Instructor’s Name:  Christina Stewart-Jordan

Subject:  Biology I- The Four Macromolecules

Date:  June 12, 2008

Period:  4th Period

Time: 50 Minutes

Objective(s):

The Student Will:

    1. Define, in their own words, the following:

    macromolecule, carbohydrate, lipid, nucleic acid, and protein (DOK1, Biology 2.e);

    2. Exhibit their understanding of these items by charting examples of the four

    macromolecules, on the board as a group (DOK1, Biology 2.e).

Materials:  

Textbook, 3-ring binder with 5 tabs, pen and/or pencil, loose leaf paper, and colored pencils.

Do Now:  

Define the five words- macromolecule, carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleic acid-on the board in your own words.  This is to be placed in the “Do Now” section of your notebooks.  And remember, it’s always a good idea to keep all of your notes headed correctly for practice.  

[Walk around and review responses.]

(5 minutes)

Set:  

“Does anyone remember talking about monomers and polymers during the school year?  What is a monomer?” (Molecules built from smaller, more simple molecules.)  “What is a polymer?”  (Repeated, linked units.)  

[If no one knows the definitions, turn to page 53 in Biology book, and have three students read one definition at a time, explaining the definition- like above- after each one.]

[Show monomers turning into polymers on the board.]

“Now, I want you to keep this in mind because this is a very important concept.  If you learn to categorize in a manner that you can understand, you’ve got biology!  [repeat in a different way, if necessary]  

“I need five individuals to volunteer to read their definitions.  If we don’t have any volunteers I will select the individuals myself.  Excellent!

[Read formal definitions below.]

1.  Carbohydrates are organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; they usually have two hydrogen atoms to one oxygen atom.  (Give Examples:  monosaccharides, disaccharides, & polysaccharides)  What is another name for carbohydrates, or mono-, di-, and polysaccharides?

a.  Monosaccharide Isomers: (C6H12O6)           [Show picture on page 55.]

i.  Glucose

ii. Fructose

iii.  Galactose

[Explain that they all have the same formula, but different structures, which is an isomer.]  Repeat differently, if necessary.

2.  Proteins are organic molecules made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.

a.  Protein Monomers                                       [Show picture on page 56.]

i.  The building blocks of proteins amino acids.  Amino acids are monomers of proteins.

3.  Lipids are large, nonpolar organic molecules that do not dissolve in water and store lots of energy.

a.  Fatty Acids-  Unbranched carbon chains with a carboxyl group (-COOH) on one end.

i.  Hydrophobic Tail-  Water “fearing”.  

ii.  Hydrophilic Head-  Water “loving”.          [Show picture on page 58.]

What other structure in the body do you remember resembles this? (cell membrane)

[Draw mock structure if needed.]

b. Waxes

i.  Long fatty acid chain, with a long alcohol (-OH) chain attached.  They are highly waterproof and form protective coatings.

4.  Nucleic acids are large organic molecules, which store the hereditary information for the cell.

(20 minutes)

 Now, I am going to number you according to the order of your definitions, which means that if you are number one, you will have the first definition, and so on.  Think of as many everyday items as you can that fit into your category.  You can get started right...now!”

[Walk around and review responses.]

“When you’re done, put your items on the board under your category.”

After student put responses on board, ask each:  “How did you come up with your ideas?  

Add other items to each list that relate to the lesson for each group. (5 minutes)

[Going to the second chart and pointing, respectively.]

Explain that those everyday examples we’ve just talked about are components of the four macromolecules.  Does anyone know what a component is?  If you have a component of something, that means that a particular item is made up of something else.  The component of carbohydrates is sugar; that of lipids is fats and waxes; that of proteins is nucleic acids; and that of nucleic acids is amino acids.  So today, you will be describing the components of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, which are all macromolecules. (5 minutes)

Procedure:  

1.  Before Class:  Design the chart for illustrating the four macromolecules on the board, numbering each to designate the group numbers.  Make an additional line graph, with the word “macromolecules”, four empty boxes (for the four macromolecules) branching from the box labelled “macromolecules”, and empty boxes branching from each of them (make two empty boxes branch from one of the empty boxes for the two components of “lipids”).  This will be filled in by the students, collectively, to be taken up at the end of class as an informal assessment.

2.  Begin teacher-led discussion (see above Set).

3.  Erase the board and review the students by asking them to put up their books and take out a clean sheet of paper and a writing utensil.  Tell the students that the quiz will be turned in at the end of class for credit.  Also, remind them to head their papers correctly to receive full credit.

Ask them to copy the chart from the board.  Then ask:  “Can someone tell me what the four macromolecules are?  (carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids)

[Fill in the chart to their correct answers]

Now, number under your chart from numbers 1 through 4, and write in your own words, the definitions to each of the four macromolecules (See definitions in above Set).

[10 points total]  

(10 minutes)

Closure:

[Have students turn papers over]:

What biological examples you can think of that fit into this category? (DNA and RNA)

The four macromolecules we’ve just uncovered are components of DNA and RNA, which is going to be our topic for discussion next week.  DNA and RNA are very important in creating the genetic material that we see physically expressed as genes (eye color, hair color, height, etc.)  So, lets review!  Review their definitions as a group.  Place an emphasis on the components of each macromolecule.  Turn in your papers before you leave.  (5 minutes)

Assessment/ Evaluation:

Objectives:  

    •     1.  Define, in their own words, the following:

    macromolecule, carbohydrate, lipid, nucleic acid, and protein (DOK1, Biology 2.e)

    a.  Informal

    i.  Allow the students to recall their definitions, written in their own words, aloud.

    b.  Formal

    i.  The students will receive a grade for the closure activity (to be turned in) to determine

    if the students     understand the four macromolecules, their definition.

    •    2. Exhibit their understanding of these items by charting the components of the

    four macromolecules, on the board as a group and completing group work to be turned in

    for an informal assessment (DOK1, Biology 2.e).

    a.  Informal

    i.  Allow the students to recall their definitions, written in their own words, aloud.

    ii.  Listen to students’ response and allow them to chart their ideas of examples of each     

    macromolecule into categories as a group.

    b.  Formal

    i.  The students will receive a grade for the closure activity to determine if the students     

    understand the four macromolecules, their definitions, and examples of each (for extra

    credit).

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