Baking Chemistry by Erin Gaugh

Grade Levels Ages 8-12

Subjects Chemistry

General Science

Team Building

Art/Creativity Building

Overview
Baking Chemistry will combine the love of baking and concocting an end product along with
the science of kitchen ingredients and experiments.

Time Frame
This will be a 5 week unit, 2 hours each day.

Objectives and Life Skills

In this lesson, students will:

o Learn to collaborate as a team.
o Build social skills by working together with partners.
o Be introduced to the periodic table.
o Conduct experiments based on kitchen ingredients.
o Use the scientific method to predict how the experiments will turn out…
o Learn some basic kitchen skills.
o Create recipes along with fun/interactive chemistry lesson.
o Explore creativity with kitchen ingredients (ie: make your own recipe!)
o Design your own model magic cake.
o Draw a water molecule and give its chemical symbol.
o Compare elements, compounds, mixtures.
o Differentiate between physical and chemical changes.
o Identify solids, liquids, and gases.
o Find the following on a Table of Elements: chemical symbol, atomic numbers, metals,
and non-metals.
Procedure/Experiments

Students will begin each day with a learning sheet about the periodic table, play with
playdough to make “dough creations, and participate in an “ice breaker” exercise or devotion:

1. Capture gas from baking powder into a balloon.--Baking soda in cakes…

2. Make Butter with whipping cream in jars—teams.
3. Olfactory experiment: Scent guess
4. Taste Game: Hold nose and taste different foods with partner
5. Ingredient Game: Remove labels of foods, cut out ingredient list, and see if team
members can guess the food with the ingredients.
6. Disappearing ink with lemons.
7. Make Whey from Milk
8. Yeast Balloons/Sourdough starters?
9. Write and create your own cookie recipe (see pinterest infographic)
10. Build Marshmallow Molecules
Eva is awesome!!! 

Recipes:

1. Day One: Make Pizza dough (Quick bread): Ice Breaker: Ingredient Game. Yeast
lesson/Yeast Balloons: In a water bottle, put in warm water- about 1/2 c., 1 Tbsp of
yeast, and 1 Tbsp of sugar. Shake it gently so it mixes together. Place a balloon over
the top of the bottle and watch what happens! /Yeast experiment—What is chemistry?
Video Rap/What is the scientific method ppt & worksheet/Introduction to the periodic
table—my name in atoms/Basic chemistry vocabulary: solids, liquids, gases/Basic
Kitchen Rules—make our own/Savory Combinations/Books

2. Day Two: Opener—Sweet Combinations (see doodle prompt) Make Cherry Oat Scones:
Baking Soda lesson—experiment: baking soda exploding bags—Periodic table/Explain
physical and chemical changes/ Chemistry vocabulary/Show: What is an Atom: Basics
for kids/Build candy atoms

3. Day Three: Opener— cookie questionnaire. Watch: Molecule Formation: Simple Intro
(Makemegenius.com) Definitions: molecules, compounds, chemical reactions. Build a
molecule with marshmallows. Learn about the effect of sugar in baking a cookie. /
Make Cookie Cake: Cookie Chemistry TED video /See pinterest infographic—
kitchennostaligia.com)—Change recipe based on the outcome of the questionnaire…
Then, create your own cookie recipe/name it/draw it/take it home and make it! Bring
it to share!/Make butter./Favorite Cookie Class Graph/How to read a pie chart
infographic/
 4. Day Four: Molecules; Opener--Legend of the pretzel-- Make Pretzel Dough: Magic
School Bus Sheet/Fill in Periodic Table/create water molecule with marshmallows/

5. Day Five: Opener—olfactory game. Physical vs chemical changes—make butter. (watch

mark drollinger physical and chemical change) Bake a Chemistry Cake: (Watch: Cake
Chemistry) Elimination of ingredientsEducation.com—bake 4 mini cakes. Creative
Sheet…Complete/Activity: Draw and name a mini version of what your favorite cake
design would look like.

Need: heavy cream, jars, crackers (have), scent jars, tally sheet for cookie judging,

Play: http://www.teachertube.com/video/magicschoolbusgetsreadysetdoughthe-347712

Optional Day 6: field trip to Panera—Baker’s In Training, baking company

wars, or farmer’s market in Lake St. Louis

Additional Learning:

Learn about food scientist: Louis Pasteur

Learn about food additives and dyes
Materials Lists

Books and Videos used in this Lesson

o Magic School Bus-- baked in a cake

o Janice Van Cleave’s
o Ted-Ed Video: Cookie Science

o http://www.chemicalelements.com/
o Craft-a-Doodle by Jenny Doh

Reproducible Worksheets and Handouts used in this Lesson

o Scholastic—Magic School Bus Pretzel Handout

o Mrs. Gaugh’s Class’ Favorite Cookie Graph
o Kitchen Rules
o Sweet Combinations Doodle Sheet
o Scientific Method Steps
o Periodic Table of Elements
o Candy Atom Worksheet
o Extras: Cooking Vocab

Websites used in this Lesson

Day 1: Scientific Method Rap (tunes to teach):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUa-ilQqEv0

What is Chemistry: http://www.bing.com/videos/search?

q=periodic+table+explained+for+kids&qs=AS&sk=AS1&FORM=QBVR&pq=p
eriodic%20table%20explained&sc=8-
24&sp=2&qs=AS&sk=AS1#view=detail&mid=6F68C7E2AB784425164E6F6
8C7E2AB784425164E

Day 2:

Periodic Table Song

What is kitchen chemistry? Chemistry Calendar, November: Food MoleCluesTV

Day 3—Cookie Theme:
https://www.teachervision.com/powerpoint/lesson-plan/57027.html

http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-chemistry-of-cookies-stephanie-warren

Amazing Links: http://iteachbio.com/Chemistry/Chemistry/chem.htm

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/FreeDownload/Frayer-Model-
Vocabulary-Diagrams-2-per-page

Supplies used in this Lesson

o Butter
o Eggs
o Chocolate Chips
o Baking Soda
o Yeast
o Oatmeal
o Craisins
o White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Powdered Sugar
o Salt
o Oil
o Flour
o Parchment paper
o Foil and Foil Bowls
o Pencils/Binders
o Colorful Model Magic
o Homemade playdough (tools/mats/wetwipes)
o Paper towels
o Mixer, measuring cups, rubber scrapers, spoons, bowls, butter knife
o Cinnamon/sugar shaker
o Frosting supplies
o Toothpicks
o Small marshmallows
o Whipping Cream/jars/crackers
o Pens/Crayons
o Large bag m&m’
o Magnifying Glasses
o Baggies
o Dark Paper
o Bottle and Balloon for yeast exp
Lists

Vocabulary:

Day 1:

o What Is Chemistry? Chemistry is the study of matter and energy and the interactions
between them.

o Matter:

o Solid:
o Liquid:
o Gas:
Solid/Liquid/Gas sort

o Independent Variable:

o Dependent Variable:

o Control Group:

o Constant:

Day 2:
o Atom
o Electron
o Nucleus
o Proton
o Neutron
o Leavener
Day 3:
o Suspension
o Emulsion: when fats and water based liquids come together in a solution
o Molecule
o Chemical Reactions
Day 4:
o Boiling Point
o Freezing point
o Microorganisms
o Gluten
o Proteins: what make dough sticky and elastic
 o Leaveners: yeast, baking soda, steam
o Shortening: fatty ingredients such as butter, oil, and shortening
o Starch: the carbohydrate portion of the flour
o Variables
o Maillard Reactions

Bible Verses

o Romans 8:28: God causes all things to work together for my good.
o

Reference Books / Research Resources / Maps

o Type book, page number, and comment; click enter to type the next one

Students will need a binder for recipes, vocabulary, and hypothesis/experiement sheets
Labs, Projects, and Other Hands-On Activities
In this area, detail hands-on projects that will be a part of this unit study.

Science Lab: write experiment name

Purpose:
Resources:
Lab should take place when:
Supplies:

Project: write project name

Subject: for art? geography?
Purpose:
Resources:
Project should take place when:
Supplies:

Add as many as needed (delete this comment)

Assignments
OPTIONAL:
Power Point Presentation on Class Favorites Cookie--Graph

OPTIONAL FAMILY ASSIGNMENT:

Put together all recipes from the class and have bound/printed.

Test Own Recipe cookie and bring to class for taste testing.

Writing Assignments:

What is your favorite thing to cook and why?

Planner

donnayoung.org
How to read a pie graph:
Student Survey: (Discuss: what are some adjectives to describe your favorite type of
cookie? Show the infographic: http://www.kitchennostalgia.com/desserts/cookies/best-ever-
chocolate-chip-cookies.html )

FAVORITE TYPE OF COOKIE

Person Surveyed: Boy Girl
Do you like cookies that are: (Choose only two)
1. Soft/Gooey
2. Chewy/Moist
3. Crisp
4. Crunchy
5. Cakey
6. Flat/spread out
Filled with:
1. Chocolate Chips
2. M & M’s
3. Macadamia Nuts/
White chocolate
4. Nuts
5. Other:_______________________________________
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
________
Sweet Combinations Doodle prompt: (with a
partner)

List 5 Adjectives: List 5 Baked Goods:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Take turns illustrating the combinations:

Savory Combinations Doodle prompt: (with a
partner)

List 5 Adjectives: List 5 finished

pizzas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Take turns illustrating the combinations:

 NAME:_________________________________Date: ______________
ELEMENT RESEARCH

1. Element Name: ______________________________________

2. My element is located in period (row) _____________ and group (column)___________
3. Write the following information about your element as shown in the box below.

____________________________  Atomic number

____________________________ Element Name

____________________________ Symbol

____________________________ Atomic Mass Unit

4. Is your element a metal, metalloid or

nonmetal:____________________________________
5. Is your element a solid, liquid, or gas?
____________________________________________
6. Why is your element important?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
7. Draw and describe the element’s atomic structure (include # of protons, neutrons,
electrons).

8. Write 1 more interesting fact about the element.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

DAY ONE: Cellular Respiration in Yeast –science matters blog

Originally posted on March 17, 2010

Place some yeast, sugar, and warm water in a flask (or bottle with small neck). Quickly place a
balloon over the flask opening and allow it to sit for the class period (or longer).

At the end of the period, you will find the balloon has inflated. It is filled with carbon dioxide
released during cellular respiration.
You can prove that it’s carbon dioxide and not oxygen: light a wood splint or popsicle stick on
fire and then blow it out so that it’s just glowing. Release the contents of the balloon onto the
glowing splint. If it’s oxygen, the splint will return to burning; if it’s carbon dioxide, it will go
out.

A note about my pictures... In the picture of the initial set-up, the bottle only has a little water in
it. It wasn't enough - the yeast respirated, but the carbon dioxide they emitted took up the
remaining space in the bottle and didn't make it to the balloon. I redid the experiment, filling the
bottle much fuller, which resulted in an inflated balloon; but I didn't retake the set-up picture.
Molecular Crystals
Examine a sugar granule with a magnifying glass. Now examine a salt
crystal with a magnifying glass.
Note what you observe:

Now draw a cube next to the one shown:

Add on to this shape here:

*Salt molecules join together to make cubes. At home, smash some salt with
a hammer, then lok at the crystals again. Outside forces such as erosion,
pressure, and heat act on groups of molecules so that their shapes aren’t
what they would be if left alone. Salt = 1 atom of sodium and 1 atom of
chloride. When salt molecules are allowed to attach to each other freely,
they make salt crystals.
Day 3 Definitions:

Chemical reacti on: when a substance (or a few

substances) change into another substance.

Molecule: the smallest possible amount of a particular

substance that has all the characteristics of that
substance.

Compound: When atoms of different elements combine

together to form a molecule.
Cookie Tally

Boys’ Cookie Girls’

Cookie
Design your own Cake creation
Name your Cake:

Draw it!