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Science lesson plan · 9th grade (Year 10 in England) · 60 minutes

Aerobic and anaerobic respiration equations compared

Human body and health

CCSS NGSS.HS-LS1-7England: GCSE Combined Science: Bioenergetics

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Aerobic and anaerobic respiration equations compared.

  • 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: Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast; Photosynthesis: word and balanced symbol equations

Leads to: Glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain

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 (Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast; Photosynthesis: word and balanced symbol equations). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. Which word equation shows the respiration happening here: yeast in a sealed flask of sugar solution? (glucose → lactic acid / glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxide / glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water) → glucose → ethanol + carbon dioxidePrompt: Is there enough oxygen?
  2. Which is the balanced symbol equation for photosynthesis? (C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O / 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ / 6O₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6CO₂ / CO₂ + H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂) → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂Prompt: Carbon dioxide and water are the reactants.
  3. Yeast was mixed with sugar solution and the gas collected in 10 minutes was measured: 10 °C: 5 cm³ 20 °C: 9 cm³ 30 °C: 14 cm³ 40 °C: 26 cm³ 50 °C: 1 cm³ At which temperature did the yeast respire fastest, in °C? → 40 °CPrompt: The gas is carbon dioxide from respiration.

Hook · 6 min

  • Ask everyone to find their pulse, then jump for 30 seconds and find it again.
  • Share the objective: Aerobic and anaerobic respiration equations compared. 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 is the balanced symbol equation for aerobic respiration?
  • Step 1: glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water
  • Step 2: So the answer is: C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O
  • Answer: C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O
  • 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 is the balanced symbol equation for aerobic respiration? (C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O / C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O / 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ / C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂) → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂OPrompt: Aerobic respiration uses glucose and oxygen.
  2. Which type of respiration does this describe: it produces water? (aerobic only / anaerobic only / both) → aerobic onlyPrompt: Does it need oxygen?

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. A muscle cell respires 4 molecules of glucose aerobically. Using C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O, how many molecules of oxygen are needed? → 24Prompt: Look at the ratio in the balanced equation.
  2. Which is the balanced symbol equation for aerobic respiration? (C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O / C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O / C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂ / C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6CO₂ → 6O₂ + 6H₂O) → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂OPrompt: Aerobic respiration uses glucose and oxygen.

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: Respiration without oxygen: muscles and yeast.
  • 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: Glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain.
  • 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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Aerobic and anaerobic respiration equations compared

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which type of respiration does this describe: it happens in living cells?

    • A. aerobic only
    • B. anaerobic only
    • C. both

  2. Question 2

    A muscle cell respires 3 molecules of glucose aerobically. Using C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O, how many molecules of oxygen are needed?

    Answer

  3. Question 3

    Which is the balanced symbol equation for aerobic respiration?

    • A. C₆H₁₂O₆ → 2C₂H₅OH + 2CO₂
    • B. C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6CO₂ → 6O₂ + 6H₂O
    • C. 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
    • D. C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O

  4. Question 4

    Which type of respiration does this describe: it causes an oxygen debt?

    • A. aerobic only
    • B. anaerobic only
    • C. both

  5. Question 5

    A muscle cell respires 5 molecules of glucose aerobically. Using C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O, how many molecules of oxygen are needed?

    Answer

  6. Question 6

    A muscle cell respires 8 molecules of glucose aerobically. Using C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O, how many molecules of oxygen are needed?

    Answer

  7. Question 7

    Which type of respiration does this describe: it releases the most energy per glucose?

    • A. aerobic only
    • B. anaerobic only
    • C. both

  8. Question 8

    A cell respires 3 molecules of glucose aerobically. Using C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O, how many molecules of carbon dioxide are produced?

    Answer

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Answer key: Aerobic and anaerobic respiration equations compared

  1. 1. C. both

  2. 2. 18

  3. 3. D. C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O

  4. 4. B. anaerobic only

  5. 5. 30

  6. 6. 48

  7. 7. A. aerobic only

  8. 8. 18