I would like to share an activity that I did in my classes for the last few years. It's called "sockase", and it only requires a few materials.
Students often have a hard time understanding enzymes. They are impossible to see in real life. Enzyme activities, like that one lab where students use peroxide and liver, fall short with many students. They are unable to think abstractly, and they cannot understand what is really happening.
In "sockase", students role play as enzymes. Their job is to assemble a "molecule" -- two beads on a pipe cleaner. This activity takes the students through five trials:
- A fully functioning, single enzyme (one student assembling products)
- Many fully functioning enzymes (whole group assembling products)
- One "socked" enzyme (denatured)
- Many "socked" enzymes
- No enzymes at all (the enzyme is completely absent)
What do students learn?
They find that a denatured enzyme cannot work. It is nearly impossible to string beads with socks on your hands! They find that many enzymes work better than just one enzyme. And, they learn that having no enzymes means that no product gets made.
This activity is student approved! They always love it (especially the boys, since it is a small competition to them) and they have learned a lot about enzymes. I think this activity really drives the point home, in a way that is concrete and fun.
I hope you will give this activity a try in your classes. If you do, let me know how it goes!
Cheers!
- S
