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How do organisms use energy?

Enzymes convert substrates to product

This analysis and discussion activity introduces students to the basic principles of how organisms use energy.

Students learn that, in cellular respiration, glucose is one input for reactions that provide the energy to make ATP. The hydrolysis of ATP provides the energy for many cellular processes.

Students apply the principles of conservation of energy and conservation of matter to avoid common errors and correct common misconceptions.

The Student Handout is available in the first two attached files and as a Google doc designed for use in distance learning and online instruction. The Teacher Notes, available in the last two attached files, provide instructional suggestions and background information and explain how this activity is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.

AttachmentSize
how organisms use energy SH.docx1.53 MB
how organisms use energy SH.pdf203.82 KB
how organisms use energy TN.docx3.96 MB
how organisms use energy TN.pdf461.16 KB
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Comments

iwaldron's picture

2024 revision

Submitted by iwaldron on Wed, 09/25/2024 - 8:55am.

The Student Handout has been reorganized for better logical flow, and some of the questions have been revised for clarity. The Teacher Notes have been reorganized and supplemented with improved figures.

Ingrid

Dawn Wilder's picture

i teach biology at Port

Submitted by Dawn Wilder (guest) on Mon, 10/18/2021 - 11:43am.

i teach biology at Port Charlotte High in Florida. I would like to use these resources, thanks Dawn Wilder.

iwaldron's picture

Using These Resources

Submitted by iwaldron on Wed, 10/20/2021 - 1:09pm.

Please do use these resources in your teaching! Our use policy is described in the left-hand column.
Good luck,
Ingrid

Fern's picture

Answer Key

Submitted by Fern (guest) on Wed, 02/14/2018 - 1:15am.

Hello,

I am using a few of these activities to teach my students concepts for our anatomy and physiology course. May I have a student answer key for this exercise? I'm also interested in answer keys for cell factory and cell diversity.

Best,
Fern

iwaldron's picture

Answer key

Submitted by iwaldron on Wed, 02/14/2018 - 8:33am.

Please see the Teacher Notes for instructional suggestions, background biology, and information about how to request the key.

Thanks,
Ingrid

iwaldron's picture

2016 revision

Submitted by iwaldron on Wed, 08/03/2016 - 2:35pm.

The Student Handout and Teacher Preparation Notes have been revised to improve the accuracy of the descriptions of chemical energy and energy metabolism.

iwaldron's picture

2015 revision

Submitted by iwaldron on Thu, 09/24/2015 - 7:50am.

In this revision, we have clarified the explanations and questions in the Student Handout, improved the scientific precision of the wording, and added explanations concerning challenging issues to the Teacher Notes.

iwaldron's picture

2014 revision

Submitted by iwaldron on Thu, 06/05/2014 - 10:46am.

The Student Handout has been substantially revised to align this activity more closely with the Next Generation Science Standards and to improve student understanding of energy, ATP and cellular respiration. The revised Teacher Notes provide improved teaching suggestions and background information.

Serendip Visitor's picture

cwon't let me downoad

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Thu, 09/17/2015 - 2:00pm.

Hello.

Is there an issue with downloading. It comes up with an error?

iwaldron's picture

Help with Download Problems

Submitted by iwaldron on Fri, 09/25/2015 - 9:30am.

I'm sorry that you are experiencing problems with downloads. We think we have identified the problem which we will fix it as soon as possible. Meanwhile, as a temporary approach to resolving this problem, I propose the following:

  • Please refresh your browser cache (http://www.refreshyourcache.com/en/home/) and try again.
  • If that does not work, send me a message with a request for whatever Student Handouts and Teacher Preparation Notes you would like to have, and I will send them as attachments to your e-mail address directly.

Ingrid Waldron

iwaldron@saas.upenn.edu

iwaldron's picture

2013 revision

Submitted by iwaldron on Fri, 09/27/2013 - 11:54am.

The 2013 revision of this activity has clarified explanations and questions in the Student Handout and background information and an optional additional activity "Sports Physiology – Energy" in the Teacher Notes.

zulkifli simatupang's picture

biology

Submitted by zulkifli simatupang (guest) on Fri, 09/28/2012 - 9:46pm.

information on the website is very helpful to me and my wife in preparing to teach biology, thank you.

Jody Barr's picture

Biology

Submitted by Jody Barr (guest) on Tue, 01/03/2012 - 7:02pm.

First question in the handout states that "opposite charges repel"...that should be "like charges repel".

iwaldron's picture

Error in Student Handout Fixed

Submitted by iwaldron on Thu, 01/05/2012 - 10:27am.

Thank you so much for letting me know about this error. I have posted a corrected student handout.

Thanks again,

Ingrid

Gamal Sherif's picture

ADP+P=ATP

Submitted by Gamal Sherif (guest) on Sun, 10/30/2011 - 3:09pm.

Thank you so much. This is very clear and well-organized. We're just finishing up plant growth in which teams of students chose independent variables and recorded data. We're also comparing photosynthesis and respiration.

The "misconceptions" resources are well-organized.

Thanks again.
Gamal

Serendip Visitor's picture

biology

Submitted by Serendip Visitor (guest) on Wed, 07/27/2011 - 11:03pm.

this is an awesome website..... thank you, thank you, thank you

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. To preserve the value of these learning activities for other teachers, please do not post keys for any questions from any of these activities!

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Authors

Dr. Ingrid Waldron is Professor Emerita in the Biology Department at the University of Pennsylvania. Co-authors include Dr. Jennifer Doherty, who is an Assistant Professor in the Physiology Department at Michigan State University, and Dr. Lori Spindler, who is a Lecturer in the Biology Department at the University of Pennsylvania. They have developed these activities in collaboration with colleagues at Penn and middle school and high school teachers in the Philadelphia area. We are grateful to Craig Douglas for his generous help with graphics.

 

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