Does it really give you Wings?
This Chemistry module is targeted at a Transition Year group aged 15-17 years. It aims to
promote Inquiry-based teaching and learning in the Science classroom.
Table of contents:
1
Abstract
Page 2
2
Objective of the module
Page 2
3
Learning outcomes
Page 2
4
Curriculum content
Page 2
5
Prior knowledge
Page 3
6
Kind of activity
Page 3
7
Anticipated time
Page 3
8
Student activities
Page 3
8.1
Scenario
Page 4
8.2
Student tasks
Page 5
Teacher’s guide
Page 6
9.1
Introduction
Page 6
9.2
Background
Page 6
9.3
Teaching approach
Page 7
9.4
Results of student activities
Page 27
9.5
Sample results
Page 30
9.6
Assessment
Page 36
9.7
Summary and Conclusions
Page 40
9
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 1
1. Abstract:
The activities in this module allow pupils to work as a team in an investigative setting to
examine the use of energy drinks in sports and exercise. It requires pupils to investigate the
current popularity of both legal and illegal performance-enhancing aids in sport. The aim is to
use this information to scrutinise and evaluate energy drinks that are available in shops,
design their own drinks based on the information they have gathered and evaluate which
type of drink is best for sports performance. There are three groups arranged with set tasks.
All pupils can attend to these tasks sequentially or alternatively, the class can be divided into
groups to engage in their own tasks at the discretion of the teacher:
Group 1 – average ability pupils
Group 2 – more able pupils
Group 3 – high ability pupils
2. Objective of the module:
To provide pupils and teachers with an alternative package to explore the area of sports
drinks and performance-enhancing supplements within the realm of Chemistry.
3. Learning outcomes of the module:
Pupils will be able to…
 Explain the importance of each food type for the body.
 Investigate the daily energy requirement of a sedentary individual compared to an
athlete in training.
 Investigate the different energy drinks and sports drinks commonly available.
Contrast isotonic, hypertonic and hypotonic drinks.
 Evaluate and design a sports drink.
 Design and conduct an experiment to test the electrolyte make-up of various drinks.
4. Curriculum content: Bonding, solutions, atomic structure, use of the multimeter,
concept of current and charge.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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5.
Prior knowledge: The pupils will have examined the area of food in the Junior
Certificate Science course.
Some pupils may also have studied the same or similar
concepts in Home Economics and CSPE. It is anticipated that all pupils will have worked in
a laboratory but it is not necessary for them to have this experience. Many pupils will have
knowledge of the topic as it is regularly discussed in the media and has links to many sports
and activities that pupils may be involved in.
6. Kind of activity: Critical and creative thinking, socio-scientific understanding, researchbased approach, communicating, teamwork and collaboration, personal effectiveness,
processing information, analysing results and preparing arguments.
7. Anticipated time: Five 80-minute lessons. Another class period can be allocated at the
discretion of the teacher to allow for group presentation and overall feedback.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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Does it really give you Wings?
8. Student Activities
8.1 Scenario
“If I could give you a pill that would make you an Olympic champion - but also kill you in a
year - would you take it?” This question was posed to competitive runners before an Olympic
qualifying event by Dr. Gabe Mirkin. Shockingly, more than half of the athletes questioned
responded saying they would take such a pill.
So what is it that drives these elite athletes to take such risks with their health? It is said that
the desire to win is something we are all born with but is also something that can take over
our rational thought. There are many energy drinks that claim to boost energy, improve
performance, increase concentration etc. But are they safe? What is in them that improves
performance? History shows that even athletes in the Ancient Olympics did bizarre things to
give them an athletic edge over competitors — such as eating lizard meat and drinking
‘magic’ potions.
There is a lot of media attention given to the diets and habits of the elite athletes such as
Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, Venus Williams, even Brian O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara can
be seen holding branded drinks at interviews. But is this just a marketing ploy or are these
athletes the best because of this potion?
It isn’t just elite athletes that are attracted to products that claim to boost performance. Many
young people in training and playing sport regularly turn to sports drinks and energy drinks.
Are these better alternatives? Are they safe? Do they even work? Hydration is important but
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University College Cork
Ireland
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could you be making your own home made version instead of buying into the colourful labels
and catchy names.
In this study, you are invited to work in teams to find out why people have turned to
chemistry for sporting success. You are invited to examine the energy drinks market and
decide for yourself if it is all help or hype!!
8.2 Your tasks
Group 1: To examine the various food groups and discuss which group is important for
energy levels and performance. Investigate what is in energy drinks and sports drinks that
draw athletes towards them.
Group 2: From the information gathered could you design your own sports drink based on
the scientific principles you have discovered along the way?
Group 3: It is the job of your team to design and conduct an experiment to investigate which
type of drink contains the most electrolytes. You could compare water, orange juice, fizzy
orange and a number of sports drinks.
Remember that all groups will have to make a presentation of their
findings and methods to the class at the end, so, ensure that all
relevant
material
is
recorded
and
well
organised
during
your
investigations.
Safety
 Always discuss experimental techniques with your team and your teacher before
carrying out any investigation.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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 Remember that you are in a laboratory setting and so all the same rules as regards
eating or drinking still apply.
 Work as a team in a cooperative way so that the workload is shared and all team
members play a role in the investigation.
Does it really give you Wings?
9. Teacher Guide
9.1 Introduction
This guide has been written to assist the teacher in implementing and teaching this module in
an inquiry-based teaching and learning approach. This guide contains the objectives of the
modules and explains why the PROFILES project was set up and what its intentions are.
This guide also gives the teacher ideas on how they may like to structure their lessons;
includes inquiry-based teaching methodologies as well as extra material and resources to be
given to the students if required when there are conducting their investigations. Sample
results of the investigations are included based on student reports from previous lessons.
It is hoped that all teachers will adapt this module to suit their own teaching beliefs, the
