Studying Macromolecules

Last year, my students struggled to get their heads around the macromolecules chapter.  We did a lab that involved building several fairly large and complex ball and stick molecule models.  I found that it didn't help the information stick and when they saw the chemical structures on paper, it didn't look enough like the models to see the connection.  Since their tests are primarily on paper, I wanted them to be comfortable with those structural models.

This year I used the lab from Kim Foglia on the Explore Biology site and modified it just a bit.  It involved printing A LOT of pages.  I didn't want to have to print all of those pages every year, so I laminated all of the pages and modified the instructions. Instead of cutting parts of the molecules off as they went through the dehydration reaction, I had students fold the paper back.  Reusing them means peeling off all the tape, but at least I don't have to make all of those copies again.

Oops! I didn't realize that when I moved
the DNA molecule, several of the
 nitrogenous bases moved behind the paper.

 I revised the directions and gave them to my students in this Google doc. I also wanted a single sheet that would give them the key properties of the molecules at a glance, so I also had them working on completing this chart as they did the lab. We'll see in a week and a half when they take their first unit test how much this has helped their understanding.

Here are the files found on Explore Biology if you are having problems with the site.