Unit 4: Cellular Respiration

Unit Plan
Danielle Talleur
Honors Living Environment (9th grade)
HSE

Living Environment Core Curriculum Standards:

Key Idea 5: Organisms maintain a dynamic equilibrium that sustains life.
Performance indicator 5.1: Explain the basic biochemical processes in living organisms and their
importance in maintaining dynamic equilibrium.
Major Understanding 5.1c: In all organisms, organic compounds can be used to assemble other
molecules such as proteins, DNA, starch, and fats. The chemical energy stored in bonds can be used
as a source of energy for life processes.
Major Understanding 5.1d: In all organisms, the energy stored in organic molecules may be released
during cellular respiration. This energy is temporarily stored in ATP molecules. In many organ- isms,
the process of cellular respiration is concluded in mitochondria, in which ATP is produced more
efficiently, oxygen is used, and carbon dioxide and water are released as wastes.
Major Understanding 5.1e: The energy from ATP is used by the organism to obtain, transform, and
transport materials, and to eliminate wastes.

Next Generation Science Standards:

Performance expectation HS-LS2-3: Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the
cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.
Performance expectation HS-LS2-5: Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and
cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and
geosphere.

Unit Objectives:
Compare and contrast how autotrophs and heterotrophs obtain food.
Explain how cellular respiration harvests energy in food.
Describe the structure of ATP and how it stores energy.
Give examples of work that cells perform.
Summarize the ATP cycle.
Summarize the 3 stages of cellular respiration.
Calculate the total amount of ATP made during each stage of cellular respiration.
Explain the two different types of fermentation.
Compare and contrast aerobic and anaerobic respiration.

Vocabulary:
Autotroph Photosynthesis Fermentation
Heterotroph ATP Glycolysis
Producer Aerobic Krebs cycle
Consumer Anaerobic Electron Transport Chain
Cellular respiration Metabolism

Possible Misconceptions:
Oxygen is often equated with air.
Students think that plants and animals use air in opposite ways.
 Respiration is often used as a synonym for breathing and many students think photosynthesis is the
plants respiration.
Many students buy into the plant-breathing, animal-breathing model.
Many students believe that plants do not require oxygen for photosynthesis/respiration.
Many students do not understand that increased photosynthesis would result in lower CO 2 levels in
a closed system.
Some students believe that energy is sometimes created or destroyed in lifes processes.
Driver, R. (1994). Making sense of secondary science: Research into children's ideas. London: Routledge.

Instructional Strategies
Metacognitive strategies: anticipatory sets, group summarizations
Reading comprehension strategies: group summarizations
Cooperative learning
Questions and graphic organizers
Summarizing and note-taking
Inquiry based activities

Day 1 (80 mins)

Do Now: Respiration Anticipatory Set
Activities:
o Read and summarize the article on ATP
o Brainpop- Respiration
o Guided notes- ATP/ADP cycle

Day 2 (40 mins)

Do now: Chemical Energy and ATP
Activities: Cell Energy (ATP Lab)

Day 3 (80 mins)

Do Now: The mitochondria
Activities:
o Watch Amoeba sisters: Cellular Respiration and the Mighty Mitochondria
o Complete recap worksheet on amoeba sisters video
o Complete guided notes on glycolysis
o Watch McGraw Hill animation: How Glycolysis Works

Day 4 (40 mins)

Do Now: Glycolysis
Activities:
o Complete guided notes on the Krebs cycle
o Watch McGraw Hill animation: How the Krebs Cycle Works

Day 5 (80 mins)

Do Now: Krebs Cycle
Activities:
o Practice Regents questions: glycolysis and Krebs cycle
o Complete guided notes on electron transport chain and ATP synthase action, the
importance of oxygen
 o Total the amount of ATP made in each stage
o Watch McGraw Hill animation: Electron Transport Chain and Formation of ATP
o Practice Regents questions: ETC

Day 6 (40 mins)

Do Now: The Electron Transport Chain
Activities:
o Concept map cellular respiration
o Worksheet The Stages of Cell Respiration
o Cell Respiration POGIL

Day 7 (80 mins)

Do Now: Overview of aerobic respiration recap and review
Activities:
o Quiz on aerobic respiration
o Cell respiration word game
o Guided notes on fermentation
o Predict, Observe, Explain worksheet for fermentation lab

Day 8 (40 mins)

Do Now: Fermentation
Activities:
o Complete fermentation lab
o Design a future experiment

Day 9 (80 mins)

Do Now: SATII questions on cellular respiration
Activities:
o Comparison chart for aerobic vs. anaerobic respiration
o Case study
o Kahoot!

Day 10 (40 mins)

Unit test cellular respiration

Accommodations/Differentiation:
Wide range of instructional delivery methods (ie. Videos, notes, animation, labs, case studies)
Follow IEP recommendations
Use of concept maps
Use of graphic organizers
Use of anticipatory sets

Teacher Reflection: