The document outlines a biochemistry scavenger hunt unit plan for high school biology students that uses QR codes and smartphones to test students' knowledge of organic compounds, elements, and reactions. The scavenger hunt activity has students work in groups to scan QR codes around campus, answer clues on their phones, take photos as evidence, and discuss what they learned. The plan provides goals, objectives, standards, assessments, accommodations, and a detailed schedule for the unit.

1. Touro University, Gibbs
Technology Integration Unit Launch Page
Type only in the gray areas
Teacher Name: Karin Blackwood
Project Title: Biochem Scavenger Hunt
Project Subject(s): Biology
Grade Level(s): 9-12
Goals & Objectives: Goals:
▪Students will be able to identify the function, foods, elements,
and structure of the four major organic compounds
▪Students will be able to distinguish a condensation reaction
▪Students will know the four major elements found in living
things
Objectives:
▪Students will be able to use their biochem knowledge to
answer clues for a scavenger hunt
▪Students will be able to use their smart phones with the Qr
Droid app to read Qr codes
▪Wtudents can take pictures of items around the school campus
to show that they correctly answered the Biochem clues
Emerging Trend: Qr Codes
Essential Question: What do students know so far about biochemistry?
Scaffolding Questions: Can students identify major aspects of each of the 4 organic
compounds?
Do students understand what comes out of a condensation
reaction?
Do students know the 4 most important elements to all living
things?
Approximate Length of Unit (days, weeks)
One block period (1hour & 45 minutes)
Unit Summary and Sequence of Events – give daily details:
1. For 8 days leading up to this activity students will have been studying
Biochemistry.
2. Three days preceeding the activity students will be instructed to have their smart
phones in class for an activity on this particular block day. Students will also be
asked to verify that they can in fact download a free app onto their phone; take
photos; and retrieve the photo in their gallery. If they can answer “yes” to all
above the above then they will sign up on a list to let the teacher know who will
be willing to use their phone on the activity day. (Students will have previously
taken pictures with their smart phones on other occasions so this will part of the
activity will not be new to them.)
3. The day before, the teacher will assign each student to a group so that there is one
smart phone to every 3 students. (Students with learning disabilities will be
dispersed throughout all the groups.)
4. On the activity day, the students will come into class and see the following on the
front board:

2. Touro University, Gibbs
-Biochem Scavenger Hunt
-Biochemistry Summative Assessment
5. Students will be asked to read over the rubric for the scavenger hunt while teacher
takes roll; teacher will then announce the groups for the day and students will move as
needed so that they are sitting next to their small group of 3. (3-5 minutes)
6.Teacher will introduce the activity for the day by starting the Power Point and
discussing the major objectives of the lesson. (3 min.)
7. On slide 3 the teacher will stop and take the time to make sure that all of the smart
phone users do in fact successfully download the Qr Droid app. (10 min.)
8.Teacher will then finish the power point describing the 4 major steps in the scavenger
hunt: scan the Qr code; solve the embedded clue; find the item to take a picture of; take
the photo; show the photo to your teacher. (10 min.)
9.Teacher will then pass out the handout: “Biochem Scavenger Hunt”. Students with the
phones will be asked to scan one of the Qr codes on the handout. (Each group will be
starting on a different Qr code so that no one group in the class has the same code at the
same time.) (5-10 min. for steps 9-11)
10. Teacher will wander the room watching the scanning; helping when necessary.
11. Students will be directed to solve the embedded clue when it appears.
12. A quick review of out-of-class behavior will be in order. (2 min.)
13. Students will be dismissed to begin their scavenger hunt. Students will know to find
their teacher in the quad to show their photos as they finish each Qr code
14. Teacher will be watching groups and filling in the rubric scoring sheets per group as
the scavenger hunt proceeds. (30 min. outside with an extra 5 for going out and in)
15. When the allotted time is past students will be asked to return to class and pick up a
clicker.
16.A quick debrief will take place to discuss the scavenger hunt and what they
discovered; how they liked or disliked the activity; clarification on any of the clues (10
min.)
17. Students will use the remaining class time to take the Biochemistry Summative Quiz
by using their clicker to log in their answer choices. The questions will be randomized so
that no two students will be looking at the same question at the same time. (20 min.)
18. Students will turn in their clickers on their way out.
19. Teacher will download the clicker data onto a spreadsheet for further usage for
grading purposes.
20. Teacher will finish scoring the rubrics so that they are ready for student approval the
following class meeting.
HAPPY HUNTING!!
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
Learning Challenged No more than one student per group with a learning disability so
Student: that the other group members can help out. They will be
expected to stay together and complete the assignment as a
group. It is NOT a race, but a matter of completing the activity
and getting the right answers/pictures to show understanding of
the subject matter. They may take their portfolios along to assist
them as needed.
Gifted Student: This activity will challenge the gifted student. They will

