Activity 4 Kinesthetic Activity on How Painkillers Work– Match Mine
The purpose of this activity is to illustrate how NSAIDs serve as inhibitors and thus relieve pain. This is carried out once students have learned the various biological functions of prostaglandin and its synthesis through the arachidonic acid pathway.
Several identical sets of 2–piece jigsaw–like puzzles are prepared beforehand. Each two–piece puzzle is cut in such a way that one of the pieces is significantly smaller than the other piece. Each student gets one puzzle piece. Students are then instructed to find the puzzle piece that fits with their own puzzle piece. Once they have found their match, they go to the teacher who will give them a small piece of paper labeled prostaglandin.
Have students recall the first step of the arachidonic acid pathway for prostaglandin synthesis. Ask them which piece of the puzzle could be the enzyme that changes arachidonic acid to prostaglandin and which piece is the arachidonic acid. The class could agree that the bigger piece is the enzyme but it could also be the smaller piece. To facilitate faster discussion, guide the class to establish that the bigger piece is the enzyme.
Repeat the activity but this time, replace most of the smaller pieces with a different color (but the same shape and size as the smaller piece) of puzzle pieces. Students will see that fewer prostaglandins are synthesized. Have students hypothesize what the different color of puzzle pieces represent. Guide them to arrive at the conclusion that these puzzle pieces are NSAID molecules that attach to the enzyme, thus preventing the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin.
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