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Science lesson plan · 7th grade (Year 8 in England) · 60 minutes

Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.MS-LS1-7CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-7England: KS3 Biology: Cellular respirationEngland: GCSE Combined Science: Bioenergetics

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast.

  • 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: Breathing, gas exchange and respiration

Leads to: Aerobic and anaerobic respiration equations compared

Materials: Stopwatches, Body diagrams, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 6 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Breathing, gas exchange and respiration). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Where does gas exchange happen in the lungs? (in the ribs / in the diaphragm / in the alveoli (air sacs) / in the trachea) → in the alveoli (air sacs)Prompt: They are tiny and surrounded by capillaries.
  2. Respiration: which statement is NOT true? (Mitochondria are where aerobic respiration happens. / We breathe out only carbon dioxide. / Plants respire as well as photosynthesise. / Aerobic respiration releases more energy than anaerobic respiration.) → We breathe out only carbon dioxide.Prompt: Respiration and breathing are different things.
  3. During hard exercise, muscles may respire without enough oxygen. What do they make? (oxygen / starch / alcohol and carbon dioxide / lactic acid) → lactic acidPrompt: This is anaerobic respiration in animals.

Hook · 6 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 12 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Which word equation shows the respiration happening here: muscles doing hard exercise with too little oxygen?
  • Step 1: In muscles without enough oxygen, glucose is turned into lactic acid.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: glucose → lactic acid
  • Answer: glucose → lactic acid
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 12 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. Which word equation shows the respiration happening here: a sprinter's leg muscles in a 100 m race? (glucose → lactic acid / glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide / glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water) → glucose → lactic acidPrompt: Is there enough oxygen?
  2. Yeast was mixed with sugar solution and the gas collected in 10 minutes was measured: 10 °C: 8 cm³ 20 °C: 11 cm³ 30 °C: 21 cm³ 40 °C: 13 cm³ 50 °C: 3 cm³ At which temperature did the yeast respire fastest, in °C? → 30 °CPrompt: The gas is carbon dioxide from respiration.

You do: independent practice · 17 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 · 7 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. Why does anaerobic respiration release less energy than aerobic respiration? (Glucose is only partly broken down / It uses more oxygen / It happens in the lungs / It makes more water) → Glucose is only partly broken downPrompt: Compare the products: lactic acid still contains energy.
  2. Yeast was mixed with sugar solution and the gas collected in 10 minutes was measured: 10 °C: 4 cm³ 20 °C: 14 cm³ 30 °C: 20 cm³ 40 °C: 15 cm³ 50 °C: 1 cm³ At which temperature did the yeast respire fastest, in °C? → 30 °CPrompt: The gas is carbon dioxide from respiration.

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: Breathing, gas exchange and respiration.
  • Use concrete materials: stopwatches.
  • Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
  • Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.

Stretch

  • Move on to: Aerobic and anaerobic respiration equations compared.
  • 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-7.

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

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Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which word equation shows the respiration happening here: a marathon runner's muscles at a steady pace?

    • A. glucose → lactic acid
    • B. glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide
    • C. glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

  2. Question 2

    Yeast was mixed with sugar solution and the gas collected in 10 minutes was measured: 10 °C: 10 cm³ 20 °C: 12 cm³ 30 °C: 24 cm³ 40 °C: 13 cm³ 50 °C: 2 cm³ At which temperature did the yeast respire fastest, in °C?

    Answer°C

  3. Question 3

    Bacteria in milk respire anaerobically and make lactic acid. Which food does this produce?

    • A. butter
    • B. jam
    • C. yoghurt (yogurt)
    • D. bread

  4. Question 4

    Which word equation shows the respiration happening here: muscles doing hard exercise with too little oxygen?

    • A. glucose → lactic acid
    • B. glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide
    • C. glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

  5. Question 5

    Yeast was mixed with sugar solution and the gas collected in 10 minutes was measured: 10 °C: 5 cm³ 20 °C: 10 cm³ 30 °C: 12 cm³ 40 °C: 26 cm³ 50 °C: 3 cm³ At which temperature did the yeast respire fastest, in °C?

    Answer°C

  6. Question 6

    Which word equation shows the respiration happening here: a sprinter's leg muscles in a 100 m race?

    • A. glucose → lactic acid
    • B. glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide
    • C. glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

  7. Question 7

    Yeast was mixed with sugar solution and the gas collected in 10 minutes was measured: 10 °C: 5 cm³ 20 °C: 13 cm³ 30 °C: 22 cm³ 40 °C: 13 cm³ 50 °C: 3 cm³ At which temperature did the yeast respire fastest, in °C?

    Answer°C

  8. Question 8

    In bread making, which product of fermentation makes the dough rise?

    • A. oxygen
    • B. lactic acid
    • C. carbon dioxide
    • D. ethanol

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Answer key: Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast

  1. 1. C. glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water

  2. 2. 30 °C

  3. 3. C. yoghurt (yogurt)

  4. 4. A. glucose → lactic acid

  5. 5. 40 °C

  6. 6. A. glucose → lactic acid

  7. 7. 30 °C

  8. 8. C. carbon dioxide