Biochemical Placemats
Susan Plati
Brookline High School
Brookline, MA
Type of entry:
Lesson/class activityType of Activity:
- hands-on activity
- group/cooperative learning
- multisensory lesson
Target Audience:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- most levels
Background Information
- What question does this activity help students to answer?
What biomolecules are found in specific food items?
- Notes for teacher
This activity is a multisensory way of introducing biochemistry to students. Food from the 3 groups--protein, carbohydrates, lipids must be purchased prior to the class. Students discuss the classification of the various foods in cooperative groups, and eat the foods upon completion of the lesson.
- Required of students
Background reading about biomolecules...Or, no requirements until after this activity is completed. I frequently use this as an introduction to biomolecules
- Preparation time needed
one class period to collect (or purchase) food and copy the placemats--one for each lab group.
- Class time needed
1 class period
Abstract of Activity
This is a multisensory lesson in which students work in cooperative groups to classify foods on placemats that are decorated with icons that symbolize, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. By touching, smelling, seeing, and tasting the food as they learn about the three groups of biomolecules, the students more quickly gain ownership of the concept of biomolecules and their building blocks. The activity is one that I designed to illustrate multisensory learning. I have used it for 8 years in first year biology classes and have colleagues that have modified it for use in middle school.
Lesson/activity
Materials needed (for each lab group)
- representative foods from each of the three groups, protein, carbohydrate, lipid
- Copies of the Placemat--1 for each group of 3 or four students
Activity
- Students are supplied with a tray of various food items: crackers, cheese, potato chips, grapes, apples, meat, butter. At each seat is a "biochemical placemat"
- Each group of students is asked to place the foods on the appropriate section of the placement. They should work in groups so they can discuss which foods should be in which group. For example, potato chips have a high fat content because of how they are cooked as well as the carbohydrate content of the potato itself.
- The teacher checks each student for accuracy of grouping the foods
- Students should be directed to study the symbols on each section of the placemat. These icons represent the molecular composition of each of the food groups illustrated. As students eat the foods in each group they should study the icons and what they symbolize.
- Protein is composed of amino acids symbolized by triangles
- Fat is composed of 3 fatty acid molecules and 1 glycerol molecule symbolized by rectangles
- Carbohydrates are composed of simple sugars symbolized by hexagons
Method of evaluation/assessment
One of my middle school colleagues suggested laminating the placemats and sending them home for the students to do a nutritional study at home.Extension/reinforcement/additional ideas:
Use icon cutout on the overhead projector to discuss building blocks of biomolecules. Overlay the structural formulas for sugars, glycerol, amino acids, etc. on the icon cut outs.
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