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Enzymes are special proteins that help speed up chemical reactions in our bodies. For example, digestive enzymes break down food into smaller pieces that our cells can use for energy. Each enzyme has an “active site” – a spot shaped perfectly for its target (called a substrate), like a puzzle piece fitting exactly where it belongs. The right fit makes the enzyme able to do its job!

In this project created by Anna, a member of the Rosie Innovators STEM program for young women in high school, you’ll explore how enzymes work by playing a hands-on game of “Enzyme Tetris.” Ready to see how the perfect fit powers life’s reactions? Gather your materials and follow the steps below!

Required Materials

  • cardboard sheets
  • sticky white board graph paper
  • tetris stickers
  • scissors

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1

Cover a piece of cardboard with whiteboard paper

Step 2

Use scissors to cut your Tetris stickers into fun shapes. Some will be enzymes and some will be substrates (the pieces that fit together!).

Step 3

Peel the backing off the stickers and stick them onto the whiteboard. You can move them around and reuse them as much as you want!

Remember: In real life, enzymes are proteins in your body that speed up important jobs, like breaking down food. But they can only work if the substrate fits just right into the enzyme’s active site – just like your puzzle shapes!

Real Women in STEM

Resource 1

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna

Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna shared the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for inventing an enzyme called Cas9 which can locate a specific gene and cut it out of our DNA like scissors. This tool has been revolutionary in cutting out genetic mutations that cause certain cancers or sickle cell anemia.