Karen A. Beitler
Each living molecule has a structure and a function. Man has made many polymers whose structure and functions are based on natural compositions. The lesson plans are designed to help students make the connections between the inorganic and the organic.
Students will first explore man made polymers. Starting with atoms, students build on their knowledge of polymers through a virtual field trip which results in a poster and completed worksheet. Teachers then have the option to extend this lesson by using cooked spaghetti to demonstrate polymer reactions and using a borax solution to make polymers in the classroom. The website for the Virtual Field Trip also has a connection to careers.
The second activity in Lesson Plan 1 is a pre/post test and two worksheets with a supportive website that reviews macromolecules. Following the man-made polymer lesson students should begin to see the similarities between inorganic and organic molecules. This activity is also follow by an optional extension; a polymer game and recipe for making polymers in the classroom, or a 'homework' website that contains a series of puzzles and games to help memorize facts about macromolecules.
Lesson plan 2 is intended to help the student see macromolecules in foods using a few reagents as indicators of the presence of carbohydrates, starch, lipids, and proteins. The reagent kit was purchased and the information of how to get one is provided. Teachers would need to acquire Benedict's solution, Iodine, Biuret reagent and Sudan IV as reagents if they do not purchase the kit. This lesson was planned to be completed over a few days with these specific foods; turkey slices, cheese, lettuce, tomato, a sandwich wrap, and mayonnaise.
A handout is provided in the appendix and students will test for a different macromolecule over one or two days. The ingredients chosen are specific because they are used in the inquiry lesson at the end of the unit where the students is given a sandwich wrap and have to determine which macromolecules the wrap contains. The ingredients can also help the teacher lead into a lesson about nutrition to complement the lesson. The third activity is an inquiry lesson where student use what they learned about testing for macromolecules to determine and compare the components in different types of milk.
Lesson Plan 3 has students building monomers and polymers. The first activity is teacher driven. The teacher models how to build a monomer and then make a series of monomers into polymers using either multicolored marshmallows or gumdrops and toothpicks. The second activity has students using vegetables to build models of macromolecules from line drawings on a worksheet (provided in the appendix). From these activities students will discover the differences in physical and chemical structure of the macromolecules.
Lesson Plan 4 is an inquiry based lesson plan where pairs of student receive a multi-ingredient food item and plan how to find out which macromolecules are present. The added reward is the students get to eat the 'leftovers' there were untested. Lab Activities are planned for one 45 minute period each.