NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: Science Lesson Plan Submission
Science Lesson Plan Submission
Profile Report
Date Published: 05/19/2008
Page One
1. Lesson Plan Title:
Photosynthesis, Respiration, and the ATP-ADP Cycle
2. Subject Area:
Living Environment
3. Topic(s):
Photosynthesis
4. Suggested Grade Level:
10th
5. Standards Used and Source:
Source:: NYS Living Environment Core Curriculum
Standard(s) Used:: 5.1a, 5.1b, 5.1d, 5.1e
6. Size of class:
20-24
7. Please List Supplies Used and the number of each (1 per line):
5 bags each of red beans, black beans, and lima beans.
30 Ritter Dishes (clay planters/potting dishes)
30 pieces of construction paper (strips preferably)
5 bags of potting soil
5 containers of glue
5 packages of thin tipped markers
5 packages of thick tipped markers
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NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: Science Lesson Plan Submission
10 packages of sponges (green, brown, and light green)
10 tennis balls
8. Do any of these supplies need to be ordered in advance?
No
9. Which ones? (1 per line)
none
10. Post the lesson text or link here, or upload the lesson or extra materials in the next
section:
Photosynthesis, Respiration, and the ATP-ADP Cycle
Objective:
The objective of this activity will be to demonstrate the three processes of photosynthesis,
respiration, and the molecular interaction between ADP and ATP and the process by which
they lose and gain phosphates in the process of energy conversion. Students will learn
about chloroplasts by the construction and labeling of a chloroplast; aerobic respiration in
the
mitochondria by the construction and labeling of a mitochondrion; and the chemical
interaction of ADP and ATP by atomic modeling of ADP and ATP molecules as well as a
game.
Materials Needed:
(5) bags each of red beans, black beans, and lima beans.
(30) Ritter Dishes (clay planters/potting dishes)
(30) pieces of construction paper (strips preferably)
(5) bags of potting soil
(5) containers of glue
(5) packages of thin tipped markers
(5) packages of thick tipped markers
(10) packages of sponges (green, brown, and light green)
(10) tennis balls
Strategy:
Photosynthesis consists of the absorption of light by chlorophyll pigments and conversion
of this light to chemical energy. This occurs in organelles called chloroplasts on membrane
systems known as thylakoids. Respiration reverses the process of photosynthesis,
releasing the stored chemical energy. Respiration occurs in organelles called mitochondria.
ATP
consists of three parts, adenine, ribose, and (3) phosphate groups. Adenine when bonded
to ribose gives us adenosine. Adenosine plus three phosphate groups gives us ATP.
Adenosine bonded to two phosphate groups is ADP. In the energy production cycle in the
chloroplasts and mitochondria, energy is stored when ATP is produced from ADP and a
phosphate group "P".
The ATP/ADP cycle provides energy for cellular activity. When energy is necessary the
third phosphate group breaks off from ATP. This forms ADP and releases energy. When a
phosphate group is freed up, it may move on to another molecule in a process called
phosphorylation. The molecule gains both the phosphate group and the energy. ATP
synthesis is catalyzed by ATP synthetase. Photosynthesis, respiration and ATP/ADP are
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NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: Science Lesson Plan Submission
related. Photosynthesis stores energy, respiration releases it, and ATP is the central
molecule in this process.
The students will use the thin markers to mark the chemical symbols for each of the
ADP/ATP chemical components on the surface(s) of the beans. There will be (1) chemical
symbol marked on each bean.
?Red beans may be used to represent the carbons,
Lima beans to represent the hydrogens,
Black beans to represent oxygens,
White beans to represent the nitrogens;
Long grain rice will be used to represent the single and double bonds.
After the beans are marked, they will be chemically arranged to represent the structures of
the ATP/ADP molecules. The beans will be glued to a sheet of construction paper. After the
glue has dried, the construction paper with the beans will be placed in a Ritter dish. The
Ritter dishes will be at least half filled with soil and watered. The germination of the beans
will occur within a few days. This germination is followed closely by the beginning of the
photosynthetic process which we have been studying.
The students will each be issued 1-2 sponges. The students will carve the sponges into
chloroplasts. The residual sponge will be used create the thylakoids. Half beans will be
used to represent ATP synthetase molecules. A similar activity can be used to create
models of mitochondria.
Using tennis balls the students will play a game of catch to demonstrate the loss of 1
phosphate to form ADP from ATP and the gain of one phosphate to form ATP from ADP.
The first toss will represent ATP to ADP; the return toss will represent ADP to ATP and so
on. The process (the game of catch) will be repeated until the students have clearly
demonstrated their knowledge of the phosphate loss, phosphate gain process.
Performance Assessment:
?Students should be able to explain the ADP/ATP cycle with 90-95% accuracy after they
have completed both components of the exercise.
?Students should be able to relate the process directly and indirectly to chloroplast and
mitochodrial function with 80-90% accuracy.
?Students should be able to explain the gain of a phosphate and the loss of a phosphate
with the same degree of accuracy. This will be supplemented by a Timer-Board Activity.
What does the Timer-Board Activity consist of? The students will be asked individual terms
and vocabulary related to the activity which we have just completed.
Each participant will be given at least 60 seconds to define a particular term or answer a
particular question. Each student will be given (5) points for every correct response up to a
maximum of (50 points) for an "A" on the Timer-Board Activity. Total points will be written
on a preprinted scoring sheet beside the names of each of the students (our scoring sheet
is our scoring board). The scoring sheet is blocked off so that a number (5) in red ink can
be written in every block depending on how the student scores. There is a residual 2 1/2
points for answers that are not wrong but simply inaccurate.
11. Upload the file(s) here (gif,jpg,doc,xls,ppt)
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NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development: Science Lesson Plan Submission
12. Contact Information
First Name: Sarah
Last Name: Gribbin
Email Address: seg351@nyu.edu
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