Biomolecule Research Project
What you are responsible for:
1. Learning as much as you can about one of the biomolecules (Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, and Nucleic Acids)
2. Creating an advertisement that has all the important information over your biomolecule
3. Teaching/ Selling your biomolecule to the class in an interesting and creative way.
How will I learn about my biomolecule that I am selling?
You will be placed in pairs to research and create your advertisement about one of the four classes of biomolecules.
Monday is the only day designated for in class research. You will be provided basic information about your biomolecule.
You are expected to go more in depth that what is provided to you and include pictures of your biomolecule. Anything
you do not finish in class will be homework due ____________ . Friday is scheduled to be in class time to make your
advertisement. You will be required to turn in a script and have a finished product by the end of Thursday. On Monday,
we will start presentations of your sales pitch for your biomolecule.
How will I be graded? You will be graded by your peers and your teacher based on the following rubric.
On target
3
Preparedness
Focus on task
Working with
others
Content written in
notes was correct and
highlighted the
important information
from the assigned part
of the text

Stays on task the
majority of time

Can self-redirect
without the
teacher
redirection
Student works as a
team player in the
small group to gain
information and to
help others


Quality of
teaching
product




Presentation
of
information
Product contained
all the
information
required
All information
was correct
Creative
presentation of
material
Clearly Organized
Presentation of
information to
home group was
organized,
understandable,
and accurate
Approaching the
target
2
Content written in notes
was somewhat correct
and mostly highlighted
the important
information from the
assigned part of the text

Somewhat stays
on task in expert
and home groups







Sometimes needs
redirection from
teacher
Student somewhat
works as a team
player in the small
group to gain
information and to
help others
Product contained
some of the
information
required
Some of the
information was
correct
Some creative
effort of material
Missing the target
1
Content written in notes
was not correct and does
not highlight the important
information from the
assigned part of the text


Rarely or Does Not
stay on task in expert
and home groups
Frequently needs
redirection from
teacher
Student did not work as a
team player in the small
group to gain information
and to help others




Product contained none
of the information
required
None of the
information
was correct
No effort was placed
into product
Not Organized
Somewhat organized
Presentation of
information to
home group was
somewhat
organized,
understandable,
and accurate

Presentation of
information to home
group was not
organized,
understandable, and
accurate
Biomolecule Research Project
Name of Presenter:
Please rate the way your expert taught you the biomolecule material using
the following rating system:
1
2
3
4
1= Expert presenter was hard to follow. I am so lost.
2= Expert presenter taught some of the material. I still need to study on
my own.
3= Expert presenter was mostly clear, some concepts I am still not certain
on.
4= Expert presenter clearly communicated the concepts in a way I get. I
know the material now.
Additional comments:
_
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Name of Presenter:
Please rate the way your expert taught you the biomolecule material using
the following rating system:
1
2
3
4
1= Expert presenter was hard to follow. I am so lost.
2= Expert presenter taught some of the material. I still need to study on
my own.
3= Expert presenter was mostly clear, some concepts I am still not certain
on.
4= Expert presenter clearly communicated the concepts in a way I get. I
know the material now.
Additional comments:
Biomolecule Research Project
Name of Partner:_________________________________
Please rate your partner and their participation during the project using the following rating system:
1
2
3
4
5
5 – Did an excellent job, took the lead on the project and completed most of it. My partner was great to work with; I
would want to work with them again on any project.
4 – Did a great job, my partner and I worked together as a team to complete to project. Our efforts were a 50/50 split.
3 – Did an okay job, my partner and I worked together but I did more of the work.
2 – Did the job, my partner and I worked on the project, but we did not work well together. I did most of the work.
1 – Didn’t do the job, my partner and I were assigned to work together but I did everything alone.
_
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Name of Partner: ________________________________
Please rate your partner and their participation during the project using the following rating system:
1
2
3
4
5
5 – Did an excellent job, took the lead on the project and completed most of it. My partner was great to work with; I
would want to work with them again on any project.
4 – Did a great job, my partner and I worked together as a team to complete to project. Our efforts were a 50/50 split.
3 – Did an okay job, my partner and I worked together but I did more of the work.
2 – Did the job, my partner and I worked on the project, but we did not work well together. I did most of the work.
1 – Didn’t do the job, my partner and I were assigned to work together but I did everything alone.
Biomolecule Research Project
Carbohydrates
Function:
Carbohydrates can be simple sugars or complex molecules containing multiple sugars.
Carbohydrates are used by the cells of the body in energy-producing reactions and as structural
materials. The three main types of carbohydrates you need to know are monosaccharides,
disaccharides, and polysaccharides. A monosaccharide, or simple sugar, is the simplest form of a
carbohydrate. The most important monosaccharide is glucose (C6H12O6), which is used in cellular
respiration to provide energy for cells. Monosaccharides with five carbons (C5H10O5) are used in
compounds such as genetic molecules (RNA) and high-energy molecules (ATP). A disaccharide is a
sugar consisting of two monosaccharides bound together. A polysaccharide is a carbohydrate
containing three or more monosaccharide molecules. Polysaccharides, usually composed of hundreds
or thousands of monosaccharides, act as a storage form of energy and as structural material in and
around cells. Starch, made solely of glucose molecules linked together, is the storage form of choice
for plants. Animals store much of their energy in the form of glycogen, which is most often found in
liver and muscle cells. Glycogen is formed by linking many glucose molecules together.
Made by:
Carbohydrates are generally made in the chloroplast; glucose is an example of a carbohydrate made in the
chloroplast a s a product of photosynthesis. Disaccharides are made when two sugar molecules are joined by
a reaction know as dehydration synthesis. A water molecule is removed to link the two sugars together. To
break the bond in a disaccharide or polysaccharide water is added to split the molecule into simple sugars, this
chemical reaction is called hydrolysis.
Examples:
The most important monosaccharide is glucose (C6H12O6), which is used in cellular respiration to
provide energy for cells. Common disaccharides include sucrose, maltose, and lactose. Sucrose, a
major energy carbohydrate in plants, is a combination of fructose and glucose; maltose, is a
combination of two glucose molecules; and lactose, found in dairy products, is a combination of
galactose and glucose. The most important carbohydrates for storing energy are starch and glycogen.
Two important structural polysaccharides are cellulose and chitin.
Structure:
Carbohydrates have the elements C, H, and O. Carbon, Hydrogen and oxygen are present in a 1:2:1
ratio. Sometimes carbohydrates appear as 6 sided ring structures.
Biomolecule Research Project
Lipids
Function:
Lipids are organic compounds used by cells as long-term energy stores or building blocks. Lipids are
hydrophobic and insoluble in water because they contain a hydrocarbon tail of CH2s that is nonpolar
and repellant to water. The most important lipids are triglycerides (fats), oils, steroids, and
phospholipids. They are not as easily metabolized as carbohydrates, yet they are a more effective
means of storage; for instance, one gram of fat provides two times the energy of one gram of
carbohydrate. Most of the fat found in animals is saturated, whereas plants tend to contain
unsaturated fats. Phospholipids and some steroids compose the cell membrane.
Made by:
Lipids are made by the smooth ER in cells.
Examples:
The most important lipids are fats, oils, steroids, waxes, and phospholipids. One example of a steroid is
cholesterol, an important structural component of cell membranes that serves as a precursor
molecule for another important class of steroids: the sex hormones (testosterone, progesterone, and
estrogen).
Structure:
Triglycerides (fats), are lipids made by combining glycerol and three fatty acids are used as long-term
energy stores in cells and insulation in organisms. Fats can be saturated or unsaturated. Saturated fat
molecules contain no double bonds. Unsaturated fats contain one (mono-) or more (poly-) double
bonds, which means that they contain fewer hydrogen molecules per carbon than do saturated fats.
Steroids are lipids composed of four carbon rings that look like chicken-wire fencing in pictorial
representations. Phospholipids have a hydrophilic head region and 2 hydrophobic tails.
Biomolecule Research Project
Proteins
Function:
A protein is a compound composed of chains of amino acids. Proteins have many functions in the
body—they serve as structural components, transport aids, enzymes, and cell signals, to name only a
few. An amino acid consists of a carbon center surrounded by an amino group, a carboxyl group,
hydrogen, and an R group. The R stands for "rest" of the compound, which provides an amino acid's
unique personal characteristics. For instance, acidic amino acids have acidic R groups; basic amino
acids have basic R groups, and so forth. Proteins can be found in the cell membrane to transport
molecules across the cell membrane.
Enzymes regulate the rate of chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy required for that
reaction.
Made by:
Proteins are made in the ribosomes of cells.
Examples:
Structural proteins include keratin in the hair and horns of animals and collagen in connective tissues, and silk
in spider webs. Transport proteins include hemoglobin which is responsible for transporting oxygen. Storage
proteins such as casein in milk and ovalbumin in egg white. Defensive proteins like antibodies provide
protection against foreign substances. Enzymes regulate the rate of chemical reactions.
Structure:
Primary structure. The order of the amino acids that make up the protein. Think of this like beads on a
string.
Secondary structure. Three-dimensional arrangement of a protein caused by hydrogen bonding at regular
intervals along the polypeptide backbone. This would be like the chain of amino acids folding upon
itself to make either a beta pleated sheet or an alpha helix.
Tertiary structure. Three-dimensional arrangement of a protein caused by interaction among the various
R groups of the amino acids involved.
Quaternary structure. The arrangement of separate polypeptide "subunits" into a single protein. Not all
proteins have quaternary structure; many consist of a single polypeptide chain.
Biomolecule Research Project
Nucleic Acids
Function:
The nucleic acids are the building blocks of living organisms. DNA is just one type of nucleic acid,
it is considered the blueprint for . Some other types are RNA, mRNA, and tRNA. All of these "NAs"
work together to help cells replicate and build proteins. DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.
RNA stands for ribonucleic acid. The mRNA and tRNA are messenger RNA and transfer RNA,
respectively. You may even hear about rRNA which stands for ribosomal RNA. They are called nucleic
acids because scientists first found them in the nucleus of cells. Now that we have better equipment,
nucleic acids have been found in mitochondria, chloroplasts, and cells that have no nucleus, such as
bacteria and viruses. ATP – adenosine triphosphate is the energy molecule in the cell. It transports
energy in the phosphate bonds, which is released when the bonds are broken. ATP is a
multifunctional nucleotide, most important as the "molecular currency" of intracellular energy
transfer.
Made by:
ATP is produced during cellular respiration in the mitochondria and is consumed by a multitude of
cellular processes. It is also incorporated into nucleic acids in DNA replication and transcription. DNA
and they various RNAs are formed in the nucleus.
Examples:
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid containing the genetic instructions used in the development
and functioning of all known living organisms. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) functions in converting genetic
information from genes into the amino acid sequences of proteins. tRNA serves as the carrier
molecule for amino acids to be used in protein synthesis, and is responsible for decoding the mRNA.
ATP, the energy molecule in the cell is another type of amino acid.
Structure:
There are five easy parts of nucleic acids. All nucleic acids are made up of the same building blocks
(monomers). Chemists call the monomers "nucleotides." The five pieces are uracil, cytosine,
thymine, adenine, and guanine. No matter what science class you are in, you will always hear
about ATCG when looking at DNA. Uracil is only found in RNA. Just as there are twenty (20) amino
acids needed by humans to survive, we also require five (5) nucleotides.
These nucleotides are made of three parts:
1. A five-carbon sugar
2. A base that has nitrogen (N) atoms
3. An ion of phosphoric acid known as phosphate (PO43-)
We already told you about the big nucleic acids (DNA, mRNA, tRNA). They are actually made up of
chains of base pairs of nucleic acids stretching from as few as three to millions. When those pairs
combine in super long chains (DNA), they make a shape called a double helix. The double helix
shape is like a twisted ladder. The base pairs are the rungs.
Biomolecule Research Project
Student note form
What is your biomolecule? ______________________________________
What is the function of your biomolecule:
Where is it made and how (if applicable):
What are examples of you biomolecule:
Sketch the structure of your biomolecule: