Glycogen and energy

Overview

In this lesson (Lesson 7 of 30) you will explore glycogen as the body’s stored form of carbohydrates. You will connect glycogen to metabolism by explaining how it supports energy needs between meals and during activity.

Learning intentions

• Students will be able to describe glycogen as a storage form of glucose in the body.
• Students will be able to explain how glycogen supports blood glucose and energy supply.
• Students will be able to identify where glycogen is stored and how it is used when energy is needed.
• Students will be able to use key biological vocabulary accurately in a short written or spoken explanation.

Success criteria

• I can explain what glycogen is and why the body stores it.
• I can describe how glycogen helps maintain energy availability in different situations.
• I can link glycogen breakdown and glycogen rebuilding to metabolism in a clear sequence.
• I can use scientific terms (glucose, carbohydrate, storage, breakdown, energy) correctly.

Curriculum links

• Biology: how organisms use energy for essential processes and how this links to metabolism.
• Biology: the role of nutrients in the body, including carbohydrates as a fuel source.
• Working scientifically: using evidence and models to explain biological processes.
• Communication in science: presenting explanations using appropriate scientific language.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–5 min | Starter recall Students complete a quick “energy storage” prompt: name one way the body stores energy and why storage is useful. Teacher elicits prior learning from earlier nutrient lessons.

2. 5–15 min | Mini-input: glycogen basics Teacher explains glycogen as stored glucose, including that it is found mainly in liver and muscle. Use a simple model: “glucose enters cells → glycogen forms → glycogen can be broken down for glucose when needed.” Provide a dyslexia-friendly version (short sentences + key terms on cards).

3. 15–25 min | Metabolism link activity (guided) In pairs, students label a flow diagram with three stages: after eating (higher glucose), storage (glycogen formation), and between meals or during exercise (glycogen breakdown). Teacher circulates and checks vocabulary accuracy and sequencing.

4. 25–35 min | Explain it clearly (group reasoning) Small groups (3) create a 60-second explanation: “Why glycogen matters for metabolism.” They must include: what glycogen is, where it is stored, and how it changes when the body needs energy. Provide a planning frame with sentence starters to support reading difficulty.

5. 35–45 min | Case study: between meals vs exercise Teacher presents two short scenarios. Students decide which direction glycogen activity would shift (more breakdown vs more storage) and justify with one metabolism link. Collect responses and address misconceptions (e.g., glycogen is not the same as fat; glycogen is fast-available).

6. 45–55 min | Independent check (success criteria assessment) Students write a short response (8–10 sentences) or a bullet explanation (teacher choice) titled: “Glycogen significance in metabolism.” Mark using a simple checklist tied to the success criteria.

7. 55–60 min | Exit ticket Exit ticket: “One-sentence definition of glycogen” plus “one reason it is important for metabolism.” Teacher quickly reviews to inform next lesson.

Resources

• Short teacher-led slides or board notes with minimal text (key terms only).
• Glycogen flow diagram handout (blank arrows for students to label).
• Scenario cards: between-meals and during-exercise prompts.
• Sentence starter planning frame (e.g., “Glycogen is…”, “It is stored in…”, “When… the body…”, “This helps metabolism because…”).
• Key term cards: glucose, carbohydrate, glycogen, storage, breakdown, energy supply.
• Dyslexia-friendly reading options: audio recording of the scenarios/inputs or teacher read-aloud script.
• Student checklist/rubric aligned to success criteria.
• Simple model reference image (optional) showing liver/muscle and glucose-to-glycogen relationship.

Assessment

• Formative: observation during diagram labelling and discussion of the scenarios.
• Summative within the lesson: short written/bullet explanation assessed against success criteria.
• Diagnostic: exit ticket to confirm understanding of glycogen definition and metabolic significance.

Differentiation

• Support: provide the labelled diagram template with partially completed steps; offer sentence starters and a teacher-read aloud script for the scenario text.
• Support: allow students to submit explanations as bullets, not full sentences, if reading/writing is a barrier.
• Extension: ask advanced students to add an extra link—how changes in energy demand over time require the body to balance breakdown and rebuilding of glycogen.
• EAL: pre-teach and reinforce key vocabulary with term cards and encourage use of the planning frame; permit oral explanation before writing.