Teaching energy in the marine context can feel overwhelming for students—photosynthesis, chemosynthesis and respiration are heavy topics that require careful explanation. In this chapter, we’ll explore strategies to make these complex processes more approachable through visual aids, guided practice, and AICE-style exam questions. With the right tools, you can help students connect abstract physiological mechanisms to real marine organisms, building both understanding and exam confidence.
This blog post aims to provide insights and strategies for teachers to effectively teach these concepts, ultimately improving student outcomes and their preparedness for AICE/Cambridge Exams
Topics
- 7.1 Photosynthesis
- 7.2 Chemosynthesis
- 7.3 Respiration
Resources
(click on the links below)
- PowerPoint/ Lecture/Notes
- Guided Notes
- Bell Work
- Light wavelengths and pigments– Practice Q’s
- Pigments and Chromatography– Practice Q’s
- Standard Deviation – lesson with practice Q’s
- Task Cards
- BUNDLE Chapter 7
- Make-Your-Own BUNDLE
Time frame
- Timeframe for block schedule [90 min class period] – 3-4 weeks/ 9 class periods
- Timeframe for regular schedule [45-50 min class period] – 3-4 weeks/ 17-18 class periods
Curriculum Pacing Guide and Resources
The agenda provided is structured for block schedules with 90-minute classes. For teachers working with 40–45-minute periods, I recommend dividing each lesson into two parts:
- Day 1: Deliver the lecture content.
- Day 2: Use the bell ringer and complete the activities.
This approach ensures full coverage of the material while maintaining the intended balance between direct instruction and active learning.
Note: All pacing suggestions are estimates. Adjust the time to accommodate for specific student needs and interests.
1 Day = 90 minutes class. Click on Day # Lesson below for daily lesson plans.
Day 1
- 7.1 Photosynthesis
Objectives
- 7.1.1 understand that white light is composed of a range of colors, each with a different wavelength
- 7.1.2 differentiate between the terms wavelength, intensity and penetration in the context of light
- 7.1.3 describe the effect of wavelength on the penetration of light to different depths
Instructional Materials
Day 2
- 7.1 Photosynthesis
Objectives
- 7.1.7 describe the structures in a typical chloroplast, to include outer membrane, inner membrane, stroma, thylakoids, thylakoid membrane, thylakoid space and grana
- 7.1.9 describe the role of chloroplast pigments (chlorophyll a and accessory pigments) in light absorption in the grana
- 7.1.10 relate the presence of accessory pigments, including xanthophylls and phycobilins, in marine producers to the penetration of different wavelengths of light
- 7.1.12 interpret absorption spectra of chloroplast pigments and action spectra for photosynthesis
Instructional Materials
Day 3
- 7.1 Photosynthesis
Objectives
- 7.1.11 (PA) describe and use chromatography to separate and identify chloroplast pigments (reference should be made to Rf values)
Instructional Materials
Day 4
- 7.1 Photosynthesis
Objectives
- 7.1.4 understand that photosynthesis
- 7.1.5 understand that photosynthesis is a two-stage process, light-dependent and light-independent
- 7.1.6 explain that energy is transferred as ATP and reduced NADP from the light-dependent stage to the light-independent stage (Calvin cycle) and is used to produce organic molecules
- 7.1.8 state the sites of the light-dependent and the light-independent stages in the chloroplast
- 7.1.15 describe and explain the effect of limiting factors of photosynthesis, including light intensity, wavelength of light, carbon dioxide concentration and temperature on the rate of photosynthesis
Instructional Materials
Day 5
- 7.2 Chemosynthesis
Objectives
- 7.2.1 describe chemosynthesis as the fixation of carbon using the chemical energy of dissolved substances; these substances include hydrogen sulfide, methane, hydrogen and iron
- 7.2.2 understand that chemosynthetic bacteria at hydrothermal vents fix the energy into a form that other organisms can use, which allows the formation of a food chain
- 7.2.3 describe the symbiotic relationship between the giant tubeworm, Riftia, found at hydrothermal vents, and the chemosynthetic bacteria Endoriftia
- 7.2.4 explain that Endoriftia uses the energy from hydrogen sulfide to fix carbon thereby producing organic compounds such as glucose
Instructional Materials
Day 6
- 7.3 Respiration
Objectives
- 7.3.1 understand that aerobic respiration is the process that organisms use to release the energy they require in the form of ATP when oxygen is available
- 7.3.2 represent aerobic respiration using word and chemical equations
- 7.3.3 understand that in conditions where oxygen is limited or unavailable, most organisms also use anaerobic respiration which yields far less ATP per molecule of glucose (word and chemical equations are not required)
- 7.3.4 describe the structure of a mitochondrion, including matrix, outer membrane and inner membrane forming cristae
- 7.3.5 state the sites of aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration in a cell
Instructional Materials
Day 7
- Lesson – Standard Deviation
Objectives
- Standard Deviation
Instructional Materials
- Handout – Standard Deviation
Day 9
- Chapter#7 TEST
Objectives
- Introduction to Chapter 8 – students copy vocabulary words from Ch8.
Instructional Materials
- Bellwork #8
- TEST