By Donna Giachetti
I studied Spanish from kindergarten through college. Used to be, I could speak and write fairly fluently. These days I’m a bit rusty but—like the old saying about getting back on a bicycle—the skill does come back with a bit of practice.
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
By Donna Giachetti
Have you seen the latest viral meme (as of this writing, anyway)? “Everything is Cake” videos are all over the Internet these days. In case you’re in the dark, here’s the story: an award-winning “sugar artist” in Turkey named Tuba Geckil started the trend by posting a video of exquisitely decorated cakes that look exactly like common household items—a potted plant, a pizza, a frothy bar of soap, a stack of fluffy bath towels, and even a roll of toilet paper.
It’s mesmerizing to watch as her knife slices through these creations, revealing the mouth-watering cake inside. You can see for yourself by clicking the image above or visiting here: https://twitter.com/tasty/status/1280966608933003264?s=20. Try Googling @redrosecake_tubageckil. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Her Instagram page even has a coronavirus-shaped cake!
So what does this have to do with science? Well… plenty. After all, baking is essentially a science experiment that (hopefully) brings forth a delicious result. Think about the ingredients that form the batter… and how, through chemical changes, they are altered to become a solid, fluffy mass. That’s science! To learn more, check out this wonderful primer on baking-as-science written by 10-year-old Nandini here. For a more advanced explanation, consult this FineCooking.com article.
Cake science (or more specifically dessert science) is definitely something I can get behind. Yum. Just think of all the questions you can pose:
What process causes granulated sugar to turn into crispy brown caramel filaments? What’s the deal with beating egg whites into spiky meringues? Why doesn’t parchment paper burn? What makes things cook more quickly when my oven is set to convection? How does a vinegar bath keep bananas from turning brown?
Not all dessert science involves baking. Let’s not forget MY favorite treat, ice cream! Hats off to the genius who figured out that adding salt to ice reduces the temperature of the resulting solution. I was thrilled when I found the Ice Cream Nation website, where they have a handy explanation of the science of ice cream.
As of this writing, we don’t know how many schools will re-open, or what their teaching methods will look like. We hear about blended… modified… hybrid learning. What we also hear is that there is no one-size-fits-all solution.
Which is true.
But cooking is something that we all do (probably more often than we’d like). Why not turn it into an opportunity for learning? Food science is a topic that many students can appreciate even if they’re not interested in the usual scientific fields. It’s fascinating… and very often delicious!
Here are some simple questions that you can easily broaden into at-home science experiments. For each one, you’ll need to do some critical thinking to figure out how to discover the answer:
At Educational Innovations, we’re serious about finding unique ways to spread our love of science. And that includes science you can eat! If you haven’t tried our Astronaut Ice Cream and our assortment of edible bugs, you’re really missing out!
Then there’s our Rock Candy Crystal Growing Experiment Kit – a perfect project for at-home scientists (especially if they have a sweet tooth)!
If baking is your thing, consider our DoughLab. It’s packed with fun, tasty, and educational experiments with yeast, dough and bread.
We have the perfect gift for the person who loves food… and science: Our Science You Can Eat bundle! Bug lollipops, chocolate covered insects, crunchy Crick-ettes and more!
We’d love to hear your ideas for at-home food science projects. Share with us in the Comments section!
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
By Donna Giachetti
Whenever I think of my childhood summers, all my five senses are instantly engaged. I can hear the tinkling melody of the ice cream truck, and feel the heat radiating off my head. There’s that pungent smell of sidewalk chalk. The taste of bright pink Bazooka gum. And the sight of my kite, inevitably tangled up in the limbs of a tree. (Anyone remember Charlie Brown’s kite? Mine was surely a close relative.)
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
Many years ago while attending a summer ChemEd conference, I had occasion to sit in on an amazing presentation. I have to admit that as a seventh grade teacher, much of the information presented at this conference would have been a bit over my students’ heads, but I still enjoyed the chance to learn new teaching ideas. One presenter, Jeff Hepburn, came out with a prop called the Think Tube. I’m not honestly sure whether that was his name for it or if that’s how I eventually christened it, but suffice to say, I knew immediately that I had to build one for my students.
The first week of school was always my favorite because that was the time I worked especially hard to truly “hook” my kids on science. I tended to bring in the most awesome and thought-provoking activities to share in class. My students typically left my room busting with excitement and looking forward to what the rest of the year would hold.
On day two, I brought in my homemade Think Tube. Over the summer, my husband built it out of PVC pipe, string, and wooden cubes. Initially, the students were unimpressed… that is, until the unexpected happened.
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
By Robert O. Grover
Not too long ago, we traveled to North Idaho and the beautiful town of Coeur d’Alene where the annual Idaho Science Teachers Association (ISTA) was holding the great Idaho STEM Together! Over 300 educators and STEM enthusiasts showed up to partake in activities, professional development sessions, and field trips. Of course Team databot™ was there!
As advertised, we held a competition to see who could deliver the highest CO2 level possible. The prize for the highest level? A complete databot™ kit! Read the rest of this entry »
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Posted by Donna Giachetti