3. Touro University, Gibbs
participate with the group and will not be allowed to wonder
away or go on their own. They will then be given the
opportunity to design a Qr Code of their own as it relates to the
Biochem unit.
ELD Student: ELD students will be partnered with a student to help translate as
needed. They will be part of a group. No more than one ELD
student per group. They can take their vocabulary flash cards
with them on the scavenger hunt.
IDENTIFY STANDARDS – Select two or three standards from each category
and copy/paste them into this document
Specific CA Content Standards:
1.The fundamental life processes of plants and animals depend on a variety
of chemical reactions that occur in specialized areas of the organism’s
cells. As a basis for understanding this concept:
b. Students know enzymes are proteins that catalyze biochemical reactions
without altering the reaction equilibrium and the activities of enzymes depend on
the temperature, ionic conditions, and the pH of the surroundings.
h. Students know most macromolecules (polysaccharides, nucleic acids,
proteins, lipids) in cells and organisms are synthesized from a small collection of
simple precursors.
4. Genes are a set of instructions encoded in the DNA sequence of each
organism that specify the sequence of amino acids in proteins
characteristic of that organism. As a basis for understanding this concept:
e. Students know proteins can differ from one another in the number and
sequence of amino acids.
9. As a result of the coordinated structures and functions of organ
systems, the internal environment of the human body remains relatively
stable (homeostatic) despite changes in the outside environment. As a
basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know how the complementary activity of major body systems
provides cells with oxygen and nutrients and removes toxic waste products such
as carbon dioxide.
Specific ISTE Tech Standards for Teachers:

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Specific ISTE Tech Standards for Students:

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Formative Assessment Plans (Checking for Understanding)
Inside the Classroom:
1. Check to see that all students successfully downloaded the Qr Droid app.
(Actually go from group to group and check that it is in fact on their phone.)
2. Check in and clarify that everyone can take pictures successfully and knows how
to look at their gallery.
(Have students take a picture of something in the classroom and then retrieve it
and show it to me.)
3. Go over rubric and responsibilities out around the campus.
4. Check for understanding of the steps involved outside the classroom.
Outside the Classroom:
1. Rove around the quad to be available as needed for clarification, assistance, and
check of students’ work.
2. Teacher feedback to better their product…if students are off target in answering
the clue help give them guiding questions to lead them closer to the answer.
3. Teacher will be available to check off each groups’ 8 photos.

