Mississippi Science BIO.2.1

ScienceGrades 9–12Biology

The Standard

BIO.2: Students will explain that cells transform energy through the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration to drive cellular functions.

Use models to demonstrate that ATP and ADP are cycled within a cell as a means to transfer energy.

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Energy Transfer

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students draw or build a model showing ATP changing to ADP and back again inside a cell. They show how energy from food helps turn ADP back into ATP, and how ATP supplies energy for cell work.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can draw a repeating cycle and show where phosphate is removed and added. They can explain where the energy to add phosphate comes from and name a job ATP helps power.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think ATP is used once and discarded. They may treat phosphate as energy itself or show ADP turning into ATP without an energy source.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Draw the cycle between ATP and ADP. Label where phosphate is added and removed, where energy from food is used, and where a cell gets energy for work.

Lesson moves

Give pairs ATP and ADP cards, a phosphate bead, and energy arrows; have them model ATP use and ADP recharge.
Ask students to write three sentences explaining why a muscle cell must keep turning ADP back into ATP during exercise.
Give groups food energy, ADP, phosphate, ATP, and cell work cards to arrange into a repeating cycle.
Show a photo of a sprinter; have students mark where food energy enters the ATP cycle and where muscle work draws on it.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to BIO.2.1, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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