Duration: 115 min High School Grade: 9 - 12 CCSS, NGSS

How plants gain energy

Life science, Plant Biology

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Lesson overview

Photosynthesis is an energy production process undertaken by plants and green algae. It consists of various steps, during which energy coming through sunlight is converted into stored,
chemical energy. It has special importance also for animals and humans, because a secondary product of the reaction is oxygen, necessary for the respiration of all living organisms.

Learning objectives Keywords

• Learn what materials and conditions are needed for photosynthesis. Photosynthesis, Chloroplasts, Chlorophyll, Carotene, Xantophyll, Thylacoid, Plants,
• Understand the process of transforming the input substances and sunlight Algae, Carbon dioxide, Water, Sunlight, Energy, Oxygen, Glucose, Starch, Sugar
into new products.
• Learn about the plant structures that participate in this process.

Standards
Common Core
CCSS ELA-Literacy
11-12.RI.7 Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in different media or formats as well as in words in order to address a question or solve a problem.
11-12.W.7 Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate;
synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
11-12.SL.1 Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11–12 topics, texts, and issues, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.
11-12.SL.2 Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the
credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data.
11-12.SL.5 Make strategic use of digital media (e.g., textual, graphical, audio, visual, and interactive elements) in presentations to enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and to
add interest.
NGSS
HS-LS1-5 Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy.
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1. Introduction min

The photosynthesis reaction is well known to all students from the very early years of their education. However, the process is very complex and there are always new facts which can
help them to a deeper understanding of this phenomenon. In this lesson, they can learn some further details beyond the basic formula of photosynthesis they certainly already know. 3D
models will help them visualize the different phases of the reaction and so to understand and remember more about the problem.

To begin, warm up a little bit by conducting a short discussion:

• Can they explain what photosynthesis is?

• What is the meaning of the word?
• Which organisms can perform photosynthesis?
• What is the use of photosynthesis?
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2. History min

The history of photosynthesis begins a long time back, nearly at the midpoint of the total age of Earth. When water appeared in its liquid state, forming extensive oceans on Earth’s
surface, and offered enough protection for the first life on Earth to begin, it started as nothing more than small organic molecules created by the synthesis of inorganic material present
on Earth. Nobody knows exactly how this happened, however it led in time to the creation of other, more complex molecules, such as phospholipids, amino acids, etc. Probably between
3.9 and 3.5 billion years ago, the first organisms, such as simple prokaryotes, appeared.

Those organisms were the only inhabitants of Earth until 2.1 billion years ago. We can date to this
period the appearance of quantities of oxygen in the atmosphere. This change was possible because
of the first photosynthesizing organisms. These were the cyanobacteria, which still exist today. You
can observe them in the Lifeliqe Animal Biology library, in a model called “Cyanobacteria”. These
simple organisms, which were the first oxygen producers, gave the atmosphere its significant
proportion of oxygen and made possible the development of organisms outside of a watery
environment, which occurred in later periods of Earth’s history.
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At about 1 billion years ago, this development advanced to the appearance and diversification
of eukaryotic cells. This happened most probably when a bacterial cell attempted to digest another
one, which instead survived inside the predator cell and converted itself into an organelle typical of
animal eukaryotic cells, the mitochondrion. Mitochondria then served as “energy factories” for Click to open in Lifeliqe
whole eukaryotic cells. You can observe mitochondria and other organelles in the model “Somatic
Cell”, found in the Human Biology library of the Lifeliqe app.
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3. Input min

In this part of the lesson, explain to your students what input materials are needed for the photosynthesis reaction. If you have your students think about the necessities of each living
plant’s survival, the question will be answered automatically.

The first important constituent of the photosynthesis reaction is water. Water is absorbed from the soil by the plant’s roots and delivered to all the rest of the plant by a system
of internal plumbing. Apart from bringing in minerals needed by the plant, it is an important constituent for growth and photosynthesis. From the chemical point of view, water is a
simple compound composed of one atom of oxygen and two of hydrogen. If you open the Lifeliqe Chemistry library, you will find there a model of this basic molecule. Type into the
search box “Water”, open the 3D model, and show it to the students.
The other important input substance of photosynthesis is “Carbon Dioxide”, which again can be found in the Lifeliqe Chemistry library. Carbon dioxide is one of the constituents
of Earth’s atmosphere, though forming just 1% of its total volume, nonetheless making it the third most important gas present there. It is produced during our breathing. Plants take it
from the air and use it as the second substance needed for photosynthesis. Take a look at the model of this simple compound and identify the two basic elements which it is made of.

The last important input needed to run the process is energy. This is provided by the sun. Sunlight is used to break the water molecules when it hits the green colored chlorophyll hidden
in the chloroplasts. In these organelles everything important in the process happens, during several phases finally leading to the processing of the compounds through which plants store
energy. But this part will be explained later; first, take a look with your students at the structure of the chloroplasts, the place where photosynthesis occurs!

