Amber Pettit
2511 SW 35th Pl
Gainesville, FL
(407) 590-1966
Grant needed for:
Buchholz High School
Gainesville, FL
Chemistry Department
“Cooking is Hot, Hot, Hot!” Project Based Unit
Total Cost: $2766.34
This project is designed for students to learn how thermochemistry can help them choose appropriate cooking appliances when preparing food. For students to be able to understand how this is possible they must first understand how energy transfers as heat. To do this they must be able to relate temperature to heat, and then heat to energy. In order for students to be able to analyze heat transfer accurately they need probe ware systems that can accurately measure and graph temperature change during a reaction, which is not possible with traditional thermometers. The students will also be able to see heat transfer in cooking in action with a field trip to the Yamato Japanese Steakhouse. The goal is for students to understand the importance of using thermochemistry concepts, such as specific heat, enthalpy change, and power, to determine which type of cooking appliance is best for preparing a certain type of food.
Statement of Problem:
Since people always desire a delicious home-cooked meal, there is a need to not only be able to cook but to also be able to cook well. The quality of our meals can greatly be improved with a proper method of preparation, so the need to choose an appropriate or the best cooking appliance becomes crucial for our meals. The goal of this project is to get students to focus on the thermochemistry behind cooking and figure out how knowing thermochemistry can help them improve the quality of their meals and create the best menu demonstrating this. Students will need to learn the concepts of specific heat, changes in enthalpy, and power, and learn how to calculate these quantities in order to provide evidence for determining the best cooking appliance for preparing a meal. Since cooking is something that almost all people experience in one way or another, this project would be beneficial to everyone since all people would either like to become good cooks or know people who are good cooks.
Goals and Vision:
My vision is to get students to realize that chemistry plays an integral part of their everyday lives. Cooking provides a meaningful example since students experience cooking to some extent every day. In order to see this connection, students will have to be able to create a menu for a three course meal using a different best method for each food and provide evidence for the choices of appliances. This evidence must be based off of students’ ability to use calculations involving specific heats of the foods, enthalpy changes for grills or gas stoves, and power outputs of appliances. These objectives directly relate to three benchmarks in the state of Florida. Students will present their findings to their classmates and parents in the form of a menu and rationale for choosing each appliance. This project will improve students’ 21st century skills in that students will get experience with navigating a laptop and using appropriate resources from the internet. This knowledge can greatly improve their life skills since cooking is an important part of just about every student’s life. In addition, students can improve their collaborative skills by working in groups. Often students don’t even see the importance of chemistry outside of the classroom. This will give students a clear reason as to how chemistry affects our world. They will see the direct connection in how chemistry influences the world around us, and how we can use what we learn in the classroom to help them in their everyday lives.
Plan of Action:
This two and a half week long project based unit was developed for the goal of educating students on how energy is transferred in chemical reactions, as can be seen in cooking. Students will be studying chemistry concepts relating to reaction energy, including the major topics of exothermic and endothermic reactions, specific heat, and enthalpy. In addition, students will be studying the concepts relating to power. A link to the project calendar has been provided.
In the first week, students will be introduced to the use of different methods to prepare foods (grills, toaster, ovens, etc.) The project and the driving question “How does knowing thermochemistry help a cook create a good menu?” will be introduced. Students will use calorimetry to determine the specific heats of unknown metals. In this students will use the Law of Conservation of Energy to determine that the heat gained by the water is equal to the heat lost by the metal. They can then relate this to their project and discover the specific heats of the food items in the three course meal. Students will also be taken on a field trip to Yamato Japanese Steakhouse in Gainesville to see heat transfers in cooking firsthand. The students will bring the specific heats of the foods with them on the field trip, so they can begin to see the relationship between this and the cooking appliances used to cook each of the foods. The students can ask the chefs why they use different appliances to cook different foods, as well as other relevant questions.
In the second week, students will again use calorimetry to get a better understanding of exothermic and endothermic reactions, as well as enthalpies of reaction. Enthalpies of reaction will then extend to grills and gas stoves, which commonly use propane or methane as their fuel source. An investigative lab looking into the energy given off by a light bulb in water will allow students to see relationship between power and heat (or energy). Students can then extend this information to determining heat transferred from the power output of kitchen appliances and cook time. In learning about the relationship between cooking and energy transfer, the students will use the concepts of and calculations involving specific heat, enthalpy changes, and power to determine which cooking appliance they believe is best for cooking a specific type of food. They will express their choices and rationale in the form of a menu and paper to share their findings with others.
