To enhance their students’ biology lesson on photosynthesis, Mars Area High School teachers Meghan Boland and Ashley Tosadori created a visual representation of the complicated process.

 

By way of a interactive “photosynthesis wall,” the students are able to see the entire process as a whole as well as to gain a better understanding of each individual step needed to convert light energy to chemical energy.

 

On the wall, the students can move, remove and replace atoms, molecules and enzymes as they follow each stage in the process. In class, the students are learning about chloroplasts, tiny structures located within the cells of green leaves, that use the chemical, chlorophyll, to absorb light energy. The energy is used to split water molecules into oxygen, which is released into the atmosphere, and hydrogen, which combines with carbon dioxide to create and store glucose as food for the plant.

 

The “photosynthesis wall” was developed to offer students a common way to better visualize the process. For details, call (724) 625-1581.