Lesson Plan
Photosynthesis & Energy Flow
Students will be able to construct scientific explanations for the role of photosynthesis in cycling matter and energy, and develop models to describe how food molecules are rearranged to support growth and release energy within organisms.
Understanding photosynthesis and energy flow is fundamental to comprehending how life on Earth is sustained, from the smallest molecules to entire ecosystems. This lesson provides a crucial foundation for all biological studies.
Audience
7th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, visual aids, and model building to demonstrate key concepts.
Materials
Photosynthesis & Energy Flow Slide Deck](#photosynthesis-energy-flow-slide-deck), Energy Flow Worksheet, Energy Flow Answer Key, Photosynthesis Exit Ticket, and Academic Vocabulary List
Prep
Teacher Preparation
15 minutes
- Review the Photosynthesis & Energy Flow Lesson Plan and all generated materials.
- Ensure access to a projector or smartboard for the Photosynthesis & Energy Flow Slide Deck.
- Print copies of the Energy Flow Worksheet for each student.
- Prepare the Photosynthesis Exit Ticket for distribution at the end of class.
- Review the Academic Vocabulary List to introduce key terms before or during the lesson.
Step 1
Warm-Up: What Fuels You?
5 minutes
- Begin with a quick class discussion or journal prompt: 'Where do you think the energy for your body comes from?' or 'How do plants get their energy?'
- Introduce the lesson objectives using the Photosynthesis & Energy Flow Slide Deck (Slide 1-2).
- Briefly introduce key terms from the Academic Vocabulary List.
Step 2
Photosynthesis: The Plant's Powerhouse
10 minutes
- Present the core concepts of photosynthesis using the Photosynthesis & Energy Flow Slide Deck (Slides 3-5).
- Explain the inputs (carbon dioxide, water, sunlight) and outputs (glucose, oxygen) of photosynthesis.
- Emphasize the role of photosynthesis in converting light energy into chemical energy and cycling matter. Refer to the Academic Vocabulary List as needed.
Step 3
Matter & Energy Flow Through Organisms
10 minutes
- Use the Photosynthesis & Energy Flow Slide Deck (Slides 6-7) to discuss how organisms obtain and use energy.
- Explain that food molecules are broken down and rearranged through chemical reactions to release energy and build new molecules for growth.
- Distribute the Energy Flow Worksheet and have students work individually or in pairs to complete the activities related to matter and energy flow. Encourage them to use terms from the Academic Vocabulary List.
Step 4
Wrap-Up & Cool Down
5 minutes
- Briefly review the key concepts from the worksheet and address any questions.
- Distribute the Photosynthesis Exit Ticket for students to complete before leaving class.
- Collect worksheets and exit tickets to assess understanding.
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Slide Deck
What Fuels Life?
How do living things get the energy they need to grow, move, and survive?
Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask a provocative question to get them thinking about energy.
Our Learning Journey
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Target 1 (Most Proficient): Synthesize a comprehensive scientific explanation and a detailed model demonstrating the interconnectedness of photosynthesis and cellular processes in the cycling of matter and flow of energy within and between organisms.
- Target 2: Construct a scientific explanation supported by evidence for the role of photosynthesis in the cycling of matter and flow of energy into and out of organisms, and develop a model to describe how food is rearranged to support growth and/or release energy.
- Target 3: Describe the main products and reactants of photosynthesis and explain how food molecules are broken down to release energy in organisms.
- Target 4: Identify that plants use sunlight for energy and that animals get energy from food.
- Target 5 (Least Proficient): Recognize that living things need energy.
Introduce the learning targets for the day, explaining what students will be able to do by the end of the lesson.
Photosynthesis: Earth's Power Plant
Plants are amazing! They use sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to make their own food (sugar) and release oxygen.
This process is called photosynthesis.
Start with the basics of photosynthesis: what it is and where it happens.
The Ingredients & The Products
- Ingredients (Reactants):
- Sunlight (Energy source)
- Carbon Dioxide (from air)
- Water (from soil)
- Products:
- Glucose (Sugar = Plant Food!)
- Oxygen (we breathe this!)
Explain the inputs and outputs clearly, perhaps drawing a simple diagram on the board or having students visualize it.
Energy & Matter in Motion
Photosynthesis is key to:
- Flow of Energy: Light energy from the sun is captured and stored as chemical energy in glucose.
- Cycling of Matter: Carbon dioxide and water are transformed into glucose and oxygen, moving matter between the air, water, and living things.
Emphasize the energy transformation and the cycling of matter.
Food Chains: Energy Transfer
Where does the energy stored in plants go next?
Animals get energy by eating plants or other animals that ate plants!
This is how energy flows through ecosystems.
Transition to how this energy moves beyond plants.
Fueling Our Bodies: Respiration
When we eat food (like glucose from plants), our bodies break those food molecules apart.
This process:
- Rearranges molecules to build new things our body needs (like for growth).
- Releases energy that our cells use to do everything from thinking to running!
Explain cellular respiration in simple terms, focusing on rearrangement of molecules and energy release.
Putting It All Together
Photosynthesis builds energy-rich food.
Organisms break down food to get energy and building blocks.
Now, let's practice what we've learned!
Summarize the main ideas and introduce the worksheet.
Reflection & Review
Take a moment to think about what you learned today. How are plants and animals connected through energy?
Final slide for the cool-down/exit ticket.
Worksheet
Energy Flow Through Living Things
Instructions: Read each question carefully and provide your best answer. Use your notes and what we discussed in class.
Part 1: Photosynthesis Basics
- What are the three main things a plant needs for photosynthesis?
- What two important products are created during photosynthesis?
- In your own words, explain how photosynthesis helps cycle matter (like carbon) in our environment.
- How does photosynthesis help transfer energy from the sun to living organisms?
Part 2: Energy for Organisms
- When an animal eats a plant, what is happening to the energy that was stored in the plant?
- Describe what happens to food molecules inside an organism to support its growth and release energy. (Think about what happens to the molecules!)
- Imagine a food chain: Grass -> Rabbit -> Fox. Where did the fox's energy originally come from? Trace the path.
Reading
Academic Vocabulary List
Here are some important words you will encounter and use in our lesson on Photosynthesis and Energy Flow:
- Photosynthesis: The process by which plants and other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water.
- Organism: An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form.
- Matter: Anything that has mass and takes up space. In biology, this often refers to the atoms and molecules that make up living and non-living things.
- Energy: The ability to do work or cause change. In living systems, energy is needed for growth, movement, and all life processes.
- Cycling of Matter: The continuous movement of matter (like carbon or water) through different parts of an ecosystem, including living organisms and the environment.
- Flow of Energy: The one-way movement of energy through an ecosystem, usually starting with the sun and moving through producers and consumers.
- Scientific Explanation: A statement that uses evidence and scientific reasoning to explain a phenomenon.
- Evidence: Information or data collected during a scientific investigation that helps to support or refute a claim.
- Molecules: A group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound that can take part in a chemical reaction.
- Food Molecules: Organic molecules (like glucose, fats, and proteins) that provide energy and building blocks for organisms.
- Chemical Reactions: Processes that involve rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance, as opposed to a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction.
- Rearrange: To change the position or order of molecules. In organisms, food molecules are broken apart and put back together in different ways.
- Glucose: A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms and is a product of photosynthesis.
- Oxygen: A gas produced by plants during photosynthesis that is essential for the respiration of most living things.
- Carbon Dioxide: A gas absorbed by plants during photosynthesis.