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Intro to macromolecules

Purpose and level:

This exercise includes a guided note-taking table to help students notice the similarities and differences between a cell's macromolecules. The exercise also includes short answer questions to guide students through examining the structures of sugars and DNA. The intended audience are undergraduates in an introductory biology course, where this activity can be performed during class time. 

Keywords:

Macromolecules, DNA structure, Carbohydrates, Nucleotides, Monosaccharides

Learning objectives:

After completing this assignment, students will be able to:

• List the building blocks of a cell's macromolecules and explain the monomer to polymer relationships
• Explain the role of covalent bonds in the formation of macromolecules
• Summarize the cellular functions of carbohydrates, DNA, proteins, and lipids
• Identify examples of condensation and hydrolysis reactions

Planning

• The guided note-taking for the table requires ~5-10 minutes; The rest of the worksheet can be completed by students independently in ~10 minutes. 
• Students need to understand covalent bonds and hydrogen bonds before completing this worksheet. They also need to be comfortable with atoms and chemical structures.

Materials Needed:

• One copy of worksheet per student needed
• Instructor key

• Student file

Warm-up

Formative assessment:

Clicker questions can be used to check-in on student progress throughout exercise. Macromolecules are a challenging topic for most undergraduates, and so collecting a muddiest point notecard after this exercise would be worthwhile. 

Conclusion and moving forward

This exercise provides students with a reference table that they can use throughout the semester to solidify the commonalities and differences between a cell's macromolecules. It is also designed to help make chemical structures more familiar to students who frequently do not have a background in undergraduate-level chemistry.