UKanTeach 5E Lesson Plan
Author (s): Sara Hettenbach
Team Members: Rachel Sites
Title of Lesson: Lipids and Cell Membranes
Lesson # 4
Date lesson will be taught: Monday, November 18
Grade level: Freshmen Biology
Lesson Source (kit, lesson):
Concepts/Main Idea – in paragraph form give a broad, global statement about the concepts and vocabulary you want students to
understand as a result of doing this activity: Water is a very important molecule for life, and it has a many specific properties that make it so versatile. Because
oxygen is much more electronegative than hydrogen, the oxygen contains a partial negative charge and the hydrogen atoms have a partial positive charge. Water
has the property of being polar, meaning that it has slight charges that allow it to interact with other molecules in different ways. These charges make water
attracted to itself, causing surface tension. The term hydrophilic is given to polar molecules that have a charge and can interact with water. The trait of being nonpolar means that a molecule does not have a charge, and therefore does not interact with water, a term called hydrophobic. Lipids are very important molecules that
have both polar and non-polar ends, causing them to always orient themselves into a bi-layer. This bi layer seals non-polar or hydrophobic ends of lipids away from
water while allowing hydrophilic, polar ends of the lipid to interact with water. These bi-layers make up our cell membranes and also contain membrane proteins that
allow water (and other substances) in and out of the cell.
Objective/s- Be specific; prioritize; include higher-order objectives; be Evaluation
sure they are measurable. Write objectives in SWBAT form…
The Students Will Be Able To:
Differentiate between polar and non-polar molecules.
Relate the vocabulary ‘hydrophilic’ and ‘hydrophobic’ to polar and nonpolar.
Understand why something is polar or non-polar; this comes from a
general understanding of electronegativity.
Conceptualize a lipid bi-layer, and why it forms.
Recognize the importance of cell membranes.
In the space below, explain the type(s) of evaluation that will provide evidence
that students have learned the objectives of the lesson (formative and
summative). You will provide student copies at the end of the lesson.
What is this membrane made up of?
Label the polar and non-polar areas on this membrane.
Now label the hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts of this membrane.
NGSS and Common Core Standards
NGSS S&EP 1: Asking questions.
NGSS S&EP 2: Developing and using models.
NGSS S&EP 6: Constructing explanations.
HS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of interacting systems that provide specific functions within
multicellular organisms.
S.3.1.1.a&b: Each cell is surrounded by a membrane that controls the flow of materials into and out of the cell; Proteins embedded in the
membranes help carry out specific life processes such as transport and recognition.
S.3.7.1: Understands differences in structure and function among organisms and can identify the characteristics of relevant life forms.
CCSS.M.P.MP3: Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.4: Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms, and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used
in a specific scientific or technical context relevant to grades 9-10 texts and topics.
Materials list (BE SPECIFIC about quantities)
Accommodations: Include a general statement and any
for Whole Class:
specific student needs
Two 2 liter pop bottles, without labels.
4 cups of oil
8 cups of blue water
4 cups of green water
The explore activity includes getting up and moving around
the classroom to form a lipid bi-layer out of people. This
should offer students with attention disabilities to get up
and move around the classroom. A schedule of events will
also be mentioned at the beginning of class, and detailed
instruction will also to help accommodate students that
have attention or anxiety problems.
per Group:
15 Styrofoam balls
30 pipe cleaners
3 ‘tubes’
per Student:
“Polar” and “non-polar” sign. Polar = blue paper, non-polar = red paper
Students with mobile disabilities will still be included in the
explore activity, as it does not require a lot of motion.
They can stay seated in place and still participate in the
activity.
Advance preparation:
Make the polar and non-polar signs.
Organize the Styrofoam balls and pipe cleaners
Put the correct amount of oil and water into plastic bags, to be mixed into the pop bottles
during lesson.
Safety: Include a general statement and any specific
safety concerns
Include handouts at the end of this lesson plan document (blank page provided)
Students will be instructed not to run during the explore
activity, and also be warned about possible sharp edges on
the pipe cleaners for the explain activity. A safe
environment should be created for all students; one that
exhibits respect for other students, and encourages
discussion without fear of rejection.
Engagement: Estimated Time: ___10 minutes_______
What the teacher does AND how will the teacher
direct students: (Directions)
Probing Questions: Critical questions that
will connect prior knowledge and create a
“Need to know”
Expected Student Responses AND Misconceptions think like a student to consider student responses
INCLUDING misconceptions:
Teachers will re-cap the lesson from Friday by
discussing the properties of water that students
remember.
What are some of the properties of water
that you remember from Friday?
“It is polar.”
