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Protein Synthesis Activity

One of the most challenging topics for Biology students is protein synthesis. This Protein Synthesis Activity forces to dive into the content and develop an understanding of the process. They also have fun doing it!

In this protein synthesis activity, students must create a skit or a role play of the process of protein synthesis. Students must describe both transcription and translation throughout the skit.

Protein Synthesis Activity

Protein Synthesis Activity Requirements

This activity provides students with rubric to guide them through the development of their skit. Students are required to use the following terms throughout their presentation in some way:

  • DNA Molecule
  • Nucleotides
  • Amino acids (make sure they are attached to the correct tRNA)
  • RNA Polymerase
  • mRNA (codon must be mentioned)
  • tRNA (anticodon must be mentioned)
  • rRNA (Ribosome)
  • start codon
  • stop codon

Students always have great discussions as they talk through the process of making their skit about protein synthesis.

Sometimes groups get stuck and are not sure where to begin. When that happens I show them an animation. They can watch it as much as they need in order to develop an understanding of the process of protein synthesis and apply it to their skit.

To help ease the fear of presenting in front of the class, I also offer students the opportunity create a video presentation instead of presenting in class. It is some extra work but some student are glad to do it instead of presenting in front of the class.

Sometimes students do not equally participate. In this activity, all students are required to have an equal speaking part and it is in the rubric. I also tell students that they may lose points as an individual if they do not “pull their weight” in the activity.

Props for Protein Synthesis


Skits have props. You definitely need to give students a time limit on prop building or they will be building forever! Students can bring in their own supplies or you can provide the supplies.

In my classroom, I have a bin of random items that I collect from old kits, packing materials and random items I find that might be able to serve as a good model building materials.

My students have created some pretty amazing presentations using this protein synthesis activity. I hope your students enjoy it and it helps them learn the process of proteins synthesis as well.

If you like this activity, check out our Macromolecule Boxing Activity.

If you need a Full Biology Curriculum with every single day of your school year planned out you can get it here.


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#proteinsynthesis #biologyteaching

Punnett Square Challenge

Recently, my class was finishing up the unit on genetics and learning how to do a variety of punnett squares  and  I knew I needed to create a better way to review this concept.

Inheritance Patterns: Punnett Squares

So… I created this Punnett Square Challenge that my students love.

Prior to completing this punnett square activity, students should have had exposure to examples, of complete dominance, incomplete dominance, co-dominance, multiple alleles and dihybrid crosses.

After students have had some practice with  punnet squares, this activity will serve as a review or a great gauge for \their understanding of the content.

In this activity,  students will complete each punnett square (1 through 6) in order.

Student will only receive one punnett square at a time and will only get the next one when they have correctly completed the preceding punnett square.

I have found that students generate great conversation when working together to complete these punnett squares, although it can be done independently.

Each new punnett square will add a degree of difficulty as they progress through the activity. I walk around with folders that contain the problems. As they get them correct I give them the next problem.

If students complete the activity within  first or second I offer them a homework pass or bonus points. I have done this as a race and timed and both way worked well. The homework pass incentive takes their effort up a notch.

Student always enjoy this and the discussions that take places are amazing.

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If you like this you will love our Biochemistry boxing activity!

The Best Assessment Strategy to Increase Achievement in Biology

The Best Assessment Strategy to Increase Achievement in Biology

One of my favorite models for assessing students in Biology comes from my current district. Even throughout my Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction, I have not seen a better method for assessing students and holding them to a high standard.

In the assessment model that we currently use in the Science department, we allow students to complete retakes on quizzes that consist of about one chapter/topic worth of content.

There are multiple versions of each quiz i.e. version a,b, and c which are all the same questions just ordered differently for quiz and exam security and authenticity purposes.

Note: Students have been known to take pictures of quizzes/tests and sell them to other students. Be vigilant. NO PHONE or DEVICES when a quiz/exam is being used.

In addition, there are re-quiz versions that are mostly different questions with the same content. If a student fails a quiz and wants to improve their grade they can. However, students must complete test corrections and tutoring one day and re-quiz the following day. (ASSESSMENT FOR LEARNING)

Re-quiz  Procedures:
  • Students can only achieve up to 90% on a re-quiz.
  • They can only re-quiz once.
  • For me, re-quizzes are slightly more difficult because I want them to know their stuff if they are going to make me put time into regrading I want them to know their stuff. I let them know they are slightly more difficult.
  • If they get a lower score they do not take the lower score but I mention that if it occurs more than once I may change that.
What can’t they redo?

After we cover a unit of study, usually 3 or 4 chapters/topics, we take a Unit Exam worth 3 times more than a quiz grade. These are NOT able to be retaken. This is where students demonstrate what they know. (ASSESSMENT OF LEARNING)

The Unit Exams offer me the ability to say confidently that the student knows their stuff if they get an A in my course which demonstrates mastery of the content.

This assessment model also holds them accountable for actually learning the content even if they do not do well on a particular topic.

A 2-3 day review/reteaching is done before the exam through labs and various activities such as Quizlet Live and Kahoot. Again, this is another opportunity for students to solidify their content knowledge or relearn areas they struggled in.

Pros and Cons
Pros
  • Students have an opportunity to improve their learning and their grades.
  • It is extremely helpful at parent conferences to mention that re-quizzes are available to the student.
  • Increase the pass rate for the state assessments.
  • Puts the pressure on the students to achieve and takes pressure off of the teacher if they do not.
Cons
  • Not all students care enough to take advantage of it.
  • Some students care too much about a single point to get to the 90% and you will have to regrade a whole quiz for one point!
  • It requires a lot of work and time up-front to create multiple versions of high-quality assessments.
  • It requires a lot of regrading = more time. However, I rewrote many quizzes to use Zipgrade and it has saved tons of time.
  • Your school schedule may not easily accommodate time for tutoring and re-quizzes. We have a 30-minute study period built in.

What are your thoughts or strategies? Comment Below.

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Station Teaching

Station Teaching for Evolution:

When introducing evolution I like to use the station teaching model. I set up stations for collaboration, independent and teacher assisted or direct instruction. Each station is broken down into about 20 minute rotations and can span multiple days depending on your schedule, I am on a block schedule but have done this with traditional scheduling and it works well.

Collaborative: Students work together to examine skulls and the similarities and difference between them from an evolutionary perspective. Students will also color code homologous structures in the station.

homologous-structures

I use any skull samples I have available.
I use any skull samples I have available.

Independent: I set up Ipads or laptops with headphones and have the students watch the by Nina Jablonski video on skin pigmentation and complete a video worksheet.

Direct or Teacher Assisted:

Honors:
  • Each student will research an example of one piece of evidence for evolution.
  • Choices: fossil, anatomical, physiological, embryological, biochemical, and universal genetic code
  • Research for 10 minutes and gather information to share with the group.
Academic:
  • Direct instruction where the students will use guided notes as the teacher presents an evidence-for-evolution  PowerPoint to a small group.

 Station Rotation Handout:Evolution-Stations

 

Evolution Video

Evolution Video on Skin Pigmentation:

This TED talk is one of my favorite to show students. It does a great job explaining how organisms evolve and how our own skin pigmentation is evidence for evolution. I use the video with this Video Worksheet to introduce evolution.