Catalog About Contact PLAN CATALOG
🌿

Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration

9th Grade Biology · Self-Paced Learning Module

Virginia SOL BIO.4 Virginia SOL BIO.6 6 Modules 10-Question Quiz Assignment
Module Progress0 of 5 complete

Video Lessons

3 Videos
Learning Objectives — Virginia SOL BIO.4 & BIO.6 Students will understand how plants capture light energy through photosynthesis and how all living cells release energy through cellular respiration, and explain the relationship between these two processes.
📺 How Videos Work in This Module: The default videos are Amoeba Sisters links that open directly on YouTube (their videos are not embeddable by design). You can also upload your own video files below — once uploaded, they play right inside this page with no YouTube needed. This is the best option for classroom use.

🎬 Upload Your Own Videos Optional

Upload MP4, WebM, or any video file from your computer. Once applied, the video plays inside this lesson — no internet needed. You can also paste a custom YouTube URL for any embeddable video.

Video

Key Concepts

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis — Amoeba Sisters

Light-dependent reactions, Calvin Cycle, chloroplast structure, pigments & plant adaptations

Amoeba Sisters ~8 min
▶ Open on YouTube ↗
Cellular Respiration

Cellular Respiration — Amoeba Sisters

ATP, glycolysis, Krebs cycle, electron transport chain & why all cells need to respire

Amoeba Sisters ~13 min
▶ Open on YouTube ↗
Fermentation

Fermentation — Amoeba Sisters

What happens without oxygen — lactic acid fermentation & alcoholic fermentation explained

Amoeba Sisters ~7 min
▶ Open on YouTube ↗

Lesson Slides

6 Slides

Key Vocabulary

Tap to flip

Virtual Lab

Interactive Simulation
🧪

Cell Energy Simulation Lab

Adjust conditions to observe how they affect photosynthesis and cellular respiration

Light Intensity50%
CO₂ Concentration0.040%
Temperature25°C
Water AvailabilityHigh
Glucose Produced
--
mol/hr
O₂ Released
--
mol/hr
Reaction Rate
--
% of max
Set the conditions above, then click Run Simulation to observe results.
Glucose AvailableHigh
Oxygen (O₂) AvailableHigh
ATP Produced
--
mol/hr
CO₂ Released
--
mol/hr
Process Type
--
respiration
Adjust oxygen and glucose levels, then click Run Simulation.

Review observations from both simulations.

Variable ChangedEffect on PhotosynthesisEffect on Respiration
Light intensity ↑Rate increases (up to a limit)No direct effect
CO₂ concentration ↑Rate increasesNo direct effect
Temperature ↑ (to ~35°C)Rate increasesRate increases
Temperature above 40°CEnzymes denature — rate dropsEnzymes denature — rate drops
Water availability ↑Rate increasesIndirect only
O₂ available (aerobic)No direct effectAerobic: ~36–38 ATP/glucose
No O₂ (anaerobic)No direct effectAnaerobic: only 2 ATP/glucose
📝 Lab Conclusion Prompt (write in your notebook): How do the products of photosynthesis become the reactants of cellular respiration? In your answer, include both chemical equations and explain how these processes form a cycle that sustains life on Earth.

Knowledge Check

10 Questions
Question 1 of 10
0
Correct
0
Incorrect
0%
Score

Assignment

6 Parts · 50 Points Total

Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration — Unit Assignment

Complete all six parts using what you learned from the videos, slides, vocabulary, and virtual lab. Type your answers directly in the boxes below. When finished, use the Print button to submit a paper copy or ask your teacher for the Google Classroom link.

📅 Due: See teacher 🎯 50 Points Total 📖 Virginia SOL BIO.4 & BIO.6 ⏱ ~45 minutes

Key Concepts Reference

🌿

Photosynthesis

6CO₂ + 6H₂O + light → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ · Occurs in chloroplasts

⚡

Cellular Respiration

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + ATP · Occurs in mitochondria

🔋

ATP & Energy

Aerobic: ~36–38 ATP · Anaerobic: only 2 ATP · ATP = cell's energy currency

🔄

The Carbon Cycle

Products of photosynthesis are reactants of respiration — and vice versa

🌡️

Limiting Factors

Light, CO₂, temperature, water · Enzymes denature above ~40°C

🧫

Fermentation

Lactic acid (muscle cells) · Alcoholic (yeast) · No oxygen required

1

Multiple Choice — Core Concepts

10 pts ▼

Select the best answer for each question.

