Lesson Plan Template

Title of activity: Introduction to protein synthesis

Concept covered in activity: Transcription
Grade level or other prerequisites for activity: The students will have to know the basic organelles of the cell.
They will also have to be familiar with peptide bonds and the structures of amino acids. The students will also
need to know that Adenine makes hydrogen bonds with thymine in DNA, and with Uracil in RNA. They will
need to know that Guanine and Cytosine are bound together by hydrogen bonds.
Standards: national AND state standards: 2.6 (High School)
Learning objectives: Students should be able to demonstrate their understanding of DNA to RNA pairing by
creating matching DNA-RNA strands.
Students should be able to successfully differentiate from the cytoplasm and the RNA polymerase in the cell, by
role playing the respective parts of the cell.
Materials
For this lab I will need scissors, markers, tape, and precut nucleotides.
Instructional planning: For this lab I will need to have the Youtube video ready to go. Also, I will need to
make DNA sequences that show the molecular structure of the nucleotides for the genes the students will be
transcribing. Also, at the beginning I will need to make a short review slide that shows the structure of each of
the 5 different nucleotides. I will need to have all the materials ready for the students to access, and I will need
to provide the students with a key for all 5 nucleotides that shows the molecular structure.
Procedure/activity
Student Activity

Teacher Activity

Engage

Students will watch the video found at:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNVPB6NFIZU
for a quick understanding of some of the
basics about transcription.

Teacher will get the video loaded at the

front of the class. Teacher will go over all
the different types of proteins in the body,
but will then ask how are these all
made?

Explore

To explore the topic of transcription, the

students will be assigned certain roles as the
different enzymes associated with
transcription. Some students will play the
role of DNA nucleotides, some will play
RNA nucleotides, while others are the
enzymes. The students will then have to line
up with the same sequence of. The students
will pair up, and to explore the topic of
transcription, the students will be given a

The teacher will pass out handfuls of

nucleotides to the students. The teacher
will then inform the students that they
must get into pairs. The teacher will
assign one student as the cytoplasm, and
one student as the polymerase. (See the
student activity for a more detailed
description)

Balgopal, 2014

handful of pre-cut pieces of RNA nucleotides

(with the molecular structure drawn out). The
pieces of RNA will not be labeled, and thus
the students will have to match up the pieces
of RNA with a key. The students will then
have to figure out the sequence of DNA in
front of them by matching the molecular
structures to a DNA key. The students will
then have to assign someone as the
Cytoplasm, and someone as the RNA
polymerase. The polymerase student will
have to figure out which nucleotide they will
need to have complimentary pairs. After the
polymerase student sends the order, the
cytoplasm student will have to search through
the pile to find the correct nucleotide. The
students will then have to tape the pieces to
attach the DNA and RNA strands.
Explain

The students will attempt to figure out which

major protein that the gene coded for. They
will have a list of some of the common DNA
codes for a variety of proteins. They will
have to explain how they knew which protein
was coded for.

The teacher will explain that the students

just demonstrated some of the most
important concepts of transcription. The
teacher will inform the students that they
have essentially started to make the
mRNA strand for a certain gene.

Elaborate

The students will be able to listen to the

teacher talk about the next step the mRNA
strand will take in its process of making
proteins.

The teacher will elaborate to the students

that this isnt the final process in forming
a protein. The teacher will remind the
students that in the next lesson, they will
connect the processes of transcription and
translation.

Evaluate

The students will turn in their DNA-RNA

strands at the end of the class. The strands
will be graded for accuracy, and extra points
will be given for figuring out which protein
the DNA strand coded for.

The teacher will collect the DNA-RNA

strands from the students and will be able
to see whether the students understood the
concepts of turning DNA into mRNA.

Assessment
Formative-Collecting the DNA-RNA strips from the students to see whether they understood the
concepts.
Balgopal, 2014

Summative-N/A
Rubrics for grading
For this assignment, I will be awarding 5 out of 10 points for working hard and getting all the
nucleotides taped on to the strand. I will be awarding 1 point for each of the A, T, C, and G nucleotides
correctly, and an extra point for figuring out which protein the gene codes for.
Anticipated misconceptions/ alternative conceptions:
One of the possible misconceptions about proteins is that we dont make protein in our bodies, and thus
we have to ingest protein.
Accommodations/modifications of activity:
I will be purposefully matching the kids who really struggle in the class with some of the more advanced
kids. The fact that they will both have fairly defined roles in the project will help them to teach and learn from
one another. They will likely be checking each others work to make sure the other person is picking out the
correct nucleotide. If there is a grouping of kids that really struggles in the class, then I would likely label each
nucleotide for them so that all they would have to do is correctly match up the correct nucleotides.

Balgopal, 2014

5E Lesson Plan Rubric

Lesson Plan
Component

Below Expectations
(not included)

Standards (national
and state)
Learning objectives
Materials/Planning
Accommodations/
modifications

Meets Expectations
(Included but
incomplete)
1

Exceeds Expectations
(Thoroughly
addressed)
2

0
0
0

1
1
1

2
2
2

Assessment (tools
included)
Student centered with
both Teacher and
Student Actions
described (see template
for 5E LP format)

0-2

3-5

6-8

As a novice teacher, you will likely write and use lesson plans (LP) on a regular basis. You may even be
required to show your LPs to your supervisors. Eventually, you will have the lesson plans in your head or will
rely on abbreviated notes. As an ID Methods student, it is important to demonstrate (through LPs) that you
know what preparation is required as you design/ plan activities and assessment tools for your students. This
allows me to assess all of you in a consistent and fair manner.
Lesson plan formats vary greatly. I am most interested in how you plan to teach inquiry-based lessons. How
will you help students take ownership of the content and participate in their own learning? The 5E Model is one
format to help you teach inquiry lessons. Many students and new teachers find the 5E format easy to use.
Therefore, I would like you to use this framework for all lesson plans in this course. (See template on previous
page). Remember to think about student activity as being separate from teacher activity, and be explicit in
your LP so I know that you are aware of the differences.
I recognize that with each LP you will become more skilled and confident addressing each component. For
example, your first LP is due before we will have formally discussed Assessments in class. Thats okay. I want
you to consider each section, so I can provide constructive feedback.
You can REDO any lesson plan until the next lesson plan is due.
You can include your individual lesson plans in your final unit, if it makes sense to you and your unit plan
partner. You can write new lesson plans for your unit plan, if that makes more sense. Its up to you.

Balgopal, 2014