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Summative Assessment (Paste rubric or create with table tools)
1. The following rubric will be the assessment for the
scavenger hunt…
Collaborative Work Skills : Qr Codes & Biochemistry
Teacher Name: Ms. Blackwood
Student Name: ________________________________________
CATEGORY 4 3 2 1
Problem-solving Actively looks for and Refines solutions Does not suggest or Does not try to solve
suggests solutions to suggested by others. refine solutions, but problems or help
problems. is willing to try out others solve
solutions suggested problems. Lets
by others. others do the work.
Photo on phone Correctly took 7-8 Correctly took 4-6 Correctly took 1-3 Did not successfully
photos photos photos take the photos &/or
corresponding to the corresponding to the corresponding to the show them to the
Qr code clues and Qr code clues and Qr code clues and teacher.
showed them to the showed them to the showed them to the
teacher. teacher. teacher.
Time- Routinely uses time Usually uses time Tends to Rarely gets things
management well throughout the well throughout the procrastinate, but done by the
project to ensure project, but may always gets things deadlines AND
things get done on have procrastinated done by the group has to adjust
time. Group does not on one thing. Group deadlines. Group deadlines or work
have to adjust does not have to does not have to responsibilities
deadlines or work adjust deadlines or adjust deadlines or because of this
responsibilities work responsibilities work responsibilities person's inadequate
because of this because of this because of this time management.
person's person's person's
procrastination. procrastination. procrastination.
Focus on the Consistently stays Focuses on the task Focuses on the task Rarely focuses on
task focused on the task and what needs to and what needs to the task and what
and what needs to be done most of the be done some of the needs to be done.
be done. Very self- time. Other group time. Other group Lets others do the
directed. members can count members must work.
on this person. sometimes nag,
prod, and remind to
keep this person on-
task.
Working with Almost always Usually listens to, Often listens to, Rarely listens to,
Others listens to, shares shares, with, and shares with, and shares with, and
with, and supports supports the efforts supports the efforts supports the efforts
the efforts of others. of others. Does not of others, but of others. Often is
Tries to keep people cause "waves" in sometimes is not a not a good team
working well the group. good team member. player.
together.

7. Touro University, Gibbs
2. The following summative assessment will follow the
scavenger hunt and will be a clicker quiz with random
rotation of questions. It will be out of 19 points.
Biochemistry Quiz Name:
Examine this formula and answer the next three questions C6H12O6
1) How many hydrogen atoms make up this molecule?
2) How many different atoms make up this molecule?
3) How many total atoms make up this molecule?
Examine this chemical equation and answer the next 4 questions: AgNO3 + CuSO4 
AgSO4 + CuNO3
1) Which molecule(s) had bonds broken?
2) Which molecule(s) had new bonds form?
3) Which molecule(s) are reactants?
4) Which molecule(s) are products?
5) What does the arrow () stand for?
MULTIPLE CHOICE: Capital Letters Please
___ 1. In a chemical reaction, activation energy is lowered by:
A. catalysts B. ions C. suspensions D. solvents
___ 2. Atoms will combine with other atoms by forming:
A. bonds B. equations C. reactants D. electrons
___ 3. An unknown substance was added to a chemical reaction and made the reaction go
faster. The unknown substance probably was a:
A) disaccharide B) catalysts C) lipid monomer D) nucleic acid
___ 4. A chain of 5 amino acids attached together is broken apart. How many water
molecules are used to break the chain?
A) 1 B) 2 C) 3 D) 4 E) 5
___ 5. Which is an example of a polymer (macromolecule)?
A) glucose B) amino acid C) sugar D) starch
___6. Which of the following is correctly listed from smallest to largest:
A) carbon atom  amino acid  dipepetide  protein
B) dipeptide  carbon atom  protein  amino acid
C) carbon atom  protein  amino acid  dipeptide
D) carbon atom  dipeptide  amino acid  protein

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___ 7. Which of the following is molecule?
A) CO2 B) H C) O D) N E) Co
MATCHING: CAPITAL LETTERS PLEASE
___ 1) energy molecule (sugar & starch) A) Lipids
___ 2) chain of amino acids B) Proteins
___ 3) fats, oils, waxes C) Carbohydrates
___ 4) genetic material D) Nucleic Acids
REFERENCES – List websites, books, magazines, and other resources used
to collect content information for this unit
Modern Biology, Holt, Rinehart, & Winston, A Hardcourt Education Company, 2007, pgs.
50-65.
http://qrdroid.com/
http://www.qrstuff.com/
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/
http://www.mrgibbs.com/standards/ISTE_NETS-S_for_Students_2007_Standards.pdf
http://www.mrgibbs.com/standards/ISTE_NETS-
T_for_teachers_Standards_Final_2008.pdf
Rubistar.com