Milk does a body good ... unless, of course, someone is lactose intolerant. Pupils play the role of pharmaceutical scientists in a guided inquiry lab about lactase. Lab groups collaborate to learn more about lactose intolerance, how lactase works within the body to help it process milk, and then design an investigation to determine the amount and types of sugars present in milk products.

Concepts

enzymes, sugar, milk, guided inquiry, making observations, making inferences, concentration, temperature

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Wrap up the lab by showing one of the videos included in the Extensions section that discusses the decline of the lactase enzyme in humans
• If time allows, have groups conduct both the temperature and concentration variations of the lab
  

Classroom Considerations

• If this is the first guided inquiry lab your class has performed, plan additional time to work with each group on their processes during the activity
  

Pros

• You can conduct the experiment using either temperature or concentration as the variable
• Inquiry is the focus of the lab from start to finish, teaching learners how to approach the investigation and design their experiments
• Includes all printable materials, pacing, and answer keys in the teacher's guide
  

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.9-10.3 RST.9-10.7 RST.9-10.9 RST.11-12.3 RST.11-12.4 RST.11-12.7 MP1 MP3 MP4