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Science lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 45 minutes

Work out enzyme reaction rates from experimental data

Cells, genetics and evolution

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-6CCSS NGSS.SEP 5England: GCSE Combined Science: Organisation (required practical: enzymes)

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Work out enzyme reaction rates from experimental data.

  • I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
  • I can explain each step and say why it works.
  • I can check my answer and spot a mistake.

Before and after

Needs first: How enzymes work: active sites, temperature and pH

Leads to: the next skill in this area.

Materials: Microscope images or slides, Cell diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (How enzymes work: active sites, temperature and pH). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What happens to an enzyme above its optimum temperature? (Its active site changes shape and it is denatured / It turns into a different enzyme / It works faster and faster forever / It is killed like a cell) → Its active site changes shape and it is denaturedPrompt: Enzymes are proteins; heat breaks the bonds holding their shape.
  2. Enzymes: which statement is NOT true? (Most human enzymes work best at about 37 °C. / Cold temperatures denature enzymes permanently. / Enzymes are biological catalysts. / Enzymes are not used up in the reactions they speed up.) → Cold temperatures denature enzymes permanently.Prompt: Is the effect of cold permanent?
  3. A human enzyme has an optimum temperature of about 37 °C. What is the enzyme most likely to be doing at 10 °C? (working slowly, but not denatured / working at or near its fastest rate / denatured and no longer working) → working slowly, but not denaturedPrompt: Cold slows molecules down; it does not change the active site's shape.

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a microscope image of cells and ask what students think they are looking at.
  • Share the objective: Work out enzyme reaction rates from experimental data. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Catalase in liver broke down hydrogen peroxide and released 10 cm³ of oxygen in 20 s. What was the mean rate of reaction, in cm³/s?
  • Step 1: 10 ÷ 20 = 0.5
  • Step 2: So the answer is: 0.5 cm³/s
  • Answer: 0.5 cm³/s
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Catalase in liver broke down hydrogen peroxide and released 25 cm³ of oxygen in 50 s. What was the mean rate of reaction, in cm³/s? → 0.5 cm³/sPrompt: rate = amount of product ÷ time
  2. Amylase took 50 s to digest all the starch at pH 7. Calculate the rate using rate = 1000 ÷ time, in s⁻¹. → 20 s⁻¹Prompt: Substitute the time into the formula.

You do: independent practice · 10 min

  • Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
  • Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.

The 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. An enzyme was timed digesting the same amount of substrate at different pH values: pH 3: 153 s pH 5: 121 s pH 7: 83 s pH 9: 35 s pH 11: 85 s What is its optimum pH? → 9Prompt: The optimum gives the fastest reaction.
  2. Amylase took 50 s to digest all the starch at pH 7. Calculate the rate using rate = 1000 ÷ time, in s⁻¹. → 20 s⁻¹Prompt: Substitute the time into the formula.

Watch out for

  • Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
  • Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"

Support and stretch

Support

  • Review first: How enzymes work: active sites, temperature and pH.
  • Use concrete materials: microscope images or slides.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
  • Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.

Homework and more practice

Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-9.

Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder

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Work out enzyme reaction rates from experimental data

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    An enzyme was timed digesting the same amount of substrate at different pH values: pH 3: 95 s pH 5: 44 s pH 7: 95 s pH 9: 129 s pH 11: 165 s What is its optimum pH?

    Answer

  2. Question 2

    Amylase took 100 s to digest all the starch at pH 7. Calculate the rate using rate = 1000 ÷ time, in s⁻¹.

    Answers⁻¹

  3. Question 3

    Catalase in liver broke down hydrogen peroxide and released 10 cm³ of oxygen in 25 s. What was the mean rate of reaction, in cm³/s?

    Answercm³/s

  4. Question 4

    An enzyme was timed digesting the same amount of substrate at different pH values: pH 3: 141 s pH 5: 81 s pH 7: 35 s pH 9: 87 s pH 11: 117 s What is its optimum pH?

    Answer

  5. Question 5

    Amylase took 250 s to digest all the starch at pH 7. Calculate the rate using rate = 1000 ÷ time, in s⁻¹.

    Answers⁻¹

  6. Question 6

    Catalase in liver broke down hydrogen peroxide and released 16 cm³ of oxygen in 40 s. What was the mean rate of reaction, in cm³/s?

    Answercm³/s

  7. Question 7

    An enzyme was timed digesting the same amount of substrate at different pH values: pH 3: 195 s pH 5: 137 s pH 7: 85 s pH 9: 32 s pH 11: 87 s What is its optimum pH?

    Answer

  8. Question 8

    Amylase took 50 s to digest all the starch at pH 7. Calculate the rate using rate = 1000 ÷ time, in s⁻¹.

    Answers⁻¹

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Answer key: Work out enzyme reaction rates from experimental data

  1. 1. 5

  2. 2. 10 s⁻¹

  3. 3. 0.4 cm³/s

  4. 4. 7

  5. 5. 4 s⁻¹

  6. 6. 0.4 cm³/s

  7. 7. 9

  8. 8. 20 s⁻¹