Today is rung 3 of 8 on this topic
Cells, macromolecules and energy
Can do: Explains how cells get and use energy, and links structure to function in organelles.
Why it matters
Photosynthesis and respiration are the two reactions all biology depends on, and they're usually memorised as unconnected equations.
What it looks like when it's wobbly
Recites both equations without noticing they're near-inverses, and treats them as belonging to different organisms.
⏱️ Two-minute check
"How do photosynthesis and respiration relate? Do plants respire?"
Solid looks like: Roughly inverse processes, and yes — plants respire constantly.
The full activity for this topic · 30 minutes
Follow One Carbon Atom
- 1Draw the journey of a carbon atom from the air, into a leaf, into a sugar, into an animal, and back out.
- 2Label which process happens at each arrow.
- 3Write both equations and circle the shared molecules.
- 4Explain why plants need mitochondria too.
- 5Test it: pondweed and a light source, counting oxygen bubbles at different distances.
If it's too hard
Draw and label both equations and identify the shared molecules.
If it's too easy
Explain what limits the rate of photosynthesis and design a fair test for one factor.
Say this
"Write both equations and look at them side by side. What do you notice?"