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Enzymatic Reactions in Natural and Applied Systems Teachable Tidbit

Synopsis:

This activity is designed to help students determine whether a chemical reaction is spontaneous or nonspontaneous and know whether or not an enzyme is required for a reaction to occur, using a variety of examples. The activity is broken into three primary components. The first is a mini-lecture and demonstration on enzyme activity and activation energy. In the second component, students predict results of an experiment on the browning of a fruit slurry and interpret data from that experiment. The final component includes information and questions for student group discussion on the processes that result in fruit ripening and the spontaneity of the biochemical pathways that result in this common observation. Clicker questions are included throughout the activity to support learning and encourage peer discussion of the material. The activity is designed to work for any class size, and is most applicable to a majors-level course (1113). However, components could easily be modified to work for a non-majors course.​

 

 


                                                                           

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Active Learning

Backward Design

Assessment

Diversity

A demonstration of an enzymatic reaction curve is shown to the students.  Clicker questions are used throughout the activity as well as individual and group work interpreting and building graphs.

The learning goal for this unit is for students to be able to determine if a reaction spontaneous or not and if a enzyme is required for a reaction to proceed.  A learning outcome associated with this goal is for students to be able to interpret graphs of enzymatic reactions.  Students achieve this learning outcome by examining graphs of enzymatic reactions with different changes in free energy.  Student progress toward this learning outcome is monitored by clicker questions.

Clicker questions are used throughout the activity as a formative assessment tool to monitor progress toward the learning objectives.

Another universal theme, enzymes, is the focus of this activity.  The activity applies to a wide range of learning styles as presentations, demonstrations, and individual and group work are used in this unit.

 

Files associated with this Teachable Tidbit can be downloaded directly using these links:

teachable tidbit worksheet for small classroom.docx  
Enzymes and Reaction Spontaneity Tidbit Description.docx  
MoSI Teachable Unit Executive Summary for Tidbit.doc  
Enzymes and Reaction Spontaneity Tidbit Presentation  
 

Activity Details:

Authors:

-          Evan Waletzko (waletzko.1@osu.edu)

-          Nandini Shukla (Shukla.25@osu.edu)

-          Scott Prajzner (prajzner.1@osu.edu)

​​Learning Goal(s):

Students will be able to determine whether a reaction is spontaneous or non-spontaneous and will know whether or not an enzyme is required for a reaction to occur in both natural and applied systems.

Learning Outcomes:

 Students should be able to….

-         interpret data from graphs of enzymatic reactions

-         distinguish between enzyme catalyzed versus non-enzyme catalyzed reactions

-         predict spontaneity of reactions

-         develop hypotheses about potential uses of enzymes in commercial applications

-         recognize common enzymatic processes qualitatively from personal experiences

-         critically evaluate experimental design

How Diversity is Specifically Addressed:

This activity is focused on a theme that should be universal to the student population (enzymes in life). Attention was paid to visual representations of graphs to accommodate visual impairments (such as color blindness). Consideration was made for multiple learning styles (visuals, demonstrations, groups and independent work, etc.)

 

Activity Timeline:

This activity begins with a mini-lecture on enzyme activity, reaction spontaneity, and free energy changes during reactions, and includes several clicker questions to break up the information presented. A simple demonstration using a ball and cardboard box/ramp is conducted toward the end of this mini-lecture to reinforce the concepts being presented. The second component challenges students to interpret data from an experiment in order to create a graph depicting the enzymatic reaction free energy levels as the reactions progress across a number of treatments (experiment tests the browning rate of fruit slurry at different temperatures and in presence or absence of enzymes in saliva). Again, clicker questions are included for a rapid formative assessment of student understanding of the activity. Finally, students are introduced to the biochemical pathway that results in fruit ripening, and are tasked with extending their new knowledge on reaction spontaneity and free energy of reactions to this process. Additional clicker questions are included (optional) for this final activity component.