Photosynthesis Inquiry Lab - NGSS MS LS1-6, TEKS 6-8

Students will recognize that radiant energy from the Sun is transformed into chemical energy through the process of photosynthesis.

In this two-part lab, students will investigate the photosynthesis chemical formula and also test a plant leaf for products of photosynthesis.

This product contains three complete, NGSS- and TEKS-aligned labs that are differentiated for all of your students. All labs have comprehension questions, Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (C.E.R.) prompts, and a reflection section.

What's Included?

• Teacher resource pages, including prep time, standards/objectives, teacher directions, materials, and additional resources
• Answer keys - suggested answer keys for the labs
• CER conclusion and reflection questions - Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning statements along with 3 reflection questions per lab
• Fully editable files
• NGSS- and TEKS-aligned materials

3 Differentiated Labs:

• Dependent Student Lab - A complete lab. This level is written with a combination of procedural instructions and inquiry questions. They are moderately student-centered with guided inquiry questions throughout the lab. Suggested for on-level learners.
• Modified Student Lab - A complete lab. This level provides the most structured lab experience. The lessons may eliminate parts of the lab and change the questioning to include sentence stems or multiple choice questions. Suggested for learners who may benefit from modifications.
• Independent Student Lab - A complete lab. This level is the most student-centered experience. Suggestions are made for the students to get started, but most of the decisions will be student-generated. The students will be responsible for most aspects of the lab and will have the least guidance. Suggested for advanced learners.

Materials Needed Per Group:

• Zip-lock sandwich bag with 12 orange, 18 yellow, and 6 red candies (Skittles work well)
• 1” x 5” wide strip of dark construction paper
• 2 paperclips
• 3 – 250 mL beakers
• Stirring rod
• Cold water
• 1 leaf still attached to a de-starched plant
• Paper towel
• 5” piece of string
• Small plate/Petri dish
• Eyedropper
• Test tube
• Rubbing alcohol/ethanol
• Beaker
• Goggles
• Stopwatch/clock
• Hot pad/oven mitt
• Iodine Solution (0.1%)

Teacher Only:

• Heat source (hot plate)
• 500 mL beaker to deliver hot water to groups
• Beaker with boiling water to kill leaves
• Enough hot water (NOT boiling) for each group to have 200 mL
• Hot pad/oven mitt
• Slotted spoon

Save Time and Buy Now!

Save precious prep time and get back to teaching. All of the hard work has been done for you. Go have some fun with those students!

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.