“The oxygen has a negative charge and the
Hydrogen has a positive charge”
“It has surface tension because of these charges”
In one bottle, 4 cups of oil will be mixed with 4
cups of water that has been dyed blue. Students
will be told that the blue liquid is water, but not
told what the oil is.
The oil and water will not mix, because the oil is
non-polar and the water is polar.
What do you think the other liquid is?
What do you think will happen when we mix
this liquid with water?
Why did these two substances not mix?
“Water” “Oil” “Vinegar”
“They will mix together” “They will not mix”
In the other bottle, 4 cups of water dyed blue will
be mixed with 4 cups of water that has been dyed
red. Students will not be told what the red liquid
is.
The two liquids will mix together, because both
are polar substances.
What do you think the red liquid is?
What will happen when red liquid is mixed
with water?
Why did these substances mix?
“Oil” “Water” “Vinegar”
“They will not mix” “They will mix together”
“They are both polar”
“They are both water”
Teachers will write the word polar on the board,
and ask students to describe what that means.
Then, teachers will write the word non-polar on
the board and ask students what they think it
means.
“What does this word mean?”
“One end of a molecule has more electrons than the
other end”
“A molecule has a charge”
“What does this word mean?”
“something not polar”
“The opposite of polar”
“A molecule has equal charges on each end.”
Teachers will have pre-measured portions of water
and oil that will be mixed into the 2 liter pop
bottles.
“One is polar and the other one isn’t”
“Oil and water do not mix”
“They do not like each other”
Teachers will keep the definitions of polar and
non-polar on the board. Teachers will then write
hydrophobic on the board.
Teachers will draw a line connecting non-polar and
hydrophobic.
Teachers will write the word ‘hydrophilic’ on the
board.
Draw a line connecting polar and hydrophilic.
“What do you think this word means?”
“Do you know what the suffix ‘phobic’
means?”
“Do you know what the pre-fix ‘hydro’
means?”
“So what do you think hydrophobic means?”
“If something is ‘afraid’ of water, would it be
polar or non-polar?”
“Afraid of ‘hydro’”
“Afraid of”
“What do you think this word means?”
“Do you know what the suffix ‘philic’
means?”
“Do you know what the pre-fix ‘hydro’
means?”
“So what do you think hydrophilic means?”
“If something is ‘afraid’ of water, would it be
polar or non-polar?”
“likes of ‘hydro’”
“likes”
“attracts to”
“Water”
“Water”
“Afraid of water”
“Non-Polar”
“Likes water”
“Polar”
*These definitions will be kept on the board for
students to refer back to throughout the lesson.
Teacher Decision Point Assessment:
Students are able to describe why something is polar, or non-polar. Students
also are able to understand the vocabulary ‘hydrophobic’ and ‘hydrophilic’,
and how they relate to polar and non-polar.
Exploration: Estimated Time: __15 minutes________
What the teacher does AND what the teacher
will direct students to do: (Directions)
Probing Questions: Critical questions that
will guide students to a “Common set of
Experiences”
Teachers pass out signs to each student. These
signs will consist of on blue piece of paper and
one red piece of paper connected opposite of
each other, so that the blue paper can be
oriented on their front side, and the red can be
oriented on their back.
Teachers will explain that the blue piece
represents polar or hydrophilic, and the red
represents non-polar or hydrophobic.
Teachers will introduce themselves as water
molecules.
Teachers will ask students to get up out of their
chairs and orient themselves following these
rules:
Teachers (water molecules) must not be
able to see/touch the red (hydrophobic side) of
the students.
Students must be linked (locked arms) with
two other students that are facing the same
direction.
Teachers try to get in between the two circles;
should not be able to because students’ arms are
locked.
“What does hydrophilic mean?”
“What does hydrophobic mean?”
“What does polar mean?”
“What does non-polar mean”
Expected Student Responses AND Misconceptions think like a student to consider student responses
INCLUDING misconceptions:
“Likes water”
“Does not like water”
“Is unevenly charged, like water”
“Likes water/hydrophilic”
“Does not like water/hydrophobic”
“How can you orient yourselves so that we
cannot see your hydrophobic side?”
“What if water is inside of the circle you just
made?”
*Teachers make sure they are on both sides
of the student ‘line’.
“We can form a circle.”
“Can we (water) get into the hydrophobic
part of your circles?”
“Why not?”
“No”
“Because the red side is hydrophobic and you can’t
get there/are afraid of hydrophobic.”
“We could make another circle inside of this one, but
with the hydrophilic/polar sides facing in, towards the
water on the inside of the circle.”
Once students have made concentric circles with
their polar/hydrophilic /blue sides facing
opposite ways, they will be instructed to sit back
down in their seats.
Teacher Decision Point Assessment:
Students should form themselves into a double-layer ‘membrane’ that
connects into a circle.
Explanation: Estimated Time: ___15 minutes_______
What the teacher does AND what the teacher will direct
students to do: (Directions)
Clarifying Questions: Critical
questions that will help students
“Clarify their Understanding” and
introduce information related to the
lesson concepts & vocabulary – check
for understanding (formative
assessment)
Expected Student Responses AND
Misconceptions - think like a student to
consider student responses INCLUDING
misconceptions:
Teachers will re-draw the circles that students just made on the
board, coloring in blue on the outside and inside of the circle.
“Do you know what you just made?”
Teachers will project the structure of a lipid onto the white
board, and label the polar and non-polar sides.
http://bio1151.nicerweb.com/Locked/media/ch05/bilayer.html
Teachers will introduce the idea of a cell membrane.
Project a picture of a typical lipid bi-layer.
“If we told you that this end of this
molecule is polar, and this end is nonpolar, how do you think a lot of them
would orient themselves in water?”
“No”
“It goes around a cell”
“I don’t know”
“Hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules”
“Polar and non-polar molecules”
Explain that cells are enclosed by a phospholipid bi-layer.
Provide each desk group with 15 Styrofoam balls and 30 pipe
cleaners. Ask them to make a model of a cell membrane using
them.
*Maybe have blue construction paper/tissue paper to
represent water?
Teacher Decision Point Assessment:
“What do you think a cell membrane
is?”
“What do you think a cell membrane
is made up of?”
“Why does this bi-layer form?”
“Something that goes around a cell”
“Molecules” “Polar molecules” “Non-Polar
Molecules”
“How could a membrane like this be
useful to a cell?”
“It can keep water in or out of a cell”
“In your model, what does the
Styrofoam ball represent”
“What does the pipe cleaner
represent?”
“Why did you arrange your model this
way?”
“Which end is the polar end?”
“Which end is the non-polar end?”
“The hydrophilic head/part of the lipid”
“The hydrophobic tail/part of the lipid”
“Because the hydrophobic part of the lipid
cannot touch water”
“The hydrophilic/ball end”
“The hydrophobic/pipe cleaner end”
Students have an understanding about the hydrophobic effect, which causes a lipid bi-layer
to form.
Elaboration: Estimated Time: ____5 minutes______
What the teacher does AND what the teacher
will direct students to do: (Directions)
Probing Questions: Critical questions that
will help students “Extend or Apply” their
newly acquired concepts/skills in new
Expected Student Responses AND Misconceptions think like a student to consider student responses
INCLUDING misconceptions:
situations
Take a closer look at the projected illustration of
the bi-layer, and discuss what the proteins
are/what they could be used for.
http://citadel.sjfc.edu/students/cmg03165/eport/vsg/vsg.htm (just the photo will be used)
“What do you think these large pieces going
through the membrane are?”
“What could they be used for”
“Holes”
“Tubes”
“Let stuff in and out of cells”
Introduce the idea of membrane proteins using a
cup/hollow tube and inserting it in one of the
students’ models.
Use the vocabulary word ‘semi-permeable’
“What do you think the cell uses this for?”
“Transporting things”
“What do you think semi-permeable
means?”
“Kind of permeable”
“I don’t know”
Teacher Decision Point Assessment:
Students understand that cell membranes are much more complex than just a
lipid bi-layer, and this allows cells to transport things in and out of the cell.
Evaluation: Estimated Time: ___5 minutes_______
Critical questions that ask students to demonstrate their understanding of the lesson’s performance objectives.
Formative Assessment(s): In addition to the final assessment (bell ringer or exit slips), how will you determine students’ learning within this lesson:
(observations, student responses/elaborations, white boards, student questions, etc.)?
During the engage, the students should form a bi-layer if they understand the properties of polar/non-polar.
During the explain, they will be able to design and explain a cell membrane.
Ask students questions throughout the lesson.
Utilize the big marker boards and have students’ desk group write answers up and show to the front answers to our questions if the class is not willing to
speak up.
Students’ body language will be noted. Ie. If they seem confident or are unwilling to answer questions.
Summative Assessment: Provide a student copy of the final assessment/exit slips or other summative assessments you use in the lesson
Label the polar and non-polar areas on this membrane.
Label the hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas on this membrane.
What is this membrane made of, and why does it form?
Rubric for Summative Assessment:
Polar
Non-Polar
Polar
Phospholipid bi-layer, orientation forms because of the polarity of water, and the like "polarity" of the lipids.