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SILO 5.1 (DRAFT)Year 5, Term 1: BiologyScope and sequence: Chemical reactionsFocus: Biochemistry |
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Learning
intention: Students
explore the chemistry of living organisms.
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Overview: Year 5 begins
with a focus on health and nutrition and their relationship to
biology and biochemistry.
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NSW Syllabus
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Australian Curriculum
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“A student explains how food and
fibre are produced sustainably in managed environments for
health and nutrition” (ST3-5LW-T).
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"Students compare reversible
changes, including dissolving and changes of state, and
irreversible changes, including cooking and rusting that produce
new substances" (AC9S6U04).
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Biology and biochemistry
The word 'biology' means the study of life so you have already been introduced to some ideas from biology in SILO F.2 'Living things' and SILO F.4 'Ecosystems'. This unit also introduces you to biochemistry which involves the chemical processes related to living organisms. Biochemists study the chemical reactions, structure and composition of substances in living things including their functions and ways to control them. This video (3:49) by Frank Gregorio provides a vivid introduction to biochemistry.
Health and nutrition
Nutrition is a fundamental determinant of health and development, directly influencing immunity, disease risk, and longevity. A balanced diet provides essential nutrients. Nutrients are essential chemical substances obtained from food and liquids that organisms need to live, grow, and function properly. They provide energy, build and repair tissues, and regulate bodily processes. Metabolism is the process by which your body converts food and drink into energy. The following video (7:14) introduces cellular metabolism as the chemical reactions within a cell that are essential for life. These reactions include the processes of breaking down (catabolism) and building up (anabolism) molecules to produce energy and other necessary components.
Chemical reactions
The following video (7:56) presents six chemical reactions
that changed history. They are all interesting but notice what is number
one and how this is related to agriculture.
The science of losing weight
In this video (6:49), Ruben Meerman looks at the science of losing weight and answers the question, "Where does fat go?"
Biometrics
Biometrics are automated methods of identifying or verifying a person's identity based on unique physical characteristics, such as face, fingerprints and even behavioral patterns such as they way people walk and talk. These measurable biological traits are often used for security and access control, converting personal features into digital templates for authentication. One of the main applications of biometrics is facial recognition. The following video (3:00) is a news segment which shows how facial recognition is currently being used.
Biodegradation
Biodegradation is the breakdown of matter by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi. The following video (5:17) has some subtitles in places but it provides an excellent overview of the fundamentals of biodegradability and an introduction to sustainable products and the circular economy. The circular economy is discussed further in SILO 6.3 'Ideation'.
Homeostasis
Homeostasis is the state of steady internal, physical, chemical, and social conditions maintained by living systems. The following video (6:24) by the Amoeba Sisters explores homeostasis and negative/positive feedback in the human body.
Valves, arteries and veins
The direction of fluids is discussed in this video (5:23)
about valves, arteries and veins.
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Extract your own DNA |
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the hereditary material in humans and almost all other organisms, acting as a molecular instruction manual for building and maintaining cells. In this experiment you can extract your own DNA. The following video (1:17) shows how to do this using common household chemicals.
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Coloured milk experiment |
The following video (3:28) features Steve Spangler demonstrating an experiment where coloured milk moves around. The materials required are milk (various types such as full cream and skim), food colouring, dish soap, plates and cotton swabs. The colouring and milk don’t mix, so you get very dark spots in the milk. If you then dip a cotton swab with soap into the plate, the soap emulsifies the two and the colouring expands rapidly, almost like a firework, showing its colour.
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Diffusion |
Diffusion is the movement of a substance from an area of
high concentration to an area of low concentration. The word ‘diffusion’
derives from the Latin word, diffundere, which means 'to spread
out'. The following video (1:53) is an experiment using warm water and
Skittles.
States of matter
(Image source SiliconProphet, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)
Water pressure
The following video (6:44) by BBC Earth Unplugged explores how animals can survive at the bottom of the ocean. Many of the concepts are quite advanced but the presenter is very engaging which helps makes this a great introduction to creatures of the deep.
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Capillary action |
Capillary action is the process of a liquid flowing in a narrow space, often in opposition to gravity. This is an important process as it enables water and nutrients to reach the various parts of trees and plants. The following video (2:43) is a simple experiment which demonstrates capillary action using paper towel, water and food colouring. More information about this experiment can be found at https://www.woojr.com/6-easy-biology-science-experiments-kids/.
Organic chemistry
Moderated self-assessment
Discussions with students around the key components of conceptual topics and how they fit together can generate insights into student achievement.
We welcome your feedback and suggestions
The chief investigator for The SILO Project is Associate Professor Brendan Jacobs, Head of Department STEM Education, University of New England. The SILO Project thrives on incremental improvement so constructive feedback is greatly appreciated. Please contact Brendan via email at bjacobs7@une.edu.au to share your thoughts and recommendations.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
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