Click to open in Lifeliqe Click to open in Lifeliqe

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4. The power of green min

In this part of the lesson, you should dedicate some time to studying the organelle
responsible for photosynthesis, the chloroplast. The whole process we are speaking of happens
here, inside this organelle. Chloroplasts are specific because of their shiny green coloring called
chlorophyll, which gives the plants their typical coloration. First, highlight them in the “Plant
Cell” model, clicking on the Chloroplasts part, to show how they are situated inside the cell. You
can also show students photos of specific plants, where the chloroplasts can be seen clearly and
in detail. A good example is this photo of moss cells where these organelles are clearly
observable! Then open a specialized, detailed model of the organelle. Look for the
“Chloroplast” model inside the Plant Biology library. Ask the students to observe it, beginning
with a description of its general structure. Tell them that chloroplasts are disc-shaped organelles
found in the cytosol of a cell. If your students look at the model, they will discover that the
chloroplasts also have a complex internal structure. Describe this, starting with the two
membranes: one inner and one outer. In between these there exists a gap called the
intermembrane space. Highlight the respective parts of the model, clicking on them in the
description panel or directly on the picture. Then continue with a description of the inner parts Kristian Peters -- Fabelfroh, Plagiomnium affine laminazellen, CC BY-SA 3.0
of chloroplasts. The most important part of the organelle, the thylakoids, can be found, grouped
and interconnected in stacks called grana (singular granum), which contain chlorophyll. The
inner space of chloroplasts is called the lumen, while the inner part surrounding the thylakoids
is called the stroma. In the model we can also find starch, which appears as the result of the
energy production process of photosynthesis.

When you have finished the description, tell the students that green chlorophyll is not the only
pigment present in chloroplasts. There are also others, carotene and xanthophyll, which are
covered up by the strong green color of chlorophyll, so they are usually invisible to the human
eye. However, sometimes the other colorings reveal their beauty, as on some trees during the
fall, when the green chlorophyll disappears from the leaves and so the other pigments become
visible. When all the colorings disappear, the leaves are just brown. Tell the students more
about the other colorings, and then search for some beautiful pictures of colored leaves!
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5. Experiment – photosynthesis under different conditions min

Now let’s examine the conditions which can influence the rate of
photosynthesis!
Tools Measurement Time Sodium bicarbonate Number of bubbles
Number concentration
• Willmott’s bubbler
• Hydrilla
• Water
• Vaseline
• Blue, green, and red color paper 1 2 min 250 mg 16 bubbles
• Sodium bicarbonate
• Thermometer

2 ¨ 500 mg
Instructions

1. Fill the bubbler with pond water.

3 ¨ 750 mg
2. Cut some hydrilla plants, tie them, and insert them into the narrow
part of the bubbler so that their cut ends point upwards.

3. Add a precise quantity of sodium bicarbonate to the water (e.g., 4 ¨ 1g

250 mg) and count the number of the bubbles in a determined
time (e.g., 2 min). Note down the result, then add another portion
of sodium bicarbonate and count the bubbles again. Repeat the
5 ¨ 1,25 g
process, until completing a table like the above with the results of
your measurements.

6 ¨ 1,5 g
4. Prepare the same apparatus again, but now instead of adding
sodium bicarbonate, expose it to sunlight for various times.
Conduct an experiment, changing the periods of sunlight and Measurement Time Conditions Number of bubbles
shadow for definite times and count again the bubbles during it, Number
noting down the results into another table.

1 2 min Sun 13 bubbles

2 ¨ Shade

3 ¨ Sun

4 ¨ Shade

5 ¨ Sun

6 ¨ Shade
5. Another round of the experiment will consist in exposing the
apparatus to light of different colors. Cover the bubbler with red-,
Measure Number Number Number
green-, and blue-colored papers, and again count the number of ment Time of bubbles of bubbles of bubbles
bubbles in a definite time period. Note down the results. Number – red light – blue light – green light

1 4 min 29 bubbles 23 bubbles 12 bubbles

2 ¨

3 ¨

4 ¨

5 ¨

Average ¨
6. The last measurements will be taken at different temperatures of
Measurement Temperature Time Number of
water. Heat it with an electric heater to a determined temperature
Number bubbles
and count the bubbles. Repeat the measuring at various times with
different temperatures.

7. Draw conclusions. How have all the observed factors influenced

the number of bubbles (i.e., on the rate of photosynthesis)?

1 15 °C 2 min 22 bubbles

2 20 °C ¨

3 25 °C ¨

4 30 °C ¨

5 35 °C ¨

6 40 °C ¨
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