Sarah Reeves
Young
Utah State Office
of Education
Science Specialist
Albert Einstein
Distinguished
Educator Fellow
Salt Lake City, UT
Agenda
• Utilizing Food in your Classroom
• SAFETY 101
• Quick Food Based Activities to Show
General Science Approaches
• Popcorn Lab and CORE connections
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Benefits of Food in the
Classroom
• Creates a context for student learning
• Promotes curiosity and innovation
• Improves lab techniques such as
procedure review and measuring precision
with investment in final product
• Learning that translates from the
classroom to the home
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Food in the classroom?
• SAFETY IS NUMBER ONE!
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Science is really the study of what’s
around you!
• “It’s Getting Hot in Here…”
– Hershey Kisses and Thermal Energy Transfer
– Is heat going in or cold going out? What do
you think and WHY do you think that in 1,2,3?
– What is causing the variation in melting time?
Ideas?
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
There is even STEM in food…
• Popcorn Lab
– SCIENCE: Mass vs. Volume
– TECHNOLOGY: Microwave technology
– ENGINEERING: Reverse Engineering a
Microwavable Popcorn Bag
– MATH: Solving for Equilibrium
• PLUS, everyone loves a good movie
snack!
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Chapter 2 – Exploding Corn
• Too much energy.. And then you explode.

• When was the last time you ate popcorn?
• Focus is physical science, looking at
mass, volume, and conservation of mass
and energy
• Includes math in data analysis, and
compare contrast skills with a Venn
Sarah diagram
Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Chapter 2 – Exploding Corn
• Safety Highlights:
– Bunsen Burners… OR Hot plates
– Foil can pop off Erlenmeyer Flasks, so
goggles are a must!
– Sterilized Workspace for potential spills when
transferring the popped corn
– Broken glass can occur so safe disposal
container is another good “plan ahead” step in
preparation
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Chapter 2 – Exploding Corn
• Questions?
• Comments?
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Best piece of advice for Gourmet
LABS…
“ABC”
ALWAYS BE CLEANING
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
More labs to follow this up
• Experiment 3 – Melting Apples for Phase Change
with Temperature
• Experiment 6 – Acidic Milk for pH changes in
making cheese
• Experiment 10 – The density of a cinnamon roll,
yeast and the role of a control
• From Milk to Cheese
• Seed to Shelf
• There are lots of options in content and
presentation to help you meet the needs of your
class
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Questions?
Thank you!
Please feel free to contact me, to
ask about the activities presented,
other labs from the book, or
science education.
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov
Sarah Reeves Young
sarah.young@schools.utah.gov