UnitPlan:Photosynthesis

byAmandaDiMaso

VirginiaSOL:
BIO.2Thestudentwillinvestigateandunderstandthechemicalandbiochemicalprinciples
essentialforlife.Keyconceptsinclude
a. thecapture,storage,transformation,andflowofenergythroughtheprocessesof
photosynthesisandrespiration.

PriorKnowledge:
ThebasisofallenergyonEarthisthesun.Plantscaptureradiantenergyfromthesun
andturnitintochemicalenergy.
Foodisneededforenergy.
TheenergymoleculeofthecellisATP.
Themitochondriaisthepowerplantofthecell.Itcreatesenergyforthecell.
Humansandanimalstakeinoxygenandreleasecarbondioxide.Plantsdothisaswellfor
cellularrespiration,butthealsotakeincarbondioxideforphotosynthesis.
GlucoseismadebyplantsduringphotosynthesisplantsANDanimalsusethatglucoseto
makeenergy(ATP)incellularrespiration.

Misconceptions:
Cellularrespirationoccursinanimalcellsonly.
Theenergythatweuseinfoodisnotfoundinsidethechemicalbonds.
Theenergyproducedduringrespirationstaysinthemitochondria.
Theplantsdonotusetheglucoseforenergy.

KeyQuestions:
Wheredowegettheenergyforourbodiesneeds?
Whatisenergy?Whataretheformsofenergy?Whatistheformofenergyourbody
uses?WhatisATP?
Howdochemicalsstoreenergyinbonds?Whydoweusethelastphosphategroupof
ATPinsteadofthesecondorfirstphosphategroup?
Whatarethereactantsandproductsoftheequationforcellularrespiration?
Howdoanimalsgetthereactantsforcellularrespirationandhowdotheyeliminatethe
wastesofcellularrespiration?
Whatisthedifferencebetweenaerobicandanaerobicrespiration?Whatarethemajor
examplesofthisinnatureandinthehumanbody?
Whatarethethreemainpartsofcellularrespiration?Whichmoleculesarethekey
playersineachpart?

EssentialUnderstandingandSkills:
Thebreakdownofnutrientmoleculesenablesallcellstostoreenergyinspecific
chemicalsthatareusedtocarryoutthelifefunctionsofthecell.
Plantcellsandmanymicroorganismsusesolarenergytocombinemoleculesofcarbon
dioxideandwaterintocomplex,energyrichorganiccompoundsandreleaseoxygeninto
theenvironment.
Theprocessofphotosynthesisprovidesavitalconnectionbetweenthesunandtheenergy
needsoflivingsystems.Duringphotosynthesis,cellstrapenergyfromsunlightwith
chlorophyll,foundinchloroplasts,andusetheenergy,carbondioxide,andwaterto
produceenergyrichorganicmolecules(glucose)andoxygen.Photosynthesisinvolves
anenergyconversioninwhichlightenergyisconvertedtochemicalenergyin
specializedcells.Thesecellsarefoundinautotrophssuchasplantsandsomeprotists.
Photosynthesisandcellrespirationarecomplementaryprocessesforcyclingcarbon
dioxideandoxygenaswellastransferringenergyinecosystems.
Cellsreleasethechemicalenergystoredintheproductsofphotosynthesis.Thisenergyis
transportedwithinthecellintheformofATP.Whencellsneedenergytodowork,
certainenzymesreleasetheenergystoredinthechemicalbondsinATP.
Explainhowlightistheinitialsourceofenergyformostcommunities.
Recognizetheequationsforphotosynthesisandrespirationandidentifythereactantsand
products.
DescribetheroleofATPinthestorageandreleaseofchemicalenergyinthecell.
Explaintheinterrelatednessofphotosynthesisandcellrespiration.
Plantcellsandmanymicroorganismsusesolarenergytocombinemoleculesofcarbon
dioxideandwaterintocomplex,energyrichorganiccompoundsandreleaseoxygeninto
theenvironment.
Theprocessofphotosynthesisprovidesavitalconnectionbetweenthesunandtheenergy
needsoflivingsystems.Duringphotosynthesis,cellstrapenergyfromsunlightwith
chlorophyll,foundinchloroplasts,andusetheenergy,carbondioxide,andwaterto
produceenergyrichorganicmolecules(glucose)andoxygen.Photosynthesisinvolves
anenergyconversioninwhichlightenergyisconvertedtochemicalenergyin
specializedcells.Thesecellsarefoundinautotrophssuchasplantsandsomeprotists.
Photosynthesisandcellrespirationarecomplementaryprocessesforcyclingcarbon
dioxideandoxygenaswellastransferringenergyinecosystems.
Explainhowlightistheinitialsourceofenergyformostcommunities.
Recognizetheequationsforphotosynthesisandrespirationandidentifythereactantsand
products.
Explaintheinterrelatednessofphotosynthesisandcellrespiration.

UnitPlanOutline

Day

Lesson

Virginia
SOL

Activities

Assessment

#1
1/5

LightandPigments

BIO.2d

ElectromagneticSpectrum
Exploration
EMSandPigmentNotes
ChromatographyDemo
AbsorptionSpectrumGraph
GroupWork

EMSLabActivity
Sheet
Absorption
SpectrumGraph
Sheet

#2
1/7

Introto
PhotosynthesisLeaf
andChloroplast
Structure

BIO.2d

WhatsInALeafQuestions
LeafDiskLab
OverviewofPhotosynthesis
PreziwithNotes

WhatsInaLeaf
Questions
LeafDiskLab
ActivitySheet

#3
1/9

LightDependentand
Independent

BIO.2d

StructureandPigmentQuiz
ElodeaInquiryLab
ReactionsofPhotosynthesis
Notes

Structureand
PigmentQuiz
ElodeaInquiryLab
WriteUp

#4
1/13

TheEnergyCycle

BIO.2d

PhotosynthesisFoldable
ComparingandContrasting
Photosynthesisand
RespirationNotes
Review

VennDiagram
Competition

#5
1/15

PhotosynthesisTest

BIO.2d

Review
Test

PhotosynthesisUnit
Test

*MissedDaysorAlteredSchedules

Alllessonsaredesignedfora90minuteblock.