You are what you eat, as they say! Are you more starch or more protein? Young scholars use their knowledge of each component to test different foods for their content. Using multiple indicators, individuals describe the protein and starch concentration in a variety of foods and use their results to predict concentrations in various food types.

Concepts

starch, protein, food, food systems, glucose, amino acids

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Have your class create a list of foods that they believe contain protein and those that contain starch; then list those foods in order based on the amount of protein or starch in each
• Discuss the structure of proteins and starches prior to the activity to help learners understand the role of the indicator

Classroom Considerations

• Requires a basic understanding of atoms and molecules

Pros

• Encourages higher order thinking 
• Allows individuals to design their own experimental methods

Cons

• None