Amino Acids, Proteins, Enzymes and DNA — Interactive Lesson (Ages 16–18)

From zwitterions to the double helix — and how the anticancer drug cisplatin targets DNA. This 24-slide interactive lesson on amino acids and proteins takes pupils from first ideas to exam-style explanations, with 14 self-marking activities and nothing to prepare beforehand.

Teaching Amino Acids, Proteins, Enzymes and DNA in A-level Chemistry

Students explain the acid–base behaviour of amino acids and zwitterions, describe peptide links, protein hydrolysis and the primary, secondary and tertiary structure of proteins, and calculate Rf values from thin-layer chromatography. They explain stereospecific enzyme active sites, describe DNA nucleotides and base pairing, and explain how cisplatin binds to guanine to stop cancer cells dividing.

What Pupils Will Learn

• Explain the acid–base properties of amino acids, including zwitterions.
• Describe how proteins are formed and hydrolysed, and the levels of protein structure.
• Use thin-layer chromatography and Rf values to identify amino acids.
• Explain enzyme action in terms of a stereospecific active site.
• Describe the structure of DNA and how cisplatin works.

What’s Included

• 24-slide interactive lesson
• 14 self-marking activities: multiple-choice questions, true-or-false checks, sorting tasks and fill-in-the-gap questions
• Step-by-step teaching cards that reveal one point at a time
• A written explanation task with a model answer for self-assessment

Why Teachers Love It

• No prep — open it on an interactive whiteboard, laptop or tablet
• Instant feedback explains every answer, right or wrong
• Everyday examples make chemistry feel real
• Works for whole-class teaching, independent study or revision

Curriculum Alignment

Supports the organic chemistry content of UK A-level Chemistry (AQA section 3.3, with equivalent OCR and Edexcel content) and prepares Nigerian students for post-SSCE study, JAMB and first-year university chemistry.

Love this? You’ll love…

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FAQ

What year groups is this for? Year 13 (ages 16–18), and post-SSCE students in Nigeria.

Is it self-marking? Yes — all 14 activities give instant feedback.

Do pupils need to log in? No. The lesson runs in any modern web browser.

Can I use it for revision? Yes. Pupils can replay it as often as they like, and the results screen shows which questions to review before a test.