University of Georgia
Flavor of Organic Chemistry
Introduce organic chemistry through an analysis of flavor. A three-part unit begins with an overview of the components of flavor. Next, scholars prepare esters through esterification. Finally, they examine how all senses have an impact...
University of Georgia
Would Your Cat Eat This Stuff?
Processed foods use inorganic compounds for flavoring and preservation. This take-home laboratory challenges scholars to find 20 different compounds identified on the labels of foods to list on their data collection sheet. The activity...
Curated OER
What Is Special About Polyethylene Food Storage Bags?
Students participate in an investigation in which they compare a polyethylene bag designed for recycling or disposal with a polyethylene food storage bag. Students use hexane to determine the differences between the low density...
Curated OER
Electricity and Food: From Glowing Pickles in Citrus Batteries
Fifth graders explore electrical concepts and host a guest speaker. This lesson sets up guidelines for students to follow when they have a guest speaker. Students are primed to become actively involved in a lecture or discussion, while...
Cornell University
Isotopes
What better way is there to learn about isotopes than to play with them? Chemistry students manipulate the number of protons and neutrons in a hands-on activity. Individuals try to score the largest number of points by collecting the...
Curated OER
The Chemistry of Fertilizers
Students use a series of hands-on labs and activities, practice problems, discussions and writing assignments, students investigate about fertilizer chemistry as they break compounds into ions, make a fertilizer and test various...
Curated OER
Lip Balm Chemistry
Students explore density, mixture and solutions in a reaction. In this chemistry lesson, students create their own chap-stick using ingredients they analyze for their chemical contents. They discuss measuring skills, melting points and...
Mascil Project
Molecular Gastronomy - Science in the Kitchen
Some say cooking is an art—and a science! Scholars scope out the savory subject of molecular gastronomy with a series of related activities. The teacher's guide contains printable worksheets and helpful tips for implementing the lesson.
Curated OER
GM Foods: Are They Safe?
Students examine the process for testing GM foods. They research benefits and hazards of a selection of GM foods. They also create images of new labels and marketing for GM foods.
Consortium for Ocean Science Exploration and Engagement (COSEE)
Carbon Dioxide & Krill: Impacts
What effects do temperature and carbon dioxide levels have on the zooplankton of Antarctica? This concluding lesson plan in a short unit on climate change and the ocean helps environmental scientists answer these questions. After...
Curated OER
Nutrition and Food Science
Young scholars examine the causes and symptoms of food-borne illnesses and ways to prevent them. In this nutrition lesson students work in teams to investigate a type of food-borne illness and present a scenario about it.
Curated OER
Bad Microbes in Food Processing
Students complete an experiment to determine if there are bad microbes in food processing.In this bad microbe experiment, students use apples to see how they react to oxygen. Students test apples with chemicals to observe the changes.
Curated OER
Ziplock Chemistry
Learners investigate various chemical reactions when creating mixtures in ziplock baggies. In this chemistry lesson plan, students will recognize various chemical reactions and cite evidence. Safety and assessment strategies are included...
Curated OER
Science Lessons for Grade 7
Seventh graders construct a food chain based on pictures shown on the board. In this biology lesson, 7th graders describe the motion of particles as energy is changed. They explain how pH changes during neutralization.
Virginia Department of Education
Acid-Base Theory
Litmus paper, why so blue? A chemistry lesson includes a pre-lab activity, practice calculating pH, an experiment measuring the pH in acids and bases, a titration demonstration, and a titration experiment.
Curated OER
Beauty or the Beast
Does the FDA really intend to protect public health? Spark a debate in your chemistry or health class by using this article, titled "Beauty or the Beast." It questions the safety of cosmetics and toiletry products, govenment regulations,...
Curated OER
Lead and Mercury: Comparing Two Environmental Evils
High schoolers in chemistry or health courses look at the material safety data sheet (MSDS) and periodic table of elements to gather information about mercury and lead, two toxic materials that have been found in food products. They read...
Curated OER
Food For Thought
Young scholars examine their school population about their health and exercise patterns. They brainstorm a list of factors that influence people to eat the way they do.
Virginia Department of Education
Heat Transfer and Heat Capacity
It's time to increase the heat! Young chemists demonstrate heat transfer and heat capacity in an activity-packed lab, showing the transitions between solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of materials. Individuals plot data as the changes...
NOAA
Ocean Zones
How can organisms light up in water? Bioluminescence is light produced in a chemical reaction that can occur in an organism's body. First, learners determine what happens to light/color as you move into the deep ocean. In groups, they...
Curated OER
Stomach Chemistry
Fifth graders compare physical and chemical changes. They perform a simulation experiment/activity that replicates what happens in the stomach as food is digested by stomach acids.
Curated OER
Quality Control at Kality Krunchers Dill Pickle Factory
In a hypothetical scenario, food chemists use titration to concoct a brine solution for producing the crunchiest pickles. They also analyze store-bought pickle juices. In addition to reinforcing titration techniques, the lesson requires...
Curated OER
Juicing the Differences
Seventh graders investigate the vitamin C content of orange juice. In this chemistry lesson plan, 7th graders analyze the variables that cause result variation in their experiment. They design a new experiment to test variables in question.
Curated OER
Is Organic Food Worth the Extra Cost?
Students calculate the amount of pesticide residue in selected foods for two
pesticides and determine if these levels are safe. They read an article about a
research study looking for metabolites of these pesticides in children. Finally,...