McNeese State University

Department of Education Professions

Lesson Plan Template
Name Ashlee Sebren Email asebren3@gmail.com Phone 1-(318)-381-3174
Primary Subject Area Science Grade Level 9-12
Title of Lesson Photosynthesis Approximate duration 60 minutes

Overview of Lesson
Students learn the chemistry by acting out the steps of photosynthesis.

Essential Question(s)
What is the purpose of photosynthesis?
What is and within the structure of a chloroplast?
What is a light and dark reaction? Are there any comparisons? If so, what are they? Are there any differences? If so,
what are they?
What is the visible light spectrum?

Prior Knowledge Expected of Students

Structure of chloroplast and thylakoid, plasma membrane, active transport, passive transport, concentration gradients,
ions, and electrons.

Common Core Learning Standards

CA Biology If. Students know that usable energy is captured from sunlight by chloroplasts and is stored throughout the
synthesis of sugar from carbon dioxide.

Educational Technology Standards

Additional Standards

Interdisciplinary Connections
Students connect the function of photosynthesis by going through photosynthesis themselves.
 Student Outcomes
Students will be able to explain the three phases of photosynthesis. Students will be able to demonstrate how light,
H2O, and CO2 are used to make sugar. Students will be able to explain the structure of a chloroplast.

Lesson Procedures
Pre-Planned Seed
Time Step-by-Step Lesson Procedures with Embedded Coding
Questions
10 Setup:
mins 1.) In front of the room, place the thylakoid poster on the chalkboard. What is the
2.) On one side of the poster, put the fan. The fan must be able to plug into the purpose of
surge protector. The fan should point in the opposite direction of the poster. photosynthesis?
3.) On the other side of the fan, tape the label glucose. Place the candy on top of What is and within
the Glucose label. the structure of a
4.) On the cart, tape the calvin cycle label. chloroplast?
5.) Place the light on the cart so that it is shining on the thylakoid poster. What is a light and
6.) With the ADP label, cut a hole for where the 3rd phosphate should go. Tape dark reaction?
the ADP label on top of the surge protector so that the hole aligns with the Are there any
plug outlet. comparisons? If
7.) On top of the thylakoid poster, tap the two photosystem labels. so, what are they?
8.) On each students desk, place two chlorophyll labels. Are there any
9.) Crumble the red and blue pieces of construction paper into tight round balls. differences? If so,
Procedure: what are they?
1.) Review with students about the purpose of photosynthesis, the structure of What is the visible
the chloroplast, light and dark reactions, and the visible light spectrum. light spectrum?
10 2.) Tell the students that the color we see is reflected and the other colors are
mins absorbed. Ask the students why wearing a black shirt in the sun is hotter
than a white shirt. Hand out the colored paper balls to three students close to
the front of the room. Tell the students that you are pretending to be a plant.
5 mins Ask them to gently throw a paper ball at you, one at a time. Catch all 3 of
them. Ask the Students What color pigment would you be?
3.) Explain to the student that the room is a giant chloroplast, the desks are the
pigment chlorophyll, and the front of the classroom is the thylakoid
membrane. Distribute the handouts and the two water molecules to each
student. Select a student to throw the ball for you. You stand at the front of
5 mins the electron transport chain.
4.) Demonstrate the activity with one student. The volunteer gently throws the
red ball to a student in front of the class. The receiving student must say out
 loud, I am chlorophyll and I absorb light to split water. That student then
rips their water molecule transport chain with their two electrons and four
hydrogen ions.
5 mins 5.) Once arrived, the student then says out loud, I am excited electron that
powers the electron transport chain. The student then must do a little dance
and spin around once to show that they are excited. Why will wearing a
6.) The student slides the two electrons across the membrane from the green black shirt make
pigment to the proton pump and stops. The student then says out loud, Two you hotter in the
5 mins hydrogen are pumped in to create a concentration gradient. The hydrogen sun than a white
diffuses out to form ATP from ADP. shirt?
7.) The student then pushes the two hydrogens through ATP synthase and plugs What color would I
the fan into the surge protector. The fan turns on. The student then finishes be as a pigment?
5 mins sliding the electron to the end of the chain and says out loud, The excited
electron is stored in NADPH.
8.) The student then blows through the fan and says, Calvin cycle breaks down
carbon dioxide into glucose. ATP and NADPH provide energy. Their student
5 mins
then walks back to the desk with their candy.
9.) Continue this process with every student. If class is rather large, you can pair
students together.

5 mins

5 mins

Teacher Materials Student Materials Technology Resources References

1.) One fan, surge 1.) Student drawn poster
projector with long of the thylakoid with
cord and cart an electron transport
2.) Light chain. Membrane
3.) Tape must include the
4.) Chalk chlorophyll pigments,
5.) Candy (one for each a proton pump, ATP
student) synthesis, and NADP
6.) Red, blue, and yellow reductase
construction paper
(one of each)
7.) Photocopy handouts
 and chlorophyll label
(one for each student)
Relevance/Rationale
Students now know how plants live.
Students will now be able to connect Cellular Respiration and photosynthesis.

Exploration, Extensions, and Supplemental

Exploration:
Extension: For students who need extra support, pair them with a stronger student.
Supplement: For early finishers, have them start on the handout.

Assessment Criteria for Success

The handout will be picked up at the beginning of class the next day, and the success of the students will be
determined by their grades. Complete participation in this activity is worth 15 points. Each question in the handout is
worth 1 point. Labeling the drawing is worth 20 points. The overall assignment is worth 55 points.

Accommodations and Access for All

Students who have difficulty walking can tell you everything from their seat and you perform the kinesthetic
movements. Students with IEP can say much simpler versions like Plants get energy from the sunlight. Light energy is
changed to chemical energy. ATP is made by adding phosphate to ADP. Energy in ATP is used to make sugar from air.
If a student with IEP needs extra time, they can take this assignment home.

Post-Lesson Reflection
On the following day during the bell ringer, we will review what we learned.
Bell Ringer: Explain our class activity yesterday in five words.