Lesson Plan
Breaking the Code: Protein Synthesis
Course, Subject
Biology/Living Environment, Math, Science & Technology, Science (NYS P-12)
Grade Levels
Commencement, 9th Grade, 10th Grade
Description
The goal or purpose of this lesson/lab activity is to begin instruction on the various processes of the cell, specifically protein synthesis, and to help students understand how the cell decodes and translates the message in DNA to make a protein. This goal will be achieved through an activity in which the students will simulate the steps of protein synthesis by first decoding a secret message (similar to how the cell takes the code message from DNA to make mRNA to receive the message for making a protein) and then using the message to assemble a product (similar to how tRNA reads the message on mRNA to put together a protein). The products in this case are rice krispie treats. Students should be previously prepared for this lesson in having been instructed on the structures and functions of the cell. By the end of the activity, the students should be able to recognize the steps of protein synthesis using the rice krispie treat simulation as a model and be able to compare their understanding of the steps of the simulation to that of the process of protein synthesis that occurs in the cell. The students should then demonstrate their understanding of protein synthesis using the knowledge they have gained through the lab activity in their lab report write-up.
Materials
Breaking the Code: Protein Synthesis Lab, Procedure Code Sheet, DNA to RNA Code Key, Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Procedure (Procedure Code Sheet translated), Lab materials for recipe: 3 tablespoons of margarine, 1 package of regular marshmallows, 6 cups of rice krispies, cooking spray, pans, knife, large bowl, microwave
DNA to RNA Code KeyProcedure Code SheetRice Krispie Treats Recipe ProcedureBreaking the Code: Protein Synthesis Lab
Procedure
Pass out the Procedure Code Sheet and the DNA to RNA Code Key to students. Explain that we need to translate the code language on the Procedure Code Sheet to find out what we need to do to make a product just as the cell would have to translate the DNA code to find out how to make a protein as in protein synthesis. (You may want to give each student a specific line assignment to translate on an index card and when each student has translated his/her respective line assignment from the Procedure Code Sheet have the students write in the lines they are missing using an overhead transparency of the Rice Krispie Treats Recipe Procedure ) When each student has all of the translated procedures explain that we are modeling the steps of protein synthesis performed in the cell by translating the "secret code" to discover what the steps are to making our product which is going to be rice krispie treats just as the cell decodes DNA to find out the steps to making protein. Each student should then be assigned a step in the procedure for making the product and form an assembly line to put the product together as a simulation for the "assembly line" that occurs in the cell when it undergoes protein synthesis.
Assessment
The students should be assessed through the protein synthesis lab report write-up and also through questioning of the students throughout the lab activity to check for understanding.
Duration
30 minutes
Collaboration
Developed in collaboration with Sue Szafranski, Amherst High School