Students will be learning methods such as calorimetry, in order to relate temperature change to heat transfer, to energy transfer. The thermometers used in classrooms today are outdated and almost impossible to obtain an accurate reading, and it is very difficult to analyze temperature data for extremely quick reactions. In order for students to be able to accurately analyze their data, it would be extremely beneficial to have students using probe wear systems, such as those provided by Vernier Technology. These systems allow students to measure not only temperatures, but the temperature change is plotted automatically on a graph. Data collected can also be saved and transferred to separate computers for continued analysis. The even greater advantage of these systems is that there are a multitude of probes, such as pressure, pH, and conductivity probes, that can be purchased to enhance learning on a daily basis.
Staff and Facilities:
Aside from myself, those involved with the project include the cooks at Yamato Japanese Steakhouse. The chefs will demonstrate cooking in front of the students so that they can get first-hand experience with cooking, and they can also share with the students the reason why they use different methods for cooking the food.
In the classroom, the students will be provided with laboratory stations where they can safely and effectively carry out experiments. Unfortunately, the necessary equipment is lacking to ensure the best possible outcomes for this project. Appropriate technology is important in today’s chemistry laboratory in order to effectively analyze any data collected. This is where the necessity for the Vernier probe and interface system comes into play.
Evaluation:
Students will be required to create a final project that uses thermochemistry to determine which cooking appliance would be best for cooking certain foods in a three course meal. The project will be in the form of a menu that presents the foods cooked, the cooking appliance that was chosen, and the cook time for the food, as well as a paper that includes the recipes for the foods, paragraph describing the rationale for choosing the cooking appliance, and calculations to provide evidence for the rationale. These calculations must include specific heat, enthalpy change, and power. A link to the rubric for their final project has been provided in appendix b. After students have finished their project they will present their menus and their rationale for choosing the cooking appliance to cook each food item. In addition, other formative assessments will be used daily to see if students are meeting the project and conceptual objectives.
Budget:
The following budget includes the cost of the equipment, transportation, and food needed for the project based unit. The money will be managed and equipment ordered by the science department chairman for Buchholz High School.
Equipment Purchases from Vernier Software and Technology, LLC
LabQuest 2 Interface (6 x $329, order code: LABQ2)……………………………....$1974
Stainless Steel Temperature Probes (12 x $29, order code: TMP-BTA)………....$348
Field Trip
Bus Rental
$25 per hour (11:30 am – 1:00 pm; 1.5 hours)……………………………….……$37.50
$2 per mile (roundtrip: 3.42 miles)…………………..…………………...…..….....$6.84
Food Expenses
$15 per student (25 students in class)………………………………………………..$375
Lunch for bus driver (maximum)…………………………………………..................$25
Total cost: $2766.34
In addition, chemicals, glassware, and light bulbs will be provided by the School Board if extra of any are needed.
2511 SW 35th Pl
Gainesville, FL
(407) 590-1966
Grant needed for:
Buchholz High School
Gainesville, FL
Chemistry Department
“Cooking is Hot, Hot, Hot!” Project Based Unit
Total Cost: $2766.34
This project is designed for students to learn how thermochemistry can help them choose appropriate cooking appliances when preparing food. For students to be able to understand how this is possible they must first understand how energy transfers as heat. To do this they must be able to relate temperature to heat, and then heat to energy. In order for students to be able to analyze heat transfer accurately they need probe ware systems that can accurately measure and graph temperature change during a reaction, which is not possible with traditional thermometers. The students will also be able to see heat transfer in cooking in action with a field trip to the Yamato Japanese Steakhouse. The goal is for students to understand the importance of using thermochemistry concepts, such as specific heat, enthalpy change, and power, to determine which type of cooking appliance is best for preparing a certain type of food.
Statement of Problem:
Since people always desire a delicious home-cooked meal, there is a need to not only be able to cook but to also be able to cook well. The quality of our meals can greatly be improved with a proper method of preparation, so the need to choose an appropriate or the best cooking appliance becomes crucial for our meals. The goal of this project is to get students to focus on the thermochemistry behind cooking and figure out how knowing thermochemistry can help them improve the quality of their meals and create the best menu demonstrating this. Students will need to learn the concepts of specific heat, changes in enthalpy, and power, and learn how to calculate these quantities in order to provