Photosynthesis - R2P

This resource provides a lesson plan showing how to use conceptual change texts instruction to teach about photosynthesis. The approach used in the lesson is based on education research which is summarised in a separate research summary document.

The lesson starts with an activity to establish pupils' existing knowledge and misconceptions. Pupils are then given conceptual change texts with the correct information which they have to use to answer a set of questions followed by the creation of a concept map. Finally, pupils compare their new knowledge with the knowledge they had at the start of the lesson to see if they agree or disagree with their previous knowledge. If they disagree they are asked to justify their change in position.

By the end of the lesson pupils should be able to:

• identify photosynthesis as the key process for producing biomass 
• describe the process of photosynthesis
• explain factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis

The research summary introduces the conceptual change approach. This proposes that if pupils are to change their ideas they must first become dissatisfied with their existing knowledge and newly introduced concepts must provide better explanations and be understandable.

This resource is part of a collection of research informed secondary science lesson plans produced as part of the Research-2-Practice (R2P) project undertaken by research teams at the University of Roehampton, University of Lincoln, York St John University and KYRA research school, between 2020 and 2021, which was funded by Wellcome.

The overall aim of the project was to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in science by giving time-pressed teachers quick and easy access to relevant research to inform their practice and provide exemplar lesson plans to show how the research could be used in the classroom. More resources can be found here.