Item List
lesson library
Our lessons explore foods by connecting them to traditional concepts taught in secondary STEM education. Most lessons use a "sense-making" approach: essentially experiencing a food or recipe and then making sense of the process and product through use of observations, science concepts and building off of each other's ideas.
All of our lessons include a hands-on lab or activity students can either do themselves or watch us do. To support and empower students in making connections and understanding the science concepts behind these foods, we design ready-to-go classroom slides, write anchor readings/articles, and produce videos. We also design student activities and worksheets that encourage further engagement and critical thinking.
Topics
Chemistry:
Biology & Ecology:
To search for specific lessons, terms, or foods , use our storefront.
Food:
Available Class Periods:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Available Active Time:
Heat Source Option
I have access to:
Scaling a Brownie Recipe: Volume, Units, & Heat Transfer
Explore volume, unit conversions, and the relationship between energy transfer and mass by comparing pan sizes and scaling a brownie recipe.
grades:
6
equipment needs:
9
major topics:
4
-
6
-
minor topics:
measurements, dimensional analysis, density/mass/volume
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Compare different size pans by exploring ways to calculate volume and using ratios
- Learn how to scale up or down a recipe by using unit conversions and application of ratios, multiplication, and division
- Explore the relationship between transfer of thermal energy and mass
essential questions:
- What factors need to be considered when scaling up or down a brownie recipe to fit in a different pan?
- How can I scale up or down a recipe?
- What affects the amount of time a food needs to bake for?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
20
Lab Time
Lab 1:
35
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Both Labs 1 and 2 use heat.
- Lab 1 can also be done as a demonstration to minimize time and cost.
- A 8x8 and 9x13 pan is helpful for a demonstration (but is not involved in baking)
Air in Ice Cream: Lab Design & Density
Explore the importance of air in ice cream by analyzing the amount of air in different ice cream samples and comparing methods of adding air in an easy no-churn ice cream lab.
grades:
6
equipment needs:
8
major topics:
3
-
5
-
minor topics:
density/mass/volume, measurements
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Explain what variables are important to consider when designing inquiry-based labs
- Explore the amount of air in various ice cream brands (and our own ice cream) through measurements of mass, volume, and density
- Explore and compare methods that add air into ice cream
essential questions:
- How can you use properties of mass, volume, and density to compare ice creams?
- What considerations are needed when designing an inquiry-based lab?
- How does the density of an ice cream affect how “scoopable” it is?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
15
Lab Time
Lab 1:
25
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Lab 2 requires 2 days (or at least 90 minutes in the freezer) for the ice cream to freeze.
- A freezer is needed to store ice cream.
Flour & Chocolate Chip Cookies: Measurements & Precision
Explore measurements, precision/accuracy, conversions and scaling through a classroom-friendly chocolate chip cookie recipe.
grades:
8
equipment needs:
10
major topics:
2
-
4
-
minor topics:
measurements, dimensional analysis
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Explore precision and accuracy through measurement, data analysis, and real world applications (baking)
- Explain with evidence and reasoning why using a measuring scale is a better tool for measuring ingredients in baking
- Calculate and scale recipes using fractions and ratios
essential questions:
- Why should bakers use a measuring scale?
- What are precision and accuracy, and why do they matter in science and in baking?
- How can you scale a recipe to make more or less?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
10
Lab Time
Lab 1:
30
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Lab 2 requires heat if you choose to make traditional cookies.
- A no-bake option cookie dough recipe is also provided.
Sports Drinks & Electrolytes: Atomic Structure & Ions
Explore atomic structure and ions by unpacking what electrolytes are, why we need them, and why they are in sports drinks.
grades:
9
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
8
-
10
-
minor topics:
atomic structure, ions
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Investigate electrolytes by analyzing sports drinks claims, collecting data about their properties, and developing particulate models
- Explore how electrolytes work in our body through a variety of readings, labs, and particulate models
- Explain what ions are and how and why they form
essential questions:
- How can we evaluate a claim made by a product?
- What are electrolytes and why do we need them?
- In what state does sodium exist in nature and why?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
20
Lab Time
Lab 1:
20
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- A conductivity meter or set up to measure if a solution conducts electricity is needed for this lab.
Salt: Ionic Compounds & Separation Methods (gr9-12)
Explore how salt is extracted and made, how and why different types of salt vary, and salt’s purpose in food and cooking.
grades:
9
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
5
-
8
-
minor topics:
types of compounds, types of bonds, ionic compounds, solutions and mixtures, separation methods, physical properties
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Explore the natural and manmade processes behind the formation and extract of salt
- Explain how an ionic crystal forms and how to determine the chemical formula of an ionic crystal
- Explore how and why different types of salts vary through research and data collection in labs
essential questions:
- How do we get salt?
- What types of salt exist, and how do they vary?
- Why do we use salt in food?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
20
Lab Time
Lab 1:
20
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Lab 1 requires a hot plate to heat a solution of saltwater, as well as a filter set up.
Sugar (Rock Candy & Tanghulu): Solutions & Covalent Bonding
Explore sugar solutions, the basis of many candies, by making rock candy and unpacking sucrose molecular structure, the process of dissolving, the importance of concentration and temperature, and another sugar-based candy: tanghulu.
grades:
8
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
4
-
4
-
minor topics:
types of bonds, types of compounds, polarity, solutions and mixtures
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Explore the molecular structure of sucrose and compare and contrast covalent and ionic bonding
- Explain how and why sugar is polar, and how this influences its interaction with water molecules
- Explore concepts around concentration and see how they apply to sugar-based candies
essential questions:
- What is sugar and how is it different than salt?
- How do we make sugar-based candies? What steps are important and why?
- Why does sugar dissolve in water?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
20
Lab Time
Lab 1:
n/a
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Lab 1 requires a heat source. The rock candy needs to sit for a period of about 5 days.
- Lab 2 is a demo or can just be an activity in which students analyze a tanghulu recipe, but do not make it.
Spiciness (Peppers): Polarity & Mixing Substances
Explore capsaicin, the primary molecule behind spice, and see how its molecular structure explains its behavior with other substances.
grades:
8
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
6
-
10
-
minor topics:
solubility, polarity, sensory neurons
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Identify the polarity of a substance by analyzing its bonds and molecular structure
- Explain how and why a substance may interact with another substance based on the structure and polarity of its molecules
- Explain and connect concepts of polarity and interactions between substances to the phenomenon of spice (extracting spice and getting relief from spice)
essential questions:
- What makes food spicy?
- How do we best extract spice?
- What foods help us get relief from spice and why?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
20
Lab Time
Lab 1:
30
Lab 2:
20
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Only Lab 1 requires heat.
- Lab 2 (paper chromatography) requires about 20 minutes waiting time in addition to 5-10 minutes active time.
- "Lab" 3 is more akin to a hands-on activity and involves taste testing and data collection around drink's efficacy in relief from spiciness.
Sourness & Butterfly Pea Lemonade: pH and Acids (gr8-12)
Explore acidity and what makes substances sour by learning about pH and hydrogen ions and making a butterfly pea flower lemonade.
grades:
9
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
3
-
5
-
minor topics:
acids and bases, pH, solutions and mixtures
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Be able to identify examples of acidic substances, measure their pH, and explain on a particulate level why they are acidic
- Observe pH through the senses, including taste and smell and pH indicators
- Explain the relationship between H+ concentration and pH
essential questions:
- Why are some substances sour?
- What makes some substances more sour than others?
- How and why do butterfly pea flowers change color?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
15
Lab Time
Lab 1:
15
Lab 2:
Lab 3:
Lab 4:
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Prepping lab 2 requires you to heat water to make tea, but a heat source is not actively used during the lab. An electric tea pot, microwave, or hot plate can be used to heat water.
Popping Boba: Ions, Ionic Compounds, & Double Displacement Rxns
Explore popping boba by understanding the role of ions, chemical reactions, and diffusion in making popping boba.
grades:
9
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
5
-
7
-
minor topics:
types of compounds, ions, ionic compounds, chemical reactions, measurements
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Observe and explain how sodium alginate and calcium chloride form a gel on a macro- and submicroscopic level
- Explore factors that affect the rate of a chemical reaction
- Apply our understanding of ionic compounds, ionic bonding, and electrostatic attractions to explain how a gel-encapsulated liquid is formed
essential questions:
- What is popping boba and how is it made?
- Why and how does gelling occur in popping boba?
- Why and how does the center of popping boba remain a liquid, while the outside layer is gelled?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
10
Lab Time
Lab 1:
5
Lab 2:
15
Lab 3:
10
Lab 4:
55
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- There are many small and easy labs in this one! Most involve just using water, rather than a flavor, for the boba.
- Lab 5, which requires more time, is purely an extension and does not need to be done.
Ricotta: Precipitation & Rate of Chemical Reactions (gr8-12)
Explore precipitation, acids, and the formation of curds in cheese-making through homemade ricotta
grades:
8
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
5
-
7
-
minor topics:
acids and bases, solubility, chemical changes, reaction rates
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Explore how adding an acid chemically changes milk
- Explain how curds form using principles of solubility, charges, and precipitation.
- Describe how curds form on a molecular level and consider factors impacting curd formation
essential questions:
- What are cheese curds?
- How and why can curds form from milk?
- How do quantities and concentrations of acids impact curd formation?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
10
Lab Time
Lab 1:
45
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Lab 2 requires heat.
- If needed, you can divide Lab 2 into 2 class periods (and let ricotta drain overnight in fridge).
Bao & Kneading: Bonds & IMFs in the Gluten Network
Explore the science of kneading and gluten development through bao. An additional 2 day-extension explores steaming and heat transfer.
grades:
9
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
5
-
8
-
minor topics:
IMFs, types of bonds, proteins, solubility
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Observe and model how the gluten network forms in dough
- Identify and explain how various bonds and attractions form in the gluten network
essential questions:
- Why do we knead dough?
- How does kneading change dough?
- What is gluten and why is important in dough and bread?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
30
Lab Time
Lab 1:
30
Lab 2:
n/a
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Lab 1 is a 2-day lab (30 minute for day 1, which is to make the dough; 30 minute for day 2, which is steaming the bao).
- There must be at least 1 day in between labs for dough to proof.
- To steam bao, steaming baskets or alternative set up is needed.
Paneer & Calcium: Ions & Ionic Bonds
Explore how calcium content impacts curd formation and structure through different trials of paneer cheese.
grades:
10
equipment needs:
12
major topics:
3
-
5
-
minor topics:
elasticity, stoichiometry, intermolecular forces, ionic compounds
science concepts:
Get a taste of the lesson
by checking out the video resource!
- Observe how calcium impacts curd formation and coagulation
- Explain macroscopic observations with particulate models of casein micelles and calcium phosphate bridges
- Investigate the use of other substances and consider the importance of different properties including charges of ions and molar mass
essential questions:
- How and why does calcium impact curd formation and the texture of curds?
- Can we substitute calcium chloride with other substances in cheesemaking?
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Length of Labs (all time expressed in minutes)
Other Notes:
60
Lab Time
Lab 1:
20
Lab 2:
15
Lab 3:
n/a
Lab 4:
n/a
Lab 5:
Equipment:
- Labs 1 and 3 require heat.
- Lab 1 will require a solid 60 minutes class period.
- Labs 2 and 3 are to measure the firmness of the paneer and cook it.
- Lab 3, which is frying the paneer, is purely for fun/taste purposes.
Overnight:
Overnight:
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