The potential energy of peptides varies over time as they fold. An exploratory simulation encourages pupils to play with various strands of amino acids to observe the folding and potential energy levels. Young scientists generate all polar proteins, all non-polar, random, or build their own.

Concepts

protein, potential energy, hydrophilia, hydroponics, polar molecules

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Create a protein with the hydrophobic amino acids in the middle and the hydrophilic amino acids on the outside of the strand and observe
• Reverse the previous by putting the hydrophilic in the middle and the hydrophobic on the outside and discuss if they did what you expected

Classroom Considerations

• Relies on prior knowledge of protein folding and kinetic energy

Pros

• Allows young scientists to change specific amino acids or the entire protein strand
• Works well in traditional or flipped classrooms

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2 SL.11-12.2 RST.9-10.4 RST.11-12.4