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You Are What You Eat!Part Deux

Digestion and Biosynthesis: The Role Play

Part 1. The Role Play.

Your group will receive three plant proteins, as shown in the diagram below. Each protein is composed of monomers called amino acids. The different amino acids are represented by each color.

Clear a large space on your lab tables and set up the table as shown in the chart below. Use an index card to label each “zone”Plant Amino

Acids used to make

cow proteins

Cow Amino Acids used to make

human proteins

Human

For today’s activity, you will play the role of an ENZYME. Enzymes are organic molecules that help speed up chemical reactions. Because of their unique structure, enzymes are very specific in the functions that they carry out inside an organism’s cells. Each enzyme does a specific job, and only that job! Carefully read the directions on the role sheet for your enzyme. Make sure you understand your role for this activity. You must follow the instruction for your job exactly.

When all members of your group are ready, and your materials are set up, you may begin! Keep practicing until your group can disassemble and rebuild each step quickly.

Be sure to listen and follow the teacher’s directions. There may be some surprises!

©Delaware Science Coalition 1

Part 2. Reflection and Analysis.

1. Describe the role of a plant, a cow and a human in a simple food chain.

2. How do the proteins in the plant, cow and human differ? How are they the same?

3. What happens to the amino acids from a plant protein before they are used by the cow?

4. What happens to the amino acids from a cow protein before it is used by the human?

5. What process is being illustrated by the breaking apart of the amino acids between each organism? Which parts of this activity are examples of biosynthesis?


6. Each of you had a specific job to complete as an enzyme during this exercise. Describe some of the things that happened as you worked through this activity.

What was your role in this simulation?

Did you ever find yourself with nothing to do? When did this occur?

What are some things that may have sped up the process for YOUR job?

Why were you not allowed to make or break down proteins for different organisms at the same time?

When your teacher told you that you could only use ONE HAND to complete your task, what happened to the process? Could this happen in real life? What factors could cause an enzyme to not function correctly?

In the box below, summarize what you have learned about enzymes.


Role Sheet ONE:

You will be fulfilling the roles of TWO SEPARATE ENZYMES. One is a digestive enzyme in a cow, and one is a digestive enzyme in a human.

As a cow’s digestive enzyme:

Your role is to detach/disconnect every green, blue or yellow “amino acid” from the whole plant protein structure.

You may only disconnect YOUR COLORS (green, blue and yellow)

EXAMPLE:

You will start with this… You will do your job to get this…

As a human’s digestive enzyme:

Your role is to detach/disconnect every green, purple, blue and yellow “amino acid” from the whole cow protein structure.

You may only disconnect YOUR COLORS (green, purple, blue and yellow)

EXAMPLE:



Role Sheet TWO:

You will be fulfilling the roles of TWO SEPARATE ENZYMES. One is a digestive enzyme in a cow, and one is a digestive enzyme in a human.

As a cow’s digestive enzyme:

Your role is to detach/disconnect every pink, orange and purple “amino acid” from the whole plant protein structure.

You may only disconnect YOUR COLORS (pink, orange and purple)

EXAMPLE:


As a human’s digestive enzyme:

Your role is to detach/disconnect every green, purple, blue and yellow “amino acid” from the whole cow protein structure.


EXAMPLE:



Role Sheet THREE:

You will be fulfilling the roles of TWO SEPARATE ENZYMES. One is a synthesis enzyme in a cow, and one is a synthesis enzyme in a human.

As a cow’s synthesis enzyme:

Your role is to attach/connect every green to purple, purple to yellow and green to pink “amino acid” that is in the cow.

You may only connect YOUR COLORS (green to purple, purple to yellow and green to pink)

EXAMPLE:


As a human’s synthesis enzyme:

Your role is to attach/connect every blue to orange, and orange to pink “amino acid” that is in the human.


EXAMPLE:



Role Sheet FOUR:

You will be fulfilling the roles of TWO SEPARATE ENZYMES. One is a synthesis enzyme in a cow, and one is a synthesis enzyme in a human.

As a cow’s synthesis enzyme:

Your role is to attach/connect every blue to orange and orange to pink “amino acid” that is in the cow.

You may only connect YOUR COLORS (blue to orange and orange to pink)

EXAMPLE:


As a human’s synthesis enzyme:

Your role is to attach/connect every purple to green, green to yellow and yellow to pink “amino acid” that is in the human.

You may only disconnect YOUR COLORS (purple to green, green to yellow and yellow to pink)

EXAMPLE:



you are what you eat - bowenbiology.files.wordpress.com€¦ · web view10/01/2016 · you are...

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