Plants Activity 5.3 Overview

Target Student Performance

Students explain how matter moves and changes and how energy changes during biosynthesis in a potato plant’s cells.

Note: This lesson should be taught, regardless of if you taught only Activity 5.1 or both Activities 5.1 and 5.2. However, the language you use and the responses you should expect from your students will be different. Students who did 5.2, molecular modeling, should use the terms “polymers” and “monomers” in their explanations of digestion and biosynthesis, including the names of specific polymers (e.g., proteins, fats and carbohydrates) and monomers (e.g., amino acids, fatty acids, glycerol). Students who only did 5.1 should use the terms "large organic molecules" and "small organic molecules" rather than polymers and monomers and use the names of specific large organic molecules (e.g., proteins, fats and carbohydrates) only. Throughout the PPT, you will find both sets of vocabulary.

Resources You Provide

Resources Provided

Recurring Resources

Setup

Print one copy of the 5.3 Explanations Tool for Potato Biosynthesis for each student. If you are using it, print one copy of the Big Idea Probe: Houseplant for a Busy Family for each student. Prepare a computer and a projector to display the PPT. Print and hang the Digestion and Biosynthesis 11 x 17 Posters. In this activity, your students will need to use the Three Questions Explanation Checklist on the back of the Three Questions Handout. Be sure to have this available to students, and see the notes in the Modifications at the end of the Activity for ideas about how to use it.