Photosynthesis Dance

 

Materials:

 

Make index cards as follows:

 

Then string the yarn through the card and tie. Make sure the yarn or string is long enough to go over every ones head (and hair).  This makes a necklace for each of the students to wear.

 

You may want to put an “e” on the tennis balls to represent electrons.

Give the ball container to the chaperone.  Have the ATP cards inside of the container. At this time, whisper to the chaperone about the pieces of individually wrapped candy at the bottom of the container.  No one else is to know about the candy.  This is to be given out the last time the photosynthesis dance is conducted instead of the ATP cards.

 

Procedure:

The teacher passes out the index card necklaces.  The students place the necklace around their neck so each student can see all of the necklaces.  Have them group together to form a molecule of water. Give each water molecule a ball (electron) to be passed between them while moving.  Line them up at a beginning mark assigned by the teacher.  Have the students with the enzyme and the chaperone go and line up (with the chaperone on one of the ends) about 5 feet from the end mark.  This end mark should be at least 30 foot from the beginning mark.  Instruct the water molecules that when the music plays then the first group will begin dancing from the beginning mark to the end mark that is about 5 foot from the enzymes.  When they reach that mark, whichever student has the “electron” tosses it to the enzyme farthest from the chaperone.  As soon as that enzyme catches the ball, they are energized and dance around.  That enzyme passes to the second enzyme in line.  The first enzyme rests and the second dances.  This continues until it gets to the chaperone.  The chaperone puts the “electron” in the ball container and hands the H’s an ATP card.  When the hydrogen’s receive their ATP they get lots of energy and dances around in an area about 10 feet behind the enzyme line.  The oxygen is a free floater and waiting for another oxygen to join arms and float around in the air to make O₂. They glide around the area freely.  The second group waits at the beginning mark until the first group gets over half way to the end line.  This way, it is not mass confusion at the end line. Space the water molecules out.

 

The first time is a trial run. Turn the music on and talk them through the process. Encourage the students to really have a lot of energy when they move towards the end line.  Encourage them to hand off the “electron” to gently toss (or it will be chaos).  Make sure that when the water molecule breaks up, that they don’t forget their ATP card and keep moving in their assigned areas.

 

The second time (and third, if you choose to run through the 3^rd time), turn the music up loud!

 

Make sure that the last time this is executed that you signal the chaperone so they will give out the candy instead of the paper ATP.

 

When everyone is finished make sure the chaperone, enzymes and oxygen’s receive a piece of candy.

 

* You may want to switch cards around for the 3^rd time to check for comprehension.  Do not change the chaperone (they know about the candy).

 

Questions to ask the students:

1. What did the music represent? The sun

 

2. What did the tennis balls represent? Electrons

 

3. Why did “O” hang around to find a partner?  Because plants release O₂ into the air.

 

4. Why were the paper ATP’s replaced with the candy? Candy represented ATP which is “energy”