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Obtaining Energy

Unit Plan

Obtaining Energy

Objectives

In this unit, students will examine how living things use specialized structures to obtain energy. They will learn about the processes of photosynthesis and cell respiration. They will investigate the respiratory systems of several animals. Students will:

  • investigate the structures of a leaf that are used for photosynthesis.

  • describe some of the levels of organization in a plant.

  • compare the specialized respiratory structures in animals.

  • explain the flow of energy in the processes of photosynthesis and cell respiration.

Essential Questions

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Related Materials & Resources

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Formative Assessment

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    Multiple Choice Items:

    1. What do chloroplasts enable cells to do?

    A

    produce carbon dioxide

    B

    produce food

    C

    use oxygen

    D

    use energy

    2. Why are animal cells unable to make their own food?

    A

    They do not have chlorophyll.

    B

    Their mitochondria are not powerful enough.

    C

    Oxygen cannot get to animal cells from the lungs.

    D

    Animal cells are not large enough.

    3. What do gills and lungs have in common?

    A

    They both take in oxygen that is used to release energy.

    B

    They both capture energy from the Sun.

    C

    They both store energy.

    D

    They both take in carbon dioxide and give off oxygen.

    4. Which of the following structures does a single leaf, which is made up of several different types of tissue, make up?

    A

    cell

    B

    organ

    C

    organism

    D

    organelle

    5. A science class has two healthy bean plants growing by a sunny classroom window. Students remove all the leaves from one of the bean plants. The plant with leaves continues to grow, but the plant without leaves turns brown and stops growing. What is the reason for this?

    A

    The plant without leaves does not have any mitochondria.

    B

    The plant with leaves needs a different type of food.

    C

    Leaves are needed to provide oxygen for the plant.

    D

    All of the parts of a plant work together as a living system.

    6. How do mitochondria in the cells of living things help them to function?

    A

    Cells produce energy from food in mitochondria.

    B

    Cells capture energy from the Sun in the mitochondria.

    C

    Food molecules are formed in the mitochondria.

    D

    Oxygen molecules are produced in the mitochondria.

    7. Which is a primary service that lungs provide cells?

    A

    removing water

    B

    removing wastes

    C

    supplying oxygen

    D

    supplying carbon dioxide

    8. The swordfish has a heat-generating organ that warms its brain and eyes up to 14°C above the surrounding water temperature. This organ uses a lot of energy to produce heat. What structures are likely to be found in relatively high concentrations in the cells of this organ?

    A

    mitochondria

    B

    chloroplasts

    C

    oxygen molecules

    D

    chlorophyll

    9. Which is the overall result of photosynthesis?

    A

    producing energy from oxygen molecules

    B

    transporting sugars from one cell to another

    C

    converting sunlight energy into food energy

    D

    releasing chemical energy from sugars by mitochondria

    Multiple Choice Answer Key:

    1. B

    2. A

    3. A

    4. B

    5. D

    6. A

    7. C

    8. A

    9. C

    		  

    Short-answer items:

    10. Describe where chlorophyll is found and what its job is. Explain how the structure of chlorophyll helps it to carry out its job in plants.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    11. Why are photosynthesis and cell respiration often considered opposites? Consider the flow of energy during each process.

    Short-answer key and Scoring Rubrics:

    10. Describe where chlorophyll is found and what its job is. Explain how the structure of chlorophyll helps it to carry out its job in plants.

    Points

    Description

    2

    • States that chlorophyll is a structure in plant cells that is used for photosynthesis.

    • Describes in detail how the structure of chlorophyll functions in photosynthesis.

    • Explains that plants capture and store energy from sunlight.

    1

    • States that chlorophyll is a structure in plant cells.

    • States that chlorophyll functions in photosynthesis, but does not relate its structure to its function.

    • Explains that plants capture and store energy from sunlight.

    0

    • Does not correctly identify where chlorophyll is found.

    • Incorrectly describes the function of chlorophyll.

    • Does not explain that plants capture and store energy from sunlight.

     

    11. Why are photosynthesis and cell respiration often considered opposites? Consider the flow of energy during each process.

    Points

    Description

    2

    • Explains that photosynthesis uses the Sun’s energy to produce food (sugars), while cell respiration breaks down food to release energy.

    • Explains that photosynthesis stores energy and cell respiration releases energy.

    • Explains that photosynthesis uses energy, water, and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and sugars, and cell respiration uses oxygen to break down sugars into energy, water, and carbon dioxide.

    1

    • Explains that photosynthesis produces food, while cell respiration uses food.

    • Explains that photosynthesis and cell respiration both deal with energy.

    • Partially compares the reactants and products of each process.

    0

    • Explains that photosynthesis produces food, while cell respiration uses food for energy.

    • Explains that photosynthesis stores energy and cell respiration releases energy.

    • Does not describe the reactants and products of each process.

    Performance Assessment:

    Australian Lungfish Web Page

    A local aquarium has a new exhibit of Australian lungfish, also known as Queensland lungfish. The aquarium director has asked students in your science class to help design a poster for kids about how the Australian lungfish breathes. Design a poster presentation on the lungfish, including the following:

    • a photo of the Australian lungfish

    • a drawing of the Australian lungfish, labeling the location of the lung and gills

    • information about the Australian lungfish that answers the following questions: How does the lungfish breathe? When does it use its lung and its gills? How does it breathe differently than humans? How does the lungfish send oxygen to its cells? Why does the lungfish need oxygen?

    (Optional alternative: Instead of a poster, use slide show presentation software to design your presentation. Use one slide to answer each of the above questions about the Australian lungfish.)

    Performance Assessment Scoring Rubric:

    Points

    Description

    5

    The student completes all five of the requirements:

    • Includes a diagram of the lungfish with lung and gills labeled.

    • Describes the breathing structures of the Australian lungfish.

    • Compares the breathing structures of the Australian lungfish to human lungs.

    • Explains how the lungfish sends oxygen to its cells.

    • Explains why the lungfish needs oxygen.

    4

    The student completes four of the requirements.

    3

    The student completes three of the requirements.

    2

    The student completes two of the requirements.

    1

    The student completes one of the requirements.

    0

    The student demonstrates lack of understanding or does not attempt to complete the assessment.
DRAFT 11/18/2010
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