UNIT: Biological Macromolecules

SWW 9th grade Biology

Guiding Question: ​What is the minimum cost of feeding a child all the necessary
macronutrients in the DC area?

NGSS Standards:
- HS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structure and Processes
- HS-LS1-6
- Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon,
hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other
elements to form amino acids and/or other large carbon-based molecules.
- LS1.C Organization for Matter and Energy Flow in Organisms
- LS1.C.2
- The sugar molecules thus formed contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen:
their hydrocarbon backbones are used to make amino acids and other
carbon-based molecules that can be assembled into larger molecules
(such as proteins or DNA), used for example to form new cells.
- LS1.C.3
- As matter and energy flow through different organizational levels of living
systems, chemical elements are recombined in different ways to form
different products.

Unit Objectives:
- Students will differentiate between the four groups of biological macromolecules (i.e.
carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids).
- Students will compare and contrast the differences in structure and function of
each macromolecule.
- Students will explain and model how polymers of each macromolecule are synthesized
from their respective monomers.
- Students will apply their knowledge of macromolecules to guide the design of a
nutrient-rich recipe that could be used to feed thousands of people in DC.

Project Products:
- Class-designed rubric
- Proposal presentation
- Nutrition facts sheet
- Social media post

Day-by-day Outline
- Day 1
- Group preferences survey
- HW: loose guidelines/learning outcomes (for rubric)
 - Create rubric → record live students’ guidelines for answering the project
question
- Day 2
- Present rubric and project guidelines
- Worksheet → fill out as a group (class time)
- Brainstorm so that next class you can create a draft outline
- Group contract
- Day 3
- Mind maps
- Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis
- Finalize plan for social media post - students should be in the process of creating
the video
- Day 4
- Updated what do we know/what do we want to know
- Metabolism and enzymatic function
- First draft of nutrition label should be done
- Whole class peer review (Gallery walk)
- Groups meet to discuss peer review and make adjustments accordingly
-
- Day 5
- First draft of video/graphic(s) should be done
- Peer review/group swap session
- Breakout group time to finalize presentations/nutrition labels
- Day 6
- Peer critique/feedback
- Kahoot about student presentations
- Alison critique/feedback

Most important things to do (notes for myself)

Date: ​November 10, 2020

Time:​ 9:35-11:05am (90 minutes)

Objectives:
- Students will be introduced to the project outline/timeline and will understand the
learning outcomes and expectations.
- Students will define their own guidelines for the project and create a rubric accordingly.
- Students will identify and distinguish between the structures and functions of the four
types of macromolecules.

Agenda:
1. “Low-stakes” warm-up (5 min)
a. What did you eat for breakfast? (If you didn’t eat anything for breakfast, what will
you eat after class/for lunch?)
2. Project introduction
a. Discuss real-world context of project
i. Food insecurity in DC (local community connection)
1. Warm-up discussion (8 min)
2. What is the cheapest meal you can find in DC?
ii. World Food Program USA (global community connection)
1. Guiding question: Is it possible to feed a child all the
recommended macro and micronutrients on $3.75 per day?
3. Mini-lecture: Introduction to macromolecules (10 min)
a. What do we know? What do we want to know?
4. Breakout rooms → Research special nutritional products in groups
a. Fortified Blended Foods (FBFs)
b. Ready-to-Use Foods (RUFs)
c. High Energy Biscuits (HEBs)
d. Lipid-based nutrient supplement (LNS)
5. HW: finish research and share google docs with me; submit survey response for group
preferences!!

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Lesson 2 Outline

Date: ​November 13, 2020

Time:​ 9:35-11:05am (90 minutes)

Objectives:
- Students will define their own guidelines for the project and create a rubric accordingly.
 - Students will identify and distinguish between the structures and functions of the four
types of macromolecules.
- Students will create a group contract for the project.

Agenda:
1. “Low-stakes” warm-up (5 min)
a. What’s one interesting thing you learned over the weekend?
b. What is a TV show you would recommend?
c. It’s Friday the 13th!! What’s something you’re superstitious about?
2. WFP specialized food products presentations (20 min)
a. Peer comments/questions on google doc
b. Presenters address a few of them at the end of each presentation
3. Warm up #2
a. Which macromolecule is the most important? Brief class discussion
b. Google doc for questions/comments from peers
4. Share groups with students
5. Meet with project groups in breakout rooms
a. Complete group contract and pick presentation option
b. Macromolecules worksheet
c. Rubric (if i still decide to do this)

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Lesson 3 Outline

Date: ​November 17, 2020

Time:​ 9:35-11:05am (90 minutes)

Objectives:
- Students will compile information needed for nutrition labels for their food plan/product
- Students will compare and contrast dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis
- Students will be introduced to endergonic and exergonic energy transformations

Agenda:
1. Warm up 1
2. Warm up 2
a. Washington Post article (7-8 min to read)
b. 1-2 min discussion in class/chat
3. Concept map: Review of macromolecules (5-8 min)
a. info from Day 2 worksheet
b. Share concept maps (2-3 min)
i. Broad discussion questions
1. What is a monomer?
 2. What is a polymer?
3. How does a monomer relate to a polymer?
4. Review worksheet answers in project groups, discuss what they got wrong and why
5. Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis summary (10 min)
6. Asynchronous/HW
a. Create food plan, draft nutrition facts + cost breakdown
b. Dehydration synthesis/hydrolysis worksheet

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Lesson 4 Outline

Date: ​November 20, 2020

Time:​ 9:35-11:05am (90 minutes)

Objectives:
- Students will relate calories to human metabolism
- Students will examine how enzymes are involved in metabolism
- Students will compare and contrast anabolism and catabolism
- Students will provide meaningful feedback on their peers’ projects

Agenda:
1. Warm up 1
2. Warm up 2
a. Think of anything we have covered so far that you are confused or have lingering
questions about and type it in the chat. Thumbs-up react to any questions/topics
that you feel like you might be able to talk about. (8 min)
3. Interactive lecture (10 min)
a. Energy transformations, ATP cycle
b. Anabolism/catabolism
c. Enzymatic function
4. Gallery walk on Padlet (15 min)
a. Each student should add comments to at least 3 projects
5. Asynchronous/HW
a. Greiner (2014) article → pro/con list
b. Breakout rooms for groups
i. Consider advantages and disadvantages of food plan/product
ii. Review peer feedback
Lesson 5 Outline

Date: ​November 24, 2020

Time:​ 9:35-11:05am (90 minutes)

Objectives:
- Students will provide meaningful peer feedback on project drafts
- Students will revise drafts in response to peer feedback

Agenda:
1. Warm up 1
2. Warm up 2
a. How might a single nucleotide mutation affect protein function? (hint: think about
levels of protein structure)
b. Short review of levels of protein structure, example of sickle cell anemia
3. Peer feedback group swap
4. Asynchronous time to work on finalizing projects and ask me any outstanding questions

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Lesson 6 Outline

Date: ​December 1, 2020

Time:​ 9:35-11:05am (90 minutes)

Objectives:
- Students will present proposal presentations
- Students will provide meaningful peer feedback (on presentations + my PBL)

Outline:
1. Group work survey
2. Presentations
a. Peer feedback + scoring
3. Alison PBL survey