students’ needs and the specific learning environment.
9.2 Background information
The PROFILES project was set up through the European Commission to try to promote the
Science subjects in secondary education institutions around Europe.
It was founded
following the PISA study which showed that the numbers of students choosing to continue
with a Science subject in school was very low. Consequently, this project aims to change
the perception of the physical sciences in the minds of the students by reflecting their
interests and needs in the lessons.
It is believed that positive attitudes towards Science can be created by designing
programmes of study to captivate the interests of the students and thus increase intrinsic
motivation in the student. In order to achieve this, the PROFILES group had teachers from
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University College Cork
Ireland
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21 countries design modules that reflect the everyday interests as well as areas of industry,
current and relevant to the learners.
It is the vision of PROFILES to create a network of teachers that can help to promote and
disseminate the message of IBSE at a local and then regional basis. It is hoped that such
networks will assist teachers in gaining the confidence and competence that they will need in
order to explore motivational inquiry-based teaching techniques.
9.3 Teaching approach
This was the approach taken by the author to teach this module.
Class objectives and overall learning outcomes
Students were expected to…
 Investigate the food groups and discuss their requirements for exercise and activity.
 Compare the daily energy requirement of a sedentary versus an active individual.
 Research the range of sports drinks and energy drinks on the Irish market.
Categorise these drinks as isotonic, hypotonic and hypertonic.
 Evaluate and design a sports drink of their own.
 Design and conduct an experiment to examine the electrolyte content of a number of
drinks.
This module may be taught to the whole class or may be divided into three sections
as described by group 1 activities, group 2 activities and group 3 activities. This can
be done to best suit the teacher and accommodate the class.
In this instance, the class group of 24 boys and girls was divided into 6 groups. The class
was mixed ability so the author felt it best to keep each group at a mixed ability level also.
This was to ensure that every group had a high ability student that could help guide and
assist the less able students. Two groups were assigned to each task which meant they
worked separately but then combined their work at the end. Once all groups had completed
their task, an appointed leader from each group came together to collaborate their
information and design a presentation based on their findings.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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This is a general outline of how the classes could be structured. This is open to adaptation
based on the teacher’s needs and requirements.
First class period:
It is suggested that the first class period be given to the pupils to research the specific areas
they have been allocated as outlined in the student activities section. This should be time
that the pupils spend communicating and setting tasks for each other in response to the
problem presented to them.
Step 2
In preparation for the next three class periods, various investigations and planning of
experiments will need to be undertaken by the pupils. They may need to be guided through
these activities by the teacher and given assistance at certain stages. The teacher should
oversee the functioning of the group to make sure that the learning objectives are being
achieved. It is also essential that the safety aspect of all investigations and experiments is
overseen by the teacher.
Second and third class periods:
During these periods, it is essential that the teacher enters into the spirit of scientific
discovery with the pupils for each activity. It is during these classes that the pupils will be
investigating, gathering data, designing and conducting experiments and so the teachers
need to emphasise the importance of observation and continuous recording of their work.
Step 3
At this stage, the pupils will prepare an analysis of their results and hold a discussion based
on their investigations. The teacher may need to assist some groups in this by providing a
template.
Fourth class period:
The pupils will prepare a presentation of their findings to show to the rest of the class. Group
1 will discuss the importance of food for athletic performance. Group 2 will show the rest of
the class what scientific principle is applied when designing their energy drink. Group 3 will
present their findings on their experiment orange juice versus a sports drink for electrolyte
composition.
Step 5
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University College Cork
Ireland
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This is an optional extra the teacher could use if desired. A group of pupils or indeed the
whole class could bring all the information gathered into one report and design a
presentation based on that entire project. Then, if the school or a certain school population
had an interest in the topic, it could be presented to the wider school community i.e. sports
teams or form the basis of PE classes.
If one felt the interest was there, it could be possible to explore this topic further by
examining the world of banned performance-enhancing drugs.
Lesson 1
The scenario was presented to the students and the teacher then explained that each group
had a critical role to play in the overall project. It was emphasised to the students that they
would be acting as a research team, working cooperatively and keeping their research and
work organised as it was going to be presented to the entire class at the end of the module.
The class was given time to read the scenario on their own and consider any interesting
points that it may have raised for them.
Afterwards, the teacher divided the students in to pre-arranged groups. The students then
moved into smaller groups and were given the time to re-read the scenario and discuss any
issues or interesting points that arose from it.
To make sure that all students were on task, the teacher moved between groups casually
asking questions and interacting. It was noted that some students were not comfortable in
group work so the teacher made sure to keep them as involved as possible. Examples of
ways to do this were assigning specific roles to each student, i.e. note taker, reader,
focusing on arguments for and against, question developer etc.
Next the teacher guided the groups to their specific tasks. Time was given for the groups to
process the question and then come up with ideas on how best to approach achieving their
set task. Again the teacher acted only as facilitator to the groups by listening to their ideas
and sometimes adding in comments and positive reinforcement. The students spent this
time communicating and setting tasks for each other in response to the problem presented
to them.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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By the end of the first lesson, the students were required to have a written plan for their
group explaining the steps used and how they were going to complete their task. The
teacher gave them an outline of the headings they should use:
Group number and
members
Research question
