Lactase Lab Packet
During our unit on macromolecules, students completed a lab in which they investigated enzyme activity in a variety of conditions. We designed this lab as an inquiry rather than a “cookbook” lab (a straight forward lab with no room for student choice or judgment) (NRC 2000). For this lab, students had to write their own hypotheses and design their own investigation procedures (see page 2 of the lab packet below). Different lab groups investigated different conditions. Some student-designed investigations included changing temperature (hot vs. cold vs. room temperature), pH level (acidic vs. basic vs. neutral), and enzyme source (lactase pills vs. probiotic pills). This inquiry activity required students to practice collaboration and discussion skills on a number of levels – sharing ideas and findings within their own lab groups, with the teacher, with other lab groups, and with the class as a whole.