Human chemical equations: photosynthesis and respiration

Kinaesthetic starter activity involving 8 students to illustrate the difference between photosynthesis and respiration.

The components illustrating the word equation for photosynthesis/ respiration are arranged across 8 PowerPoint slides to be printed off and handed out to 8 students.
>>Download the powerpoint Human chemical equations (24 KB)

The 8 students arrange themselves at the front of the class in the correct order to show the word equation for photosynthesis. Students in the audience judge their effort and make suggestions for corrections.

Students at the front are then instructed to rearrange themselves to spell out the word equation for respiration.

What makes this activity go well

This is a fun and useful starter activity to elicit pupils’ prior understanding of photosynthesis and respiration.

The audience can count down from 10, to prompt the students at the front to line up according to their final answer for photosynthesis. Allowing members of the audience to correct their final equation (if necessary) provides good opportunity for Assessment for Learning.

Then instructing the group to spell out the word equation for respiration demonstrates visually to students that the two processes are the opposite of one another.

G&T extension

The task can be extended for G&T students by providing the chemical formula for glucose. Ask them to write balanced chemical symbol equations for photosynthesis and respiration.

Last updated: 12 June 2008