Finding the Origins of Life in a Drying Puddle

This text resource is designed to support reading in the content area. The article describes how researchers at Georgia Tech have discovered that polypeptides, which are the main component of proteins, can be formed by mixing amino and hydroxyl acids, and then simply putting them through wet and dry cycles. This would be a more plausible way for early prebiotic molecules to form. Previously, the only way to produce polypeptides involved boiling temperatures, which are not conducive to life.
Resource ID#: 162592 Type: Text Resource
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General Information

Subject(s): English Language Arts, Science
Grade Level(s): 11, 12
Intended Audience: Educators educators
Resource supports reading in content area:Yes
Keywords: origins of life, evolution, polypeptides, early life, prebiotic molecules, amino acid, hydroxy acid, hydration-dehydration cycle, polymerization, ester linkages, informational text, text complexity
Instructional Component Type(s): Text Resource
Resource Collection: STEM Reading Resources

Aligned Standards

This vetted resource aligns to concepts or skills in these benchmarks.

1 Lesson Plan

Searching for the Recipe: Polypeptides & the Origins of Life

In this lesson, students will analyze an informational text that addresses a new method of producing polypeptides from only amino and hydroxy acids, with no biological catalysts necessary. Researchers at Georgia Tech have been able to produce polypeptides by subjecting amino and hydroxy acids through a wet and dry cycle. This allows for prebiotic molecules to be formed on land, without large amounts of water or extreme boiling temperatures. This method also allows for the breakdown and reassembly of organic materials to form random sequences that could lead to the variation needed for life. This lesson plan is intended to support reading in the content area; it includes a note-taking guide, text-dependent questions, a writing prompt, answer keys, and a writing rubric.

Related Resources

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Lesson Plan

Searching for the Recipe: Polypeptides & the Origins of Life:

In this lesson, students will analyze an informational text that addresses a new method of producing polypeptides from only amino and hydroxy acids, with no biological catalysts necessary. Researchers at Georgia Tech have been able to produce polypeptides by subjecting amino and hydroxy acids through a wet and dry cycle. This allows for prebiotic molecules to be formed on land, without large amounts of water or extreme boiling temperatures. This method also allows for the breakdown and reassembly of organic materials to form random sequences that could lead to the variation needed for life. This lesson plan is intended to support reading in the content area; it includes a note-taking guide, text-dependent questions, a writing prompt, answer keys, and a writing rubric.

Type: Lesson Plan