1. Which organelle carries out photosynthesis?
2. What is produced during the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis?
3. Approximately how many ATP molecules are produced per glucose in aerobic respiration?
4. Which statement BEST explains why plants appear green?
5. During intense exercise, your muscle cells switch to anaerobic respiration. Which waste product accumulates, causing the burning feeling?
2

Fill in the Blank — Equations & Vocabulary

10 pts ▼

Complete each sentence or equation using the correct term or value.

1. The green pigment found in chloroplasts that absorbs light energy is called .
2. The balanced equation for photosynthesis is: CO₂ + H₂O + light energy → C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂.
3. Aerobic cellular respiration occurs in the organelle.
4. The first stage of cellular respiration, , takes place in the cytoplasm and produces 2 ATP.
5. When there is no oxygen available, cells perform respiration, also called fermentation.
6. The light-independent reactions of photosynthesis, known as the Cycle, occur in the stroma of the chloroplast.
7. Tiny pores on plant leaves called allow CO₂ to enter and O₂ to exit.
3

Matching — Structures & Functions

8 pts ▼

Match each structure or term on the left to its correct function or description on the right.

Term

1. Thylakoid →
2. Stroma →
3. ATP →
4. Mitochondria →
5. Chlorophyll →
6. Glycolysis →
7. Glucose →
8. Stomata →

Description

A. Site of Calvin Cycle; fluid-filled space in chloroplast
B. Disk-shaped membrane where light reactions occur
C. The cell's energy currency molecule
D. "Powerhouse" organelle; site of aerobic respiration
E. Pigment that absorbs red and blue light
F. First stage of respiration; occurs in cytoplasm
G. 6-carbon sugar; product of photosynthesis
H. Pores in leaves that allow gas exchange

4

Short Answer — Analysis & Explanation

12 pts ▼
1. Compare and contrast photosynthesis and cellular respiration. In your answer, include the location, reactants, products, and energy transformation for each process. (4 pts)
Hint: Think about where each occurs in the cell, what goes in, what comes out, and whether energy is stored or released.
0 words
2. Explain why aerobic respiration produces so much more ATP than anaerobic respiration. What additional steps occur in aerobic respiration that account for this difference? (4 pts)
Hint: Think about the Krebs Cycle and Electron Transport Chain — what do these contribute that fermentation lacks?
0 words
3. A plant is placed in a dark room for 24 hours. Predict what will happen to its rates of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and explain why the plant will eventually die if kept in darkness indefinitely. (4 pts)
Hint: Consider what photosynthesis produces that cellular respiration needs, and vice versa.
0 words
5

Diagram — Draw & Label

5 pts ▼
Draw a diagram showing the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration as a cycle. Your diagram must include: both chemical equations, arrows showing how products of one become reactants of the other, labels for CO₂, H₂O, O₂, glucose, and ATP, and the sun as the energy source.
Hint: Think of this as a circle — photosynthesis on one side, respiration on the other, with molecules flowing between them.
Uploaded diagram
✏️ Draw on paper, take a photo, and upload here Click to upload image (JPG, PNG, etc.)
Diagram description (optional — describe your diagram in words):
6

Extended Response — Real World Application

5 pts ▼
Choose ONE of the following scenarios and write a well-developed paragraph (minimum 5 sentences) applying your knowledge of photosynthesis and/or cellular respiration:
0 words
▶ View Scoring Rubric
CriteriaFull CreditPartial CreditNo Credit
Accuracy (2 pts)All scientific facts are correct and precisely statedMinor factual errors that don't undermine main ideaMajor errors or missing key concepts
Depth (2 pts)Thorough explanation with specific details (organelles, equations, molecules)Some detail but surface-level explanationVery vague or no detail
Connections (1 pt)Clearly links to real-world context of chosen scenarioWeak or unclear connection to scenarioNo connection to scenario
Ready to Submit?

Review all six parts, then print this page or save a screenshot for your teacher.

✓ Progress auto-saved

Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration · 9th Grade Biology · Virginia SOL BIO.4 & BIO.6

Amoeba Sisters videos © Amoeba Sisters LLC — used for educational purposes