Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration Lesson Plan

I recently revamped my units and I’ve added photosynthesis and cellular respiration to a unit that includes food webs, energy pyramids, and biogeochemical cycles. This is a quick overview of my approach and why I made this change. This includes and outline of each day’s photosynthesis and cellular respiration lesson plan.

First of all I want to tell you that I don’t introduce these concepts as a single lesson plan. One lesson on photosynthesis and cellular respiration would not work. Too much information and too little time. This will be part of a whole unit focusing on the flow of energy and matter in living systems.

As I mention in my biology lesson plans post, my units follow a 5e format (loosely) and my lessons follow more of a routine. In my new biology unit plan on energy and matter, I start with energy from the sun as my anchoring idea. I always like to link things to either homeostasis or the characteristics of life. Obtaining energy is one of the characteristics of life and it can be easily argued that we obtain energy to maintain homeostasis. Check. Check.

This is a 10 day unit for me. Sometimes I stretch it longer. Each day I share an outline of the photosynthesis and cellular respiration lesson plan.

I start this unit with an image bellringer. It is usually a food web or energy pyramid. I ask them to move down the graphic and explain how each level receives energy. The hope is that they will tell you that the producers are getting energy from the sun BEFORE you tell them.

We would then talk about how the producers get energy from the sun. I want to actually make sure that I differentiate storing energy from the sun into carbohydrates and using food like carbohydrates in the synthesis of ATP. In other words photosynthesizers ALSO participate in cellular respiration.

From there we take notes. In my new sequence, I do this early in the year. That means I will need to refresh them on the parts of a chemical reaction when I put the reaction for photosynthesis up on the board (TV, Screen, etc). I used anchor charts this past year (I referred to them as infographics).

I use a lot of graphic notes that let me differentiate. For lots of my students fill in the blank notes work really well. I include fill-in-the-blank, completed, and open ended notes in my packets.

I want to keep note taking short and sweet. Under ten minutes.

I want them to be able to understand the overall equation and the difference between the light reactions and the Calvin cycle. I do this through quick diagrams that focus on the parts of a leaf, parts of a chloroplast, what comes in and out of the light reactions, and what comes in and out of the Calvin cycle.

Then I have a mystery worksheet that helps reinforce the vocabulary.

The next day I would start with a focus question about the reaction for photosynthesis to get them ready for lab.

I do the floating disk lab.

Click the link to see how I approach my floating leaf disk photosynthesis lab.

The following day we would go over the lab. I usually use a focus question to get them started about what was the purpose of the baking soda in the lab?

We play a game. I like to hand out cards to groups and tell them to pick a card to answer a question. They hold the card up when I say cards up. You can also use response boards and a word list on the board. Again, they hold up the boards when I say pens down boards up.

The groups are competing for bonus points or homework coupons. This helps to keep most students engaged.

At the end of class we will have an exit ticket.

Then we would have an assessment and connection activity where students start connecting the role of plants and deforestation in climate change. I try to connect to real world application throughout my lessons, but it has varying degrees of success. I find the time after an assessment to be a great time to explicit work through making those connections.

A word about assessments. They don’t have to be just your standard old boring sit down test. I do think tests should be included so students can practice test taking, but consider alternative assessments like projects, scavenger hunts, task cards, group assessments, again the options are endless.

So with 50 minute classes I would break it down like this:

• Day 1 – Energy Pyramids
• Day 2- Introduction to Photosynthesis
• Day 3- Lab
• Day 4 – Review
• Day 5 – Assessment and Connections

I teach these back to back. I DO NOT teach them as reverse of each other. When you teach it this way, it can be really confusing for students to understand that photosynthesizing organisms also use cellular respiration.

Reinforce the energy pyramid with a focus question. How do consumers in this pyramid get energy? How do producers get accessible energy? I’m trying to get their brain to look past the obvious answer-food.

We talk a lot about ATP, enzymes, and reactions. I try to keep notes down to 10-15 minutes. Then we switch to an enzyme activity. We collect data and use graphs to analyze data and draw conclusions. This is a great link back to macromolecules.

The parts of cellular respiration. I use an anchor chart and/or graphic notes to cover this topic. Then we do an application activity where students complete a scavenger hunt.

Lab Day . For this lab I use balloons, yeast, and different sweeteners to test the influence that the sweetener has on the rate of cellular respiration and fermentation. This day has quite a bit of sitting so I would also have students working on an assignment during this day.

I have an escape room that I love to use to help them review. During review days, I like to work with small groups to get a handle on where everyone is in terms of the material. Sometimes I even push the assessment piece back a day or two.

I also like to hand out study guides. Make sure to read my article about how I use study guides.

I like to use a typical test to assess either photosynthesis or cellular respiration, but it varies. For these connections we are focused on helping students understand that cellular respiration is part of the fast carbon cycle and give examples of fermentation and the need for oxygen.

So with 50 minute classes I would break it down like this:

• Day 1 – Energy Pyramids and ATP
• Day 2- Introduction to Cellular Respiration
• Day 3- Lab
• Day 4 – Review
• Day 5 – Assessment and Connections