 4)
4.4.1 Toothpickase (SLO 4 and 5)
4.4.2 Build an Enzyme Activity (SLO 5 and 6)
4.4.3 Calculating Enzymes Activity (SLO 7)
4.4.4 Either Tide Meets Jell-O or Pineapples and Bromelain activity (SLO 5, 6 and
7)
4.4.5 Enzyme/Substrate Micro-eye Diagram Worksheet (Quiz)
4.3 and 4.4 Assessment
Teacher Notes:
4.1 Basic Chemistry – Including pH to be developed
4.2 Water and its Properties- To be developed
4.3 Biochemistry Paradigm (2 days)
1. Have students white board the following: Create a menu for your school
lunch that meets all of your nutritional needs.
2. Conduct a board meeting and compare boards. Be sure to illicit terms such
as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and fats.
3. Show students http://www.choosemyplate.gov/ on projector and look at the
requirements for some of these molecules.
4. Discuss and demonstrate how to use and interpret the results for the
indicators used in “Whats in My Lunch”.
5. What’s in My Lunch Lab Set Up- Get a student lunch from the cafeteria one
day before the lab or the day of the lab. It helps to have the indicators in
dropper bottle and labeled. To run the reaction with the Benedicts solution,
be sure to have hot water on hand.
6. Have students whiteboard their results and conclusions from this lab
activity. Encourage them to use a T chart for all results.
7. Lead students in a discussion of what makes up these molecules found in this
lab. Try to illicit the 6 main elements of life.
4.3.1- How Much Are You Worth? – You may want to encourage students a day in
advance to bring in their calculator.
4.3.2- Gooey Gooey Gumdrops Activity
Gumdrops can be sorted into plastic baggies. Use the chemical formula chart in
the activity pages to determine the number of different color gumdrops you want
to place in each baggie. You will want to make enough baggies so that you have an
equal number of examples for each organic molecule model. You do not need to
make Carbon the same for each baggie. One groups Carbon might be red and
another groups Carbon might be purple. You can have students complete the
activity in pairs.
NOTE: Once complete, teacher may choose to show pictures of chemical
structures of monomers to students for future reference.
4.3.3- Macromolecule Card Sort
1. You might want to cut out the cards and laminate them for future use.
2. Give each group one set of cards. Refer back to previous activities and
explain that we are now going to try to classify different substances as a
protein, lipid, nucleic acid, or carbohydrate. Hopefully, students will make
connections between the examples. For instance, they should start to see
patterns such as words ending in –ose fall under the carbohydrate category.
Glucose is a sugar so therefore, students may make the connection that
lactose and fructose are sugars as well.
3. Student could tape the words directly onto the whiteboards as they classify
them.
4. Once, students are done sorting the cards, conduct a whiteboard meeting to
discuss group results.
4.3.4- Macromolecule Foldable- students can use textbooks and other resources
to complete the foldable.
4.4- Enzyme Paradigm Demonstration- Light a match and/or a Cheeto to show
students activation energy. Help them to understand that reactions need
energy to start. Students could journal observations.
4.4.1- Toothpickase- Each group will need 200 toothpicks and 100 paperclips
4.4.2- Build an Enzyme Activity
Students are instructed to make 2 puzzle pieces that fit together. They can do
this on card stock, by using foam, or construction paper. If using construction
paper, use only one color so that all puzzle pieces will be the same color and
students cannot match them by color. Collect one side of their puzzle and then
pass them out randomly. Instruct students to find their “match”. Use this
activity to introduce terms such as substrate, active site, product, enzyme
substrate complex. Have students draw their picture of their model on
individual whiteboards if they have them. You can help them label all the parts
by showing an example on the board.
4.4.3- Calculating Enzyme Activity
4.4.4- Choose either the Tide Meets Jell-O or Pineapple Bromelain Lab
For the Tide Meets Jell-O Lab- In advance, prepare two test tubes per group
with gelatin. You will also need different types of detergent.
For the Pineapple Bromelain Lab, you will need to prepare one petri dish with
gelatin per group.
Extension of Laundry Detergent Lab- Temperature and pH can be addressed in
this lab in multiple ways. For instance, add sodium bicarbonate to the detergent
change the pH. One reaction could also be run in an ice bath.
4.4.5- Enzyme Substrate Micro-eye Diagram Worksheet- can be uses a quiz