Enzymes Help Us Digest Food

In this experiment students learn about enzyme function, enzyme specificity, and the molecular basis for lactose intolerance. Students will test whether the enzyme lactase is needed to digest the sugar lactose. Students also will test whether the enzyme lactase can also digest a different disaccharide, sucrose. The student lab has good diagrams illustrating how enzymes work. The discussion questions build student understanding of what enzymes are, the specificity of enzymes and how enzymes work in our bodies. The teacher notes found at this site (http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/waldron/) give very good directions and explanations.

Lesson Variations

Blooms taxonomy level: 
Applying

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