Teacher Resources - Biological Molecules: The Building Blocks of Life

Summary: The sugar molecules thus formed contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen: their hydrocarbon backbones are used to make amino acids and other carbon-based molecules that can be assembled into larger molecules (such as proteins or DNA), used for example to form new cells. As matter and energy flow through different organizational levels of living systems, chemical elements are recombined in different ways to form different products.

Standards Alignment: Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for how carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen from sugar molecules may combine with other elements to form amino acids and/or other large carbon-based molecules. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using evidence from models and simulations to support explanations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the details of the specific chemical reactions or identification of macromolecules.]

Overview of Resources:

Engage: Watch this video from Bozeman Biology on biomolecules. Paul Anderson does get job describing the building blocks of each biomolecule and how each is used within the larger organism.  

Explore: Read E.O. Wilson’s Life on Earth Chapter 2.3 (Chemistry of Life). While reading the text students should explore all of the videos and animations. Students should be able to explain the monomers and polymers of each biomolecule and give an example of how each is used in the body.

Elaborate: Students create an explain everything movie for one of the biomolecules. This movie should talk about the monomers the make of the macromolecule, give examples of how each biomolecule is used in the human body and how that plays a role in the large function of the human body. (Example: Amino acids make up proteins. Myosin and Actin are examples of proteins that are used to perform muscle contraction. Muscles act on bones to cause movement in the body) After the students create their video they can share them with the class. (Each student is only making a video on one of the four molecules and therefore sharing provides the opportunity for students to gain information on all four types of molecules.)

Explain: Students need to explain why the statement, “We are what we eat” is 100% accurate. Students can chose the mechanism to answer this prompt. Answers should include information about an organisms need to create its own proteins like collagen, myosin, actin, and enzymes, cell membranes for its cells, DNA and RNA that code for its genetic information and monosaccharides for energy. Students should then connect the organisms need to build these from building blocks (amino acids, monosaccharides, glycerol and fatty acids, nucleotides) and the only way to get them is by consuming other organisms macromolecules and breaking them down into those building blocks.