In my class recently we have been discussing enzymes. 10th grade biology.
Due to my AR I found a new "inquiry version" of a normal lab I would usually do.
It is called potato bubbles. The directions are simple...
1) cut a 1cm3 of potato (don't tell them how it's hilarious to watch)
2) mash it .... (Again don't tell them how WOW funny) and put contents in a plastic cup or beaker.
3) add 10 mL of hydrogen peroxide and observe... Record 5 observations. Hint: "it FOAMS"
From those observations form 5 questions.
Then record 5 hypothesizes.
Then choose one to test against the control... (Whole?, boiled, more H2O2, boil H2O2... est)
As a class you can cover just about anything and everything!
Long story short(er)... Mashing the potato releases "catalase" an enzyme found inside potato cells. It's job is to break apart H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide) that forms when water and oxygen come in contact. So essentially the reaction the students see is: H2O2--->H2O + O2 (cells get rid of it cuz it's toxic)
So they are seeing foam or bubbles or fizz because oxygen gas is released underwater!
They feel tricked and a tiny bit sad that "that's it" but they figure it out on their own! And more!!!
I'm starting to see how inquiry style really allows for DI at their own level and pace.
Some students moved on to the more intense catalase lab with liver vs potatoes but some didn't...
They just kept working with bubbles!! (Gas)
Very cool! Glad you found something for all students to do at their own pace keeping the main goal of understanding in mind. Did you give out a variety of assessments here or just let them complete what they could/wanted to with the inquiry lab?
ReplyDeleteI love the lab! It sounds like a great problem solving lesson as well. Was there questions that they had to answer based on what they observed? For the students that moved onto the liver, did they have deeper level of thinking questions?
ReplyDeleteVery cool Jodi! I do a similar lab but give my kids a little bit more direction. I need to start to let them figure more things out on their own like this! Nice job as well with the differentiation, moving some kids on to the liver and letting some figure it out more with the potato.
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