Lesson Plan

Resources → Subject Notes → Chemistry → Notes
Lesson Plan
Grade: Date: 17/01/2026
Subject: Chemistry
Lesson Topic: Describe and draw the structure of proteins as
Learning Objective/s:
  • Describe proteins as polymers of amino acids and identify the four levels of protein structure.
  • Explain how peptide bonds are formed through a condensation reaction.
  • Illustrate and label the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures of a protein.
  • Sketch a short polypeptide segment, showing the backbone and side‑chains.
  • Evaluate the role of hydrogen bonds and disulfide bridges in protein stability.
Materials Needed:
  • Projector and screen
  • Whiteboard and markers
  • Printed worksheets with amino‑acid and protein diagrams
  • Molecular model kits (peptide backbone pieces)
  • Coloured pencils or pens for labeling
  • Textbook chapter on proteins (IGCSE Chemistry)
 Introduction:
Proteins are the workhorses of every cell, and understanding their architecture unlocks many biological concepts. Begin by recalling that polymers are built from repeating monomers, linking this to amino‑acid building blocks. Explain that today’s success criteria are to describe protein hierarchy and to draw a short protein segment with correct labels.
Lesson Structure:
  1. Do‑now (5'): Students label the parts of an amino‑acid on a handout.
  2. Mini‑lecture (10'): Review polymers, introduce peptide‑bond formation with the condensation equation, using projector slides.
  3. Model building (12'): In pairs, students construct a short polypeptide with model kits, identifying backbone and side‑chains.
  4. Guided drawing (10'): Learners sketch a protein segment, label primary structure and indicate an α‑helix or β‑sheet with hydrogen‑bond arrows.
  5. Group discussion (8'): Explore forces stabilising tertiary and quaternary structures, focusing on hydrogen bonds, ionic interactions, hydrophobic effects, and disulfide bridges.
  6. Formative check (5'): Exit ticket – two short questions: write the peptide‑bond reaction and list the four protein‑structure levels.
Conclusion:
Recap the hierarchy of protein structure and the key interactions that maintain each level. Collect the exit tickets to gauge understanding, and assign the worksheet that requires students to label a protein diagram and write the peptide‑bond equation as homework.