Megan Sharp
Basic Lab Considerations: Jell-O and Enzymes
1. Set Up
a. What quantity of materials is needed for each group/student?
i. Here is a list of materials that each group of 2-3 students will receive:
1. 4 plastic cups
2. Two 600 mL beaker
3. Small graduated cylinder
4. Three plastic knife’s
5. One cup of crushed ice
6. Fresh pineapple
7. Canned pineapple
8. Frozen pineapple
ii. Here is a list of materials that only the teacher will use/prepare:
1. Gelatin
2. 2 Hot plates
3. Bucket for ice
4. Ice
b. Space use in the room?
i. The students will the performing this lab at their assigned lab stations. All
of the materials will set up and ready for them to use, and there will be
two stations where the students can get the hot gelatin. The hot gelatin will
be located on opposite sides of the room on hot plates. This way hopefully
there will be no unnecessary traffic when the students need to get the hot
gelatin.
c. Lab stations clearly labeled?
i. I will pass out to the students all of their needed materials for the lab. I
will also explain to them where they can find the hot gelatin that they will
need later within the lab.
d. Sufficient work area for students?
i. The students will be working in groups of 2-3, and there will be two
groups working at each lab station.
2. Material Distribution
a. What materials do the students need?
i. In addition to the materials that I will be providing to the students, they
will also need a pencil and the Jell-O enzyme lab packet and Jell-O
worksheet
.
b. What is the most efficient way to get these materials to the students?
i. I will personally handout all of the needed lab materials to the students. I
will try to get this mainly done before class, but then if needed I will finish
up after I explain the lab. The main reason why I’ll personally hand out
the needed materials is to minimize a traffic jam, and to keep the students
on track.
3. Pre-Lab
a. Expectations/Objectives/purpose for the day
i. The students are expected to complete the lab portion in one period, and if
time allows they might have time to begin working on the post lab
discussion questions.
ii. Objectives: TSWBAT
1. Explain enzymes and substrates.
2. Describe the optimal conditions for enzyme activity.
3. Determine when Jell-O will set when combined with pineapple.
4. Explain the effects of pineapple on Jell-O and enzyme action.
iii. The purpose of this laboratory investigation is to explore the different
properties of enzymes to try and figure out why Jell-O won’t solidify with
fresh pineapple.
b. Safety considerations
i. Wear goggles at all times.
ii. Be careful when handling knifes.
iii. Wear gloves whenever working with the pineapples or other fruits.
iv. Do not eat or drink anything.
c. Overview of lab set-up
i. There will be two lab groups working at every lab station. Each group will
work on opposite sides of the lab table, giving each group optimal room to
perform the lab.
d. What to do if the lab is not completed within the hour?
i. If the students are unable to complete their lab because their gelatins aren’t
solidifying then we will place the plastic cups in the refrigerator. We will
then look at the results the next day in class, and then students will have
the rest of the class time to work on the post lab discussion questions.
e. How this lab fits in the curriculum
i. This lab could fit within two different chapters. It can fit within a
chemistry of life unit when specifically talking about chemical reaction
and enzymes (this is where I’d put this lab), and it can also fit within the
digestive system unit. Specifically when talking about digestive enzymes
and the roles they play within the body.
f. Clean up
i. The students will be responsible for cleaning up their lab stations. The
students will know that all the lab materials they used will need to be
cleaned and left at their lab stations for me to collect.
4. Hand outs
a. Procedure
i. The students will receive a lab handout that contains the following
information:
1. Introduction
2. Quick Review
3. Task of the day
4. Helpful background information
5. Safety
6. Procedures
7. Predicitons
8. Results
9. Post lab discussion questions
b. Data recording
i. Within the lab handout there will be a table for the students to record their
observations.
c. Application/Analysis
i. At the end on the lab handout packet there will be a worksheet of post lab
discussion questions that they students will need to complete.
5. Assessment
a. How do I assess whether or not the students are doing the lab properly?
i. To see whether or not the students are doing the lab properly will be based
on their results. Because if the students performed the lab correctly they
all should get the same results, and everyone’s data table should look the
same.
b. What will I have the students do with their data?
i. Using their data the students will then answer the post lab discussion
questions. They can also use the background information in the beginning
of the lab handout to help them answer the questions.
c. How will I know that the students have understood the concepts that the lab was
demonstrating?
i. I will know if the students understood the concepts that the lab is
demonstrating by their answers to the discussion questions, their
participation in the class discussion, and their answers to the questions in
the extension activity.
6. Post Lab
a. What to do with data/discussion
i. With their new knowledge about enzymes, the students will then do
research on the internet about how enzymes play an important role in our
everyday life. They will do this research activity after they have completed
the post lab discussion questions, and the in class discussion.
b. Taking stock of students progress
i. I will see how the students are progressing with this concept based on their
answers to the post lab questions, and extension activity.
c. What to do if not completed
i. If the students don’t complete the post lab discussion questions the first
day in class, then they will be due the following day. However, if the
actual lab portion goes into the second day as well, then the students will
have to finish the lab on the second day, and then they will get the
remaining time to complete the post lab discussion questions.
d. Preview of tomorrow
i. The preview will depend on how far the class got with the lab. But most
likely the next day will be an in class discussion of the post lab questions
and then in class time to work on the extension activity.