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5 E LESSON PLAN

Teacher: Miss. Hughes

Course: Biology
Heading
LESSON TOPIC:
Time in Minutes: 90 minutes

Grade Level: 10

Standards: Pennsylvania
3.1.B.A2: Identify the initial reactants, final products, and general purposes of photosynthesis
and cellular respiration. Explain the important role of ATP in cell metabolism. Describe the
relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration in photosynthetic organisms.
Explain why many biological macromolecules such as ATP and lipids contain high energy bonds.
Explain the importance of enzymes as catalysts in cell reactions. Identify how factors such as pH
and temperature may affect enzyme function.
3.1.B.C4:
Compare and contrast scientific theories.
Know that both direct and indirect observations are used by scientists to study the natural
world and universe.
Identify questions and concepts that guide scientific investigations.
Formulate and revise explanations and models using logic and evidence.
Recognize and analyze alternative explanations and models.
Explain the importance of accuracy and precision in making valid measurements.
Evaluate experimental information for relevance and adherence to science processes.
Judge that conclusions are consistent and logical with experimental conditions.
Interpret results of experimental research to predict new information, propose additional
investigable questions, or advance a solution.
Communicate and defend a scientific argument.
Content Objectives
Assessment
The student will be able to describe the
Students will complete a lab write-up
reactants and products of
using the results from their experiments
photosynthesis.
and research.
The students will be able to identify other
Students understanding will be tested
variables that might have an effect on
through questioning and group
photosynthesis.
discussions.
The students will be able to explain the
relationship between their observations
and the process of photosynthesis.
Science Process Skill Objectives
The students will be able to formulate
hypotheses.
The students will be able to design their
own experiment to test those
hypotheses.

Assessment

Students will write down their

hypotheses to be approved by teacher
and will share them with the class.
Students will design and carry out their
experiments making slight adjustments
to the original procedure in order to test
their hypotheses.

Key Vocabulary

Photosynthesis Light energy Glucose CO HO O

Pre-Planning
Instructional Strategies to be Used:
X Cooperative Learning
Simulations
___________________

X Discussion X Questioning

X Inquiry

Multiple Intelligences
X Verbal/Linguistic
Musical/Rhythmic
X Interpersonal
X Logical/Mathematical
Intrapersonal
X Body/Kinesthetic
Naturalist
X Visual/Spatial
Materials/Resources
X Worksheets Internet
Readings Technology
X Science Equipment
X Spinach leaves X Syringe with no needle X Baking soda

Activities
Engagement

Tell students to observe demonstration experiment and write down any questions
they have so they can ask them at the end. I will have the photosynthesis lab
demonstration set up so the students can see how to properly use all of the materials.
During this demonstration, I will also be asking the students questions to get an idea
what their past knowledge is on photosynthesis and also to activate their prior
knowledge.

Time

Demonstration overview:
6-8
During this presentation, the water, baking soda, and light are all the required
minutes
reactants that are necessary for photosynthesis to occur. The baking soda in the water
will supply the spinach leaves with the necessary source of carbon dioxide. The
oxygen that is present in the spinach chads much first be vacuumed out. This is
done by the use of the syringe and will cause the chads to sink. Once the chads are
placed in the beaker with baking soda mixed in and the light is applied to the beaker
the leaf chads will then begin to undergo photosynthesis. Since all of the oxygen has
been vacuumed out of the leaves we will be able to tell when the photosynthesis
process is actually occurring because they with start to produce oxygen which will
cause them to rise to the top of the water.
The action of the leaves floating to the top will spark the students interest and
should have students questioning whether or not there are factors that will inhibit or
facilitate the process of photosynthesis.

Teachers Activities

Students Activities

Exploration
Assign students into groups of two and
pass out all materials that students will
need to carry out individual group
experiments. Explain the procedure of
the control experiment (demonstration).
Tell students that they will be carrying
out their own control version so they
can gather their baseline data. Have

Exploration
Students will work with their partners to
develop testable hypotheses. Partners will
also work together to create a new
procedure to test their hypotheses. Their
adapted procedures will only have slight
changes in comparison to the control
procedure. Students will then carry out the
control experiment and record their results.

Time

30
minutes

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students write down two modifications
they plan to make to the original
experiment and write hypotheses for
each of those modifications. Tell student
to test their hypotheses and begin their
experimenting.

Then the students will carry out their

modified experiments. After their
experiments are finished and their results
are recorded, the students will discuss their
results with their partner.

*A rough copy of the control experiment

procedure is attached to the end of this
lesson plan. This is the procedure that
the students will be using to run their
own control experiment. This is also the
procedure that the students will modify
some steps in order to test their own
questions and hypotheses. *
Explanation
Ask students to share what they have
observed in their modified experiments
along with why they think they got the
results they did. Students should
support their opinions with the original
demonstration and their control
experiment in mind. Introduce the topic
of photosynthesis to the students. Ask
questions relating to light/dark cycles
and the photosynthesis equation. How
does the equation relate to the
experiments that you just performed?
Why is it important that this process
takes place? How does this process
relate to us and our everyday lives?
Elaboration
Working with the same partners,
students should begin to research
photosynthesis. Students should look
to see if other experiments have been
performed just like the ones that they
created and compare their results.
Students will also be instructed to
research the importance of
photosynthesis in their daily lives.
Teacher will then tell students that they
are to write a brief lab write-up within
their groups. All of the information that
they researched should be used within
their write-up. The write-up should
include the experiments and

Explanation
Students will share their observations and
discuss their results with their partners and
class. Students will relate their modified
experiments back to the control experiments
and explain what differences occurred.
Students will listen to the introduction of
photosynthesis and identify how it relates to
the control experiment. Students will also
discuss and answer the questions that are
asked.

Elaboration
Students will use IPads and computers to
begin their research on photosynthesis.
Students should look for other experiments
on photosynthesis that may resemble theirs
and also research the effect of
photosynthesis has on their daily lives.
Students should discuss findings with their
partners and work on their lab write-up.
Students will include their hypotheses,
procedures, results, and other findings in
their lab write-up.

15
minutes

20 -25
minutes

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hypotheses that the students designed,
the results of those experiments, and
the information they found in their
research telling how it relates to their
experiment.

Evaluation
Teacher will evaluate and grade the
students lab write-ups. A rubric would
have been handed out to students
before they completed the write-up so
they would know what is expected from
them. Class will come together to a
discussion and share their findings from
their research and how that information
related to their groups experiments.

Evaluation
Students will complete lab write-up and,
check the rubric to make sure all
requirements are met. Then turn it in for a
grade. Finally, the students will discuss and
share with the class their research findings
and identify how that information relates to
their modified experiment results.

8-10
minutes

Self-Reflection

The most challenging aspect of creating this 5E lesson plan for me was trying to decide on the
best topic to implement this lesson on. Im not sure why but I just could not come up with a
topic! However, once I did decide, the ideas started to come a lot easier. I learned that when
creating inquiry lesson you really need to approach the topic different ways and I truly feel that
this is a great way to get the students really involved in the material. I do remember when I was
in high school my biology class did a few inquiry based lessons. Those were the lessons that
were the most fun and also the most work! Our understanding of the material depended on how
much effort we put into the 5E sections. Those lesson are also the ones that I remember the
most information from because we had to work for the information and also because we were
able to relate it to our everyday lives. This memory is what helped me along with this lesson, I
wanted it to be educational of course but I also wanted to make it interesting and fun. I am
excited to try this type of lesson when I am student teaching and also in my own classroom one
day!

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Photosynthesis Control Experiment Procedure
Materials:
Beaker
Lamp
One hole hole punch
Spinach Leaves
Water
Baking soda
Syringe
Procedure:
1. Using a hole punch, punch 25 leaf disks out of spinach leaves. Try not to hole
punch the areas that have large veins in them.
2. In a large beaker, add about 1.5g or baking soda into 300ml of water. Stir
until all baking soda is dissolved.
3. Remove the plunger from a clean syringe (no needle needed). Place all 25 of
the leaf disks into the syringe. Insert the plunger, be careful not to damage
or squish any of the leaf disks when pushing the plunger down.
4. Insert the tip of the syringe into the beaker containing baking soda and water.
Draw in about 15ml of solution by pulling up on the plunger. The leaf disks in
the syringe should be floating.
5. Holding the syringe tip upward, expel the excess air by depressing the
plunger and push the air out. Stop when one drop of the solution comes out
of the tip of the syringe.
6. Seal the tip of the syringe using your thumb. Pull down on the plunger
slightly creating a vacuum within the syringe. If the syringe tip is completely
sealed, the plunger should be difficult to pull down. If you are doing this
correctly, you should see bubbles coming from the leaf disks. Hold this for 15
seconds. Then push up on the plunger, still keeping your finger on the tip of
the syringe to keep it sealed. Hold this for 10 seconds. Repeat the pushing
up and pulling down on the plunger one more time. Leaf chads should start
to sink.
7. Remove the plunger from the syringe and pour the solution containing the
disks into the solution in the beaker.
8. Place the beaker under a light source or lamp. Keep the lamp far enough
away from the beaker so that the solution will not get hot. A good distance is
about 7 inches.
9. Once light source is applied, start timer and record observations.
10.Write the number of floating leaf disks at each minute mark until all disks
have floated to the top of the beaker. Compile all data.
11.Repeat all steps for second experiment.
Safety:
Googles should be word at all times during this experiment. Experiment
area should be clutter free. Solutions can be handled without gloves and can
be disposed of down the drain. Students should not smell or taste the
solution or eat any of the spinach leaves.