Assessment Residency-Written plan for final deliverable
Crystal McAlvin
Univeristy of Tennessee
My written plan is designed to describe or provide a “snap shot” of my Introductory Biology 101
course for non-majors. The week I have chosen to work on covers biological macromolecules.
My learning goals for this unit are:
Learning goals
1. Know the basic terminology and structure/function of the major classes of biological
molecules.
2. Understand how proper nutrition contributes the biological building blocks,
carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, that are needed for cellular metabolism.
3. Evaluate food labels and fad diets for their nutritional effect on human health.
4. Use news and literature sources to explore timely stories related to exercise, nutrition,
biotechnology and health.
My measurable learning objectives for this unit are:
Learning objectives (related to the goals listed above)
1. Students will recognize basic terminology and key terms related to nutrition, structure,
and function of macromolecules in cells. (blooms 1)
2. Students will compare and contrast classes of macromolecules relative to bonding
properties, components, role of carbon. (blooms 4)
3. (Week 2)Students will map the relationship between carbon, macromolecules, diet, and
the atmosphere. (blooms 4)
4. Students will discuss the basis of lactose intolerance and diabetes. (blooms 3)
5. Students will explain in their own words how saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats
affect the development of heart disease. (blooms 2)
6. Students will predict the health effects of steroid use by athletes. (blooms 2)
7. Students will distinguish between aerobic and anaerobic production of ATP. (blooms 2)
8. Students will analyze the connections among proteins, fats/lipids, and carbohydrates,
and how they feed into the cellular respiration pathway. (blooms 4)
9. Students will explain how intermediates in cellular respiration are used by a cell to
synthesize carbohydrates, proteins, and fats/lipids. (blooms 1)
10. Students will analyze a fad diet or food label for its nutritional value and predict if this
diet or food is beneficial or detrimental to their health. (blooms 4)
WEEK 1:
Sunday-Day 1 (out of class)
1. Readings: A text selection, Eating Made Simple, Rebuilding the Food Pyramid. (GLO 1, 2,
and 9).
2. Complete a Pre-lecture assignment: Mastering Biology. (GLO 1,2)
Sample questions from Pre-lecture assignment
1.
The storage form of carbohydrates is ________ in animals and ________ in plants.
glycogen . . . cellulose
cellulose . . . glycogen
glycogen . . . starch
starch . . . glycogen
2.
The oil and vinegar in your salad dressing remain separate from one another due to the _____ properties of the oil.
hydrogenated
hydrophobic
hydrophilic
saturated
3.
Fatty acids with double bonds between some of their carbons are said to be
saturated.
monoglycerides.
completely hydrogenated.
unsaturated.
4.
The development of atherosclerotic disease can result from a diet high in
saturated fats.
sugars.
fiber.
protein.
Monday-Day 2 (in class)
1. Interactive lecture and clicker questions. Topic: Carbon as the backbone of
macromolecules and Carbohydrates (both simple and complex). (GLO 1, 2, 3, and 4)
Sample clicker questions:
*In some vintage science fiction movies space travelers find themselves on a planet orbiting a
distant star in which there are curious forms of life based on silicon instead of carbon. Although
the story clearly is sci-fi, there is an aura of plausibility in the choice of silicon, an atom with 14
protons, in place of carbon as this alien life-form’s central atom. This is because silicon:
A. Is heavier than carbon
B. Is lighter than carbon
C. Has 4 electrons in it’s outer shell and can make up to 4 bonds with other atoms (like
carbon)
D. Is a versatile atom like carbon because of its bonding properties
NOTE: There are two correct answers to this question.
*The following molecule is a
A.
B.
C.
D.
Simple sugar
Complex sugar
Lipid
Pain in the neck
*Your mother goes to the doctor and is told she has diabetes. The doctor recommends that she
reduces simple sugars in her diet. Why are simple sugars (monosaccharides) less healthy than
complex sugars (polysaccharides)?
-Students will Think-Pair-Share with a partner and brainstorm for possible answers to fill in the
clicker question alternatives.
These are low stakes formative questions
Tuesday-Day 3 (out of class)
1. Discussion thread: Evolution of Lactose Intolerance. (GLO 4 and I have an over-arching
course goal to include evolution in every unit). This will be a low-stakes formative
assessment. They either participate (and get credit) or they don’t.
I will post the following question on blackboard discussion board:
Lactose is a milk sugar (disaccharide) and intolerance results from a lack of lactase, the enzyme
that breaks lactose down into monosaccharides. Lactose intolerance is more common in certain
ethnic backgrounds compared to others. It is more common in groups that live(d) in warmer
climates and didn’t have to depend on dairy products to survive the winter. These warmer
climates allowed extended farming seasons and two harvests (enough to survive the short
winter). Ingesting lactose causes gas and bloating in intolerant individuals because the body
can’t break it down. Why would this condition become so widespread in evolution of these
ethnic groups from warmer climates?
Wednesday-Day 4 (in class)
1. Interactive lecture and clicker questions. Topic: fats/oils: saturated, unsaturated, and
trans. In addition we will also cover steroids. (GLO 1, 2, and 5)
2. In class activity (in groups of 4-5) I will give a handout of a graph of heart disease
prevalence in various cultures. Japan (low fat diet), Finland (diet high in saturated fat),
and Crete (diet high in unsaturated fat). This graph also shows the prevalence in heart
disease/ 10,000 people. Heart disease prevalence in order from least to greatest: Crete,
Japan, Finland. Using your knowledge on fats and oils, why do you predict that Crete
(which has highest percent of fat in diet) has the lowest prevalence of heart disease.
(GLO 1, 2, and 5)
Thursday-Day 5 (out of class)
Blackboard discussion thread: Drugs and sports. (GLO 6)
Based on your knowledge of the steroid testosterone, predict why many athletes are tempted
to use anabolic steroids? What are the metabolic effects of using steroids? What are the
negative effects of steroid use? (This is low-stakes. They either participate and get credit, or
they don’t)
Friday-Day 6 (in class)
1. Interactive lecture and clicker questions. Topic: proteins (monomers and polymers) and
protein structure. (GLO 1,2, and 3)
2. In-class activity: construct a concept map of macromolecule structure/function. (GLO 1,
2, and 3)
Examples of a concept map that I might use:
For this map, I would give them this map with missing words (a few will still be there) and a
word bank to fill in the missing words.
3. 1-minute paper as a formative assessment for next week’s topics. Tell me 1) everything
you know and 2) everything you don’t know about cellular respiration. (GLO 8 and 9)
Week 2 is summarized in the table that I have uploaded. This week includes topics on cellular
respiration, fermentation, ATP production, and the role of other metabolites/macromolecules
in the pathway.
My summative assessments are 1. Exam and 2. Group project where students research and
analyze the Adkins diet and predict the health effects of such a diet. Students will turn in a
written product.