Indiana Science HS-AP10-2

ScienceGrades 9–12Absorption and Excretion, the Digestive System

The Standard

Construct an explanation for enzymes involved in the processing of, digestion of and absorbance of macromolecules.

Indiana Academic Standards for Science (2023) · Absorption and Excretion, the Digestive System

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students explain how enzymes break starch, proteins, and fats into smaller molecules. They connect those molecules to absorption through the small intestine.
What Mastery Looks Like: Given bread, egg whites, and butter, a student matches each food's main macromolecule with an enzyme and its breakdown products. They explain that the small intestine absorbs the smaller products, not intact starch, protein, or fat.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think enzymes carry food through the intestinal wall or that whole proteins enter the blood unchanged. They may call bile an enzyme, though it separates fat into droplets without cutting fat molecules.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: For toast, egg whites, and butter, name an enzyme that acts on each food's main macromolecule, its smaller products, and where those products are absorbed.

Lesson moves

Mix starch solution with commercial amylase, wait ten minutes, then compare its iodine test with a starch-and-water control.
Ask: If lipase breaks fat into smaller molecules, why does the small intestine still need villi?
Give pairs cards labeled starch, protein, fat, amylase, protease, lipase, sugars, amino acids, and fatty acids; have them build digestion chains.
Show a lactose-free milk label listing lactase, then have students trace lactose into sugars the intestine can absorb.

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