What topics will we be
researching?
How will we find out
about these topics?
How will the group
work?
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University College Cork
Ireland
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What will the role of
each member be?
Do we need any
special equipment?
How will we display
our research?
Lesson 2
At the start of the lesson, students were directed back into their groups and given a few
minutes to read over their investigative plan. Again, to keep the students on track, the
teacher helped to guide them through their plan until both parties were happy to go ahead.
At this point, the pupils went to the computer laboratory to begin to research the concepts
that they felt were necessary for their task. This section took many hours as not all pupils
were used to conducting their own research.
Once a suitable amount of information had been retrieved by the groups, they got time to
come together and discuss their findings among themselves. The teacher oversaw the
functioning of each group making sure they were on the right track and that the correct
learning objectives were being achieved.
For the last section of the lesson, the students made a small, informal presentation to the
class about the information they had found and what they planned to do with it in the class.
This was very good as all students now knew what to expect and understood better what
was being researched.
Lesson 3
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University College Cork
Ireland
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During this period, it is vital that the teacher entered in the spirit of scientific discovery in
order to promote the students’ progress and plans.
It was during this class that the students were working collaboratively in their groups
investigating, designing and conducting various activities and experimenting to help them
solve their groups’ problems.
Group 1: They spent time picking out the relevant and interesting facts that they had
previously researched.
The teacher emphasised communication and listening skills to
ensure that all members of the group got a fair say in the project. Their lesson objective was
to make a rough layout and design of a poster that would display information showing the
importance of food for athletic performance and explaining why athletes would be drawn to
using sports drinks.
Group 2: This group spent the class formulating ideas and designing an experimental
procedure to make their own sports drink based on scientific principles of what makes a
good sports drink. They were told that they had to have a detailed rationale as to why they
made it this way. They made a list of equipment that would be required, set out a step by
step procedure and a method to test their product.
Group 3: This group were also in the planning stages for an experiment to examine the
electrolyte content of various drinks on the market. They had to first choose a number of
drinks to test, decide what control factors they needed for a fair experiment, make a list of
equipment required and design a step by step procedure.
Specifically for group 2 and 3, the teacher reinforced safety in designing and conducting their
experiments.
All designs would have to be passed by the teacher in consultation
beforehand.
The final part of the lesson allowed the pupils to have a full class discussion as to what their
activity would involve. This gave the students an opportunity to formulate some questions to
ask of the group before and after their activity was complete in the final lesson.
Lesson 4
In this lesson, the pupils were acting as investigators for their task. They worked in their own
groups conducting their experiment and analysing the results.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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Group 1: They had access to the computer equipment so they could design a PowerPoint
presentation or poster on their topic. The teacher found that many of the students were
quite expert in the use of the computer programmes and so did not need very much
assistance.
Group 2: This group was in the Home Economics room where all the equipment and food
products used were clean and not contaminated like they may have been in the science
laboratory. They spent their time making up solutions of sports drinks that they thought
would be effective and then taste-testing them. This was safe as the teacher had viewed the
ingredients and ensured all equipment was clean. Once they completed this, they had to
design an analysis of results and rationale for their own specific design.
Group 3: These students were in the Science laboratory conducting their experiment. The
teacher spent time with this group discussing their procedure before any experiment took
place. Once both parties were satisfied with the plan, the group proceeded. They kept a log
of results on a template that was designed by themselves and checked by the teacher.
Lesson 5
This was the final lesson. The groups spent time finishing and analysing their results from
the previous class. They then presented their material in whatever format they felt was most
appropriate.
Group 1: They used a poster and had all group members explaining different sections of it.
Group 2:
They used a PowerPoint demonstration to explain how they designed and
evaluated their experiment.
Group 3: This group did a demonstration of the experiment they carried out and presented
their results by PowerPoint to the class.
Each presentation group was given a few minutes at the end to answer questions posed by
fellow students and the teacher.
* Some of the material and results that the students produced are included in the next
section.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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Methods to promote Inquiry-based science education in this module:
The teacher attempted to structure the lessons so that her methods of teaching were inquirybased also. This allowed the students to get into the spirit of discovery and thus promote
investigation and creativity.
The teacher:
Kept questions open-ended
Organised structured group work
Acted as facilitator rather than instructor
Gave positive reinforcement and feed back to groups and individuals
Promoted research techniques
Organised discussion and debate sessions
Made the classroom topic relevant to the students’ lives
Promoted the use of all ICT equipment
Promoted student initiative
Promoted creativity in the students
Made the students’ research important and relevant to the world around them
Allowed for student ownership of their own work
Resources given to the students
Sports Drinks
Depletion of the body's carbohydrate stores and dehydration are two factors that will limit prolonged
exercise.
Dehydration
Sweating is the way in which the body maintains its core temperature at 37 degrees centigrade. This
results in the loss of body fluid and electrolytes (minerals such as chloride, calcium, magnesium,
sodium and potassium) and if unchecked will lead to dehydration and eventually circulatory collapse
and heat stroke. The effect of fluid loss on the body is as follows:
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University College Cork
Ireland
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% body weight lost as sweat Physiological Effect
2%
Impaired performance
4%
Capacity for muscular work declines
5%
Heat exhaustion
7%
Hallucinations
10%
Circulatory collapse and heat stroke
Electrolytes
Electrolytes serve three general functions in the body:



many are essential minerals
they control osmosis of water between body compartments
they help maintain the acid-base balance required for normal cellular activities
The electrolyte composition of sweat is variable but comprises of the following components:








Sodium
Potassium
Calcium
Magnesium
Chloride
Bicarbonate
Phosphate
Sulphate
A litre of sweat typically contains 0.02g Calcium, 0.05g Magnesium, 1.15g Sodium, 0.23g
Potassium and 1.48g Chloride. This composition will vary from person to person.
Glucose
Carbohydrate is stored as glucose in the liver and muscles and is the most efficient source of
energy as it requires less oxygen to be burnt than either protein or fat. The normal body stores
of carbohydrate in a typical athlete are:


70kg male athlete - Liver glycogen 90g and muscle glycogen 400g
60kg female athlete - Liver glycogen 70g and muscle glycogen 300g.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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During hard exercise, carbohydrate can be depleted at a rate of 3-4 grams per minute. If this
is sustained for 2 hours or more, a very large fraction of the total body carbohydrate stores
will be exhausted and if not checked will result in reduced performance.
Recovery of the muscle and liver glycogen stores after exercise will normally require 24-48
hours for complete recovery.
During exercise, there is in an increased uptake of blood glucose by the muscles and to
prevent blood glucose levels falling, the liver produces glucose from the liver stores and
lactate.
Consuming carbohydrate before, during and after exercise will help prevent blood glucose
levels falling too low and help maintain the body's glycogen stores. Many athletes cannot
consume food before or during exercise and therefore a formulated drink that will provide
carbohydrate is required.
Hydration
Fluid absorption
Two main factors affect the speed at which fluid from a drink gets into the body:


the speed at which it is emptied from the stomach
the rate at which it is absorbed through the walls of the small intestine
The higher the carbohydrate levels in a drink the slower the rate of stomach emptying.
Isotonic drinks with a carbohydrate level of between 6 and 8% are emptied from the stomach
at a rate similar to water. Electrolytes, especially sodium and potassium, in a drink will
reduce urine output, enable the fluid to empty quickly from the stomach, promote absorption
from the intestine and encourage fluid retention.
What's wrong with water?

water causes bloating which will suppress thirst and therefore drinking water contains
no carbohydrate or electrolytes
Calculating personal fluid needs
During an endurance event, you should drink just enough to be sure you lose no more than
2% of pre-race weight. This can be achieved in the following way:




Record your naked body weight immediately before and after a number of training
sessions, along with details of distance/duration, clothing and weather conditions
Add the amount of fluid taken during the session to the amount of weight lost - 1
kilogram (kg) is roughly equivalent to 1 litre of fluid (1lb approx. 0.5 litre)
After a few weeks you should begin to see some patterns emerging and can calculate
your sweat rate per hour
Once you know what your sweat losses are likely to be in any given set of
environmental conditions, you can plan your drinking strategy for any particular event
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University College Cork
Ireland
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Sports Drinks
There are three types of sports drink all of which contain various levels of fluid, electrolytes
and carbohydrate.
Type
Isotonic
Hypotonic
Hypertonic
Content
Fluid, electrolytes and 6 to 8% carbohydrate
Fluids, electrolytes and a low level of carbohydrate
High level of carbohydrate
The osmolality of a fluid is a measure of the number of particles in a solution. In a drink,
these particles will comprise of carbohydrate, electrolytes, sweeteners and preservatives. In
blood plasma the particles will comprise of sodium, proteins and glucose. Blood has an
osmolality of 280 to 330mOsm/kg. Drinks with an osmolality of 270 to 330mOsm/kg are said
to be in balance with the body's fluid and are called Isotonic. Hypotonic fluids have fewer
particles than blood and Hypertonic have more particles than blood.
Consuming fluids with a low osmolality, e.g. water, results in a fall in the blood plasma
osmolality and reduces the drive to drink well before sufficient fluid has been consumed to
replace losses.
Which is most suitable?
Isotonic - quickly replaces fluids lost by sweating and supplies a boost of carbohydrate. This
drink is the choice for most athletes - middle and long distance running or team sports.
Glucose is the body's preferred source of energy therefore it may be appropriate to consume
Isotonic drinks where the carbohydrate source is glucose in a concentration of 6% to 8% e.g. High Five, SiS Go, Boots Isotonic, Lucozade Sport.
Hypotonic - quickly replaces fluids lost by sweating, suitable for athletes who need fluid
without the boost of carbohydrate e.g. jockeys and gymnasts.
Hypertonic - used to supplement daily carbohydrate intake normally after exercise to top up
muscle glycogen stores. In ultra distance events, high levels of energy are required and
hypertonic drinks can be taken during exercise to meet the energy demands. If used during
exercise Hypertonic drinks need to be used in conjunction with isotonic drinks to replace
fluids.
Want to make your own?
Isotonic - 200ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 litre of water and a pinch of salt
(1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled
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University College Cork
Ireland
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Hypotonic - 100ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 litre of water and a pinch of salt
(1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled.
Hypertonic - 400ml of orange squash (concentrated orange), 1 litre of water and a pinch of
salt (1g). Mix all the ingredients together and keep chilled.
Dental Health
Sports drinks commonly contain citric acid. All acids have an erosive potential but the
method of drinking will influence whether or not those acids affect the teeth. Sports drinks
should be consumed as quickly as possible, preferably with a straw and not be held or
swished around the mouth. Retaining drinks in the mouth will only increase the risk of
erosion. Refrigerated drinks will have a reduced erosive potential, as the acid dissolution
constant is temperature dependant.
Food for thought
In a trial conducted by scientists in the city of Aberdeen it was determined that a 2%
carbohydrate-electrolyte drink provided a more effective combat to exercise fatigue in a hot
climate when compared to a 15% carbohydrate-electrolyte mixture.
Seven Rules of Hydration (Troop 1994)
1. The rate of passage of water from the stomach into the small intestine depends on
how much fluid is actually in the stomach. If there is lots of water there, fluid flow
from stomach to intestine is like a springtime flood; if there is little water, the
movement resembles a lightly dripping tap. Therefore, to increase stomach-intestinal
flow (and overall absorption of water) you need to deposit a fair amount of liquid in
the stomach just before you begin your exercise. In fact, 10-12 ounces of fluid is a
good start. This will feel uncomfortable at first, so practice funnelling this amount of
beverage into the "tank" several times before an actual competition.
2. To sustain a rapid movement of fluid into the small intestine during your exertions,
take three to four sips of beverage every 10 minutes if possible, or five to six
swallows every 15 minutes.
3. If you are going to be exercising for less than 60 minutes, do not worry about
including carbohydrate in your drink; plain water is fine. For exercise that is more
prolonged you will want the carbohydrate.
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University College Cork
Ireland
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4. Years of research have suggested that the correct concentration of carbohydrate in
your drink is about 5 to 7%. Most commercial sports drinks fall within this range, and
you can make your own 6% drink by mixing five tablespoons of table sugar with each
litre of water that you use. A bit of sodium boosts absorption; one-third teaspoon of
salt per litre of water is about right. Although 5 to 7% carbohydrate solutions seem to
work best for most individuals, there is evidence that some endurance athletes can
fare better with higher concentrations. In research carried out at Liverpool John
Moores University, for example, cyclists who ingested a 15% maltodextrin solution
improved their endurance by 30 per cent compared to individuals who used a 5%
glucose drink. The 15% drink also drained from the stomach as quickly as the 5%
one, though many other studies have linked such concentrated drinks with a
slowdown in water movement.
5. A 6% "simple sugar" drink will empty from the stomach at about the same rate as a
fancy 6% "glucose polymer" beverage, so do not succumb to the idea that the latter
can boost water absorption or enhance your performance more than the former, and
don't pay more for the glucose-polymer concoction.
6. Contrary to what you have heard, cold drinks are not absorbed into the body more
quickly than warm ones. However, cold drinks are often more palatable than warm
ones during exercise, so if coldness helps you to drink large quantities of fluid while
you exert yourself, then keep your drinks cool.
7. Swilling drinks during exercise does NOT increase your risk of digestive-system
problems. In actuality, most gut disorders that arise during exercise are caused by
dehydration, not from taking in fluid. Dehydration induces nausea and discomfort by
reducing blood flow to the digestive system, so keep drinking!
Food as Fuel
Food is made up of different nutrients and these are very important and need to be in the
body in certain amounts. They all have a particular function within the body, enabling the
body to function effectively and efficiently. There is a direct link between good health and
good nutrition. There is also a link between good sporting performance and good nutrition.
Why is it so important that a sportsperson looks after what they eat? Try to come up with at
least 3 reasons.
1. ___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
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University College Cork
Ireland
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3. ___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Name the nutrients that are found in food. There are six altogether.
1) __________________
4) ___________________
2) __________________
5) ___________________
3) __________________
6) ___________________
Write a short summary of each of the following nutrients under the headings provided:
Protein
 Function

Source

Requirement
Carbohydrate
 Function

Source

Requirement
Fat

Function

Source

Requirement
To assist the pupils calculating their guideline daily amount of food, you can explain the
following calculation.
Your daily energy requirements
Personal energy requirement = basic energy required + extra energy required
Basic energy requirements
For every kilogram of body weight 5.5 kilojoules is required every hour.
e.g. an athlete weighing 50 kg would require 5.5 x 24 hrs x 50 kg = 6600 kJ per day
Extra energy requirements
For every hour of training you require 35.7 kJ for each kg of body weight.
e.g. for a two hour training session the 50 kg athlete would require 35.7 kJ x 2 hrs x 50 kg =
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University College Cork
Ireland
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3750 kJ
Therefore an athlete weighing 50 kg who trains for 2 hours a day would require an intake of
approx. 6600 + 3750 = 10,170 kilojoules per day.
On food labels, the nutritional content is often given in kilocalories and this may be the energy
measurement you are used to. To convert kilocalories to kilojoules, you must multiply by 4.2.
Food group recommendations for your daily diet:

57% carbohydrates

30% fats

13% protein
The energy from each type of food (per gram):

Carbohydrate – 16.8 kJ per gram of food

Fat – 37.8 kJ per gram of food

Protein – 16.8 kJ per gram of food
An athlete’s daily diet should comprise of?
Total 10,170 kilojoules
Carbohydrates: 57% of 10,170 = 5,797 kJ
or
5,797 ÷ 16.8 = 345 grams
Fats:
30% of 10,170 = 3,051 kJ
or 3,051 ÷ 37.8 = 80 grams
Protein:
13% of 10,170 = 1,322 kJ
or 1,322 ÷ 16.8 = 77 grams
When group 3 were investigating drinks for electrolytes, this template was given to them to
help them keep track of results.
Type of drink
Volume of
liquid used
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Voltage
Current
Conductance
Electrolyte
concentration
Page 21
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 22
Fig.1: This diagram shows how the circuit should be built. Use alligator clips to connect the
multimeter, battery, and conductance sensor. Make sure to connect the negative terminal of
the battery with the positive terminal of the multimeter in order for the circuit to work.
Fig. 2: The conductance sensor consists of a non-conducting core (plastic or rubber) with
copper wire wrapped around the ends. The ions in the solution complete the circuit and allow
current to flow between the copper wires.
Equipment and resources required for all tasks in this module:
Distilled water
Various drinks e.g. orange juice, dilute squashes, any number of sports drink, fizzy
drink
Salt
Sugar
Beakers
Stirring rod
Clean, sterile glassware
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 23
Copper wire
Plastic rod e.g. from ball point pen
9 volt battery
Crocodile clips
Wires
Plastic or glass bowl
Measuring jug
Multimeter
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University College Cork
Ireland
Page 24
A PowerPoint presentation designed by the teacher to introduce the idea of
Inquiry-based learning. It also helped students to structure their set tasks.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 25
PowerPoint presentation designed by the teacher to help guide the
investigations.
The students were allowed sufficient time to research and
design their own theories before they were shown this.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 26
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 27
9.4 Results of Student Activities
The students spent time researching their area first. Much of this was done via the Internet.
Online references used by the students
‘Energy drinks: Help, Harm or Hype’
http://www.gssiweb.com/Article_Detail.aspx?articleid=310

‘What you need to know about energy drinks’
http://www.gssiweb.com/Article_Detail.aspx?articleid=310

‘Energy values of food’
http://www.practicalchemistry.org/experiments/energy-values-of-food,225,EX.html

‘Energy Drinks: Potential Performance-Enhancers or Publicity Hype?’
http://healthpsych.psy.vanderbilt.edu/2009/EnergyDrinks.htm

‘How Performance-enhancing drugs work’
http://www.howstuffworks.com/athletic-drug-test.htm

‘How do energy drinks work?’
http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/edible-innovations/energy-drink.htm

The chemistry of sports drinks
http://chem-community.wikispaces.com/file/view/khchemistry_chap6.pdf

Orange juice versus Sports drink
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Chem_p053.shtml
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 28

Some good videos on youtube
http://youtu.be/0dp4uK3hzMk
http://youtu.be/9maRnk0vVwQ
http://youtu.be/X3NfilyZI7s Entertaining!
http://youtu.be/jZpSOgsIEQA
http://youtu.be/OrAvJ95YgOU
Group 1 worked to research and then design a poster based on the link between nutrition
and athletic performance. They examined the food groups, food pyramid, benefits of sports
drinks, importance of hydration and types of sports drink available. They then produced the
poster below using Microsoft PowerPoint.
Fig 3: One of the posters designed by group 1 to represent their research. They verbally
presented this to the class.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 29
Group 2 spent time researching the best types of sports drinks available and the benefits of
each one. From this they designed their own sports drinks. They experiments with different
ingredients and quantities before they were happy with their drink. They also produced a
rationale for their selection.
Fig 4: The pupils from group 2 designing their own brand sports drink.
Group 3 had to plan and conduct the experiment to examine which type of drink contained a
suitable amount of electrolytes to be considered to have a positive impact on dehydration
and sport performance.
Fig 5: The experiment conducted by group 3 to show the electrolytes in drinks.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
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9.5 Sample results obtained by the students
Group 1: Research done by the group. They then produced a poster from this
information.
The pyramid shape explains the different proportions of foods to one another, i.e. foods
which make up the base should provide the largest part of the diet. The quantities of
requirements become smaller as the pyramid becomes thinner.
What are they called?
What do they do for you?
Where do you find them?
Carbohydrates
They give you energy.
You find them in sugary and
starchy foods like potatoes,
rice, cereals, pasta, bread and
some fruit and vegetables.
Proteins
They help your body grow and
repair itself.
You find them in meats,
poultry, fish, dairy products,
eggs and beans.
Fats
They provide energy and help
in building.
You find them in dairy
products, red meats, some
poultry and fish.
Fibre
It helps you digest your food.
You find fibre in lots of food
like cereals, fruit, bread and
vegetables.
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University College Cork
Ireland
Page 31
Minerals
Iron is good for the blood.
Calcium is good for your bones.
Minerals are in lots of foods but
are especially in fresh fruit and
vegetables.
Magnesium is good for your
nerves.
Vitamins e.g. vitamin A, B, C,
D, E
Vitamins are good for keeping
your body healthy. They are
good for your skin, bones and
teeth.
Vitamins are mostly found in
dairy products (milk, eggs
and butter), fresh fruit and
vegetables.
Classification of Sports Drinks

Hypotonic drinks: Sports drinks with less than 8% concentration of carbohydrate and
minerals are hypotonic (lower particle concentration) compared to normal human body
fluids. These drinks are absorbed rapidly from the intestine, and are good for rapid fluid
replacement during and after exercise. These drinks are usually lower in calories than
other types of sports drinks, and are therefore also suited for everyday consumption
(unrelated to exercise).

Isotonic drinks: Isotonic sports drinks generally contain carbohydrates and electrolytes at
6-8% concentration. This concentration is similar to that of most normal fluids in the
human body. Isotonic concentration allows for relatively rapid absorption of the ingested
fluid from the stomach and small intestines. This allows for rehydration during exercise,
and supplies fuel (simple carbohydrates) and electrolytes to keep the athlete functioning
at peak levels during endurance events.

Hypertonic drinks: Sports drinks with concentrations above 8% are hypertonic drinks.
These drinks usually contain larger amounts of carbohydrates, which increases particle
concentration. Hypertonic drinks are best used after long endurance events to replenish
glycogen stores, or for “carbohydrate loading” in the days prior to an endurance event.
Hypertonic fluids are absorbed more slowly than isotonic or hypotonic drinks - water is
drawn into the intestine to dilute hypertonic drinks prior absorption. Therefore,
hypertonic drinks are not appropriate for use during exercise, only several hours before or
after exercise.
Appropriate Use of Sports Drinks
Each class of sports drink has an optimum use:
 Hypotonic sports drinks: Examples – Water, Slazenger S1 – Hypotonic drinks are best
used for rapid hydration. Most are lacking in electrolytes, and are therefore not optimum
for exclusive use during long bouts of exercise (greater than 30 minutes).
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University College Cork
Ireland
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 Isotonic sports drinks: Examples – Gatorade, Powerade – Most commercially available
sports drinks are isotonic. These drinks work well for longer exercise sessions,
replenishing fluids, electrolytes and carbohydrates. These drinks are absorbed slightly
slower than hypotonic drinks, and should be diluted for optimum use.
 Hypertonic sports drinks: Example - Fruit juice – These drinks are best used after
exercise, to boost muscle glycogen stores. They are not well suited for use during
exercise, as they are slowly absorbed, and may cause cramping or bloating due to high
particle concentration.
Group 2: Research
Athletes will always be attracted to products that claim to have performance-enhancing
effects. Energy drinks are not adequate substitutes for the time, training, rest, recovery and
fuelling required for sports.
The important ingredients of a sports drink are:



water to keep the body hydrated,
salts to both
o aid in that hydration (salt makes the solution isotonic) and to
o replace some (but not all) of the lost salts from sweat, and
carbohydrates (sugars) for energy.
It’s pretty easy to figure out a simple recipe if you want to make your own sports drink. Mess
with the amounts to make it taste ok but don’t overdo the sugar or salt:




70% water
30% orange juice
small amount of sugar to your energy and taste needs
pinch of salt (sodium is good, great if you can get some with potassium also)
Measure all ingredients precisely. Small variations can make the drink less effective or even
harmful. Mix the following:





1 quart (950 mL) water
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) table salt
¼ teaspoon (1.25 g) salt substitute (potassium-based), such as Lite Salt or
Morton Salt Substitute
2 tablespoons (30 g) sugar
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 33
ISOTONIC DRINKS
They are designed to quickly replace the fluids which are lost by sweating. They also provide
a boost of carbohydrates.
The body prefers to use glucose as its source of energy. Sometimes it is better to consume
isotonic drinks where the carbohydrate source is a concentrated form of glucose.
They are commonly drunk by athletes, especially middle and long distance runners, but all
professional sportspeople use them in their daily training regimes.
Drink one: Fruit Academy
You will need:




200ml ordinary fruit squash
800ml water
A pinch of salt
Mix them all together in a jug and cool down in fridge.
Drink two: Thirst Burst
You will need:



500ml unsweetened fruit juice (orange, apple, pineapple)
500ml water
Mix them all together in a jug and cool down in fridge.
Drink Three: Feelin' fruity
You will need:





50-70g sugar
One litre of warm water
Pinch of salt
200ml of sugar free squash
Mix, cool and drink
HYPERTONIC DRINKS
Hypertonic drinks are used to supplement your daily carbohydrate intake. They contain even
higher levels of carbs than isotonic and hypotonic drinks.
The best time to drink them is after exercise as they help your body to top up on muscle
glycogen stores. These are your valuable energy stores.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 34
In very long distance events such as marathons, high levels of energy are required.
Hypertonic drinks can also be taken during exercise to meet the energy requirements.
However, it is advisable to only use them during exercise alongside isotonic drinks to replace
fluids.
Make your own - You will need:




400ml of squash
One litre of water
Pinch of salt
Mix, cool and drink
HYPOTONIC DRINKS
Hypotonic drinks are designed to quickly replace fluids lost through sweating. Unlike
isotonic and hypertonic drinks they are low in carbohydrates.
They are very popular with athletes who need fluid without the boost of carbohydrate.
Jockeys and gymnasts use them regularly.
The best time to drink them is after a tough exercise work-out as hypotonic drinks directly
target the main cause of fatigue in sport - dehydration - by replacing water and energy fast.
Make your own - You will need:




100ml of squash
One litre of water
Pinch of salt
Mix, cool and drink
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 35
Group 3: This is a sample of the group’s results when they conducted the
experiment.
They obtained information on the experiment set up from the
following websites:

The chemistry of sports drinks
http://chem-community.wikispaces.com/file/view/khchemistry_chap6.pdf

Orange juice versus Sports drink
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_ideas/Chem_p053.shtml
Type of drink
Volume of
liquid used
Voltage
Current
Conductance
Electrolyte
concentration
Tap water
150 mL
9
5.75mA
6.39 x 10-7
6.39 x 10-7 M
Distilled water
150 mL
9
2.49 mA
2.76 x 10-7
2.76 x 10-7 M
Orange juice
150 mL
9
6.98 mA
7.76 x 10-7
7.76 x 10-7 M
150 mL
9
8.47 mA
9.41 x 10-7
9.41 x 10-7 M
150 mL
9
9.72 mA
10.8 x 10-7
10.8 x 10-7 M
150 mL
9
9.35 mA
10.39 x 10-7
10.39 x 10-7 M
Mi-wadi
orange
Lucozade
sport
Powerade
blue
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 36
Monster
energy drink
150 mL
9
11.67 mA
12.97 x 10-7
12.97 x 10-7 M
Does it really give you Wings?
9.6 Assessment
These are suggestions for pupil assessment following the module. It is again at the
discretion of the teacher to carry out the assessment procedure.
The pupils can be assessed based on the learning objectives and learning outcomes or
based on group work. It is recommended that assessment be both formative and summative.
In regard to the use of formative assessment ‘comment only’ or allocation of marks’ are at
the discretion of the teacher. However if ‘comment only’ is used, the mark can still be
recorded privately by the teacher for their records.
Formative assessment of laboratory investigations:
The pupils are given the opportunity to fill in a self-assessment chart based on the template
in table 1. This chart can be manipulated by the teacher to be more specific if desired. The
pupils will be assessing their competence in each area.
In table 2 there is a teacher assessment form that can be filled in based on observation of
the pupils during their investigations.
Formative assessment of group work:
During the classes and periods of work, the teacher observes the pupils and completes the
chart supplied in table 3.
Summative assessment:
It is suggested that summative assessment should be based on the learning outcomes that
are in line with the curriculum guidelines.
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University College Cork
Ireland
Page 37
Table 1 – student self-assessment
Examining the use of performance-enhancing substances:
When you are finished your activity, please complete the following
table as honestly as possible.
Name __________________________________
Class______________
How much help did you need to:
a lot
a little
none
Familiarise yourself with all procedures before starting
Follow the step-by-step instructions
Listen to the teacher’s instructions
Risk Assessment
Ensure that all steps were carried out safely.
Correct manipulation of apparatus
Use of equipment
Observation
Observe aspects of the experiment
Observe changes - heat, colour
Recording
Write up the procedure
Record any changes
Interpretation
Analyse results from the investigations
Draw reasonable conclusions from your observations and
results
Application
Become aware of any other applications of what you learned in
this activity
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 38
Table 2
Student Assessment Tool based on the Teacher's Observations
Performing the activity
Performs the activity according to
the instructions/plan created
Maintains an orderly and clean
work table
Understands the objectives of the
activity and knows which tests
and measurements to perform
Uses lab tools and the
measurement equipment in a
safe and appropriate manner
Behaves in a safe manner
Teacher Comment / Mark / Grade
Functioning as group member
Contributes to the group
discussion during the theoretical
inquiry phases (raises questions
and hypotheses, designs the
experiment, draws conclusions,
makes justified decisions)
Shows tolerance with, and gives
encouragement to, the group
members.
Cooperates with others in a
group and fully participates in the
work of the group.
Illustrates leadership skills –
guiding the group by thinking
creatively and helping those
needing assistance (cognitive or
psychomotor); summarising
outcomes.
Presenting the experiment orally to the rest of the group
Presents the activity in a clear
and practical manner with
justified decisions.
Presents by illustrating
knowledge and understanding of
the subject.
Uses precise and appropriate
scientific terms and language.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 39
Ref: Jack Holbrook, ICASE, PARSEL
Table 3
Student Group work Evaluation based on Teacher Observation
Student Name____________________________ Class________________
Teacher Comment/ Mark/Grade
Functioning in the group
Contributes to the group discussion
during the learning the subject
Has patience for the group's members
Knows and understands the objectives of
the activity (active observation)
Thinks in a creative manner and exhibits
vision
Presenting the activity orally
Presents the activity in a clear and practical
manner
Shows triangulation of evidence
Presents knowledge and understanding of
the subject
Uses precise and proper scientific language
Ref: The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, PARSEL
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 40
9.7 Summary and conclusion
The teacher felt overall that this module was a success. The students responded well to the
challenge of inquiry-based learning when guided by their teacher. It is true to say that these
students were not overly familiar with this type of teaching approach so the teacher had to
spend time firstly introducing the topic and the expectations that came with it.
The teacher felt that a form of guided inquiry based learning was the best option. Many of
the students would not have been able to cope with eth demands of such a module without
assistance from the teacher. However, they felt that with time and more opportunities to
experience this type of teaching approach the students would adapt and gain from IBSE.
One of the main points that the teacher felt was important to note was to have researched
the topic before introducing it to the class. This helps to focus the teacher as well as assist
the students as they progress through their tasks.
It was also vital that the teacher
monitored groups closely when they were working in teams. The teacher in this case found
it best to move between groups asking questions and prompting discussion and debate.
This helped to motivate and focus the students on the tasks. The movement also aided in
ensuring that all students were participating in the group and were getting the opportunity to
fulfil a role or take part in an activity.
The tasks set in this module worked well and seemed to be suitable for this level of student.
The teacher decided that it would be best to arrange the students in groups of mixed- ability.
All groups had a mix of higher middle and lower ability students. This worked well because
the lower ability students could learn from their peers and still feel very much part of the
investigation. It also challenged the higher ability students to work cooperatively and assist
their fellow class mates.
Commencing the module with a scenario that was innovative and relevant to the students,
the teacher felt that it worked very well. It immediately created discussion and curiosity
among the students and thus increased their motivation for the lessons ahead.
It was
beneficial to the exercise that the scenario topic was relevant to the students as many are
involved in sporting activities and exercise, all are aware of the marketing of sports drinks
and the London Olympics has also raised awareness of aids to high performance.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 41
In conclusion, this module has the potential to benefit the Science classroom by engaging
students and allowing them to be independent and creative thinkers and learners.
Ciara Hereward Ryan
University College Cork
Ireland
Page 42