Animals Activity 5.2 Tab 1

Target Student Performance

Students use molecular models to explain how polymers are broken into monomers during the process of digestion and monomers are linked into polymers during biosynthesis.

Note: This is a 2-turtle lesson, which is appropriate for advanced middle school or high school students and classes. If you decide not to teach this lesson, you can move directly from 5.1 to 5.3

Resources You Provide

  • scissors (1 per pair of students)
  • removable or re-stick tape (1 dispenser per pair of students)

Resources Provided

Recurring Resources

Setup

Prepare one Molecular Models 11 x 17 Placemat, one pair of scissors, one set of Forms of Energy Cards, and one removable tape dispenser for each pair of students. Print one copy of 5.2 Polymers for Cutting Handout for every four students. Cut each handout in half so you can give each pair one of each polymer (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) and the attached water molecules. Prepare a computer and a projector to display the PPT. Print and hang the Digestion and Biosynthesis 11 X 17 Posters, the Cow 11 x 17 Poster, and the Metabolic Pathways 11 x 17 Poster.