Photosynthesis
You can identify the reactants and products of photosynthesis and write a word summary of the process.
Photosynthesis
You can identify the reactants and products of photosynthesis and write a word summary of the process.
These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- Producers make their own food using a process called photosynthesis.
- Photosynthesis can only happen when there is light.
- Photosynthesis is a series of chemical reactions that take place inside cells.
- The reactants of photosynthesis are water and carbon dioxide, and the products are oxygen and glucose (a carbohydrate).
- Photosynthesis involves many chemical reactions; a word summary of the reactants and products is a model of the process.
Keywords
Producer - A producer is an organism that makes its own food.
Chemical reaction - In a chemical reaction, substances are broken down and react to form new substances.
Photosynthesis - Photosynthesis is a series of chemical reactions by which producers make their own food.
Carbon dioxide - Carbon dioxide is a compound made of carbon and oxygen that is a gas at room temperature and a reactant in photosynthesis.
Glucose - Glucose is a sugar (carbohydrate) produced by photosynthesis.
Common misconception
Light is a chemical reactant in photosynthesis and it is turned into food.
Challenge the misconception that light is a chemical reactant in photosynthesis.
To help you plan your year 9 science lesson on: Photosynthesis, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 9 science lesson on: Photosynthesis, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 3 science lessons from the Plant nutrition and photosynthesis unit, dive into the full secondary science curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
Equipment
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Starter quiz
6 Questions







Exit quiz
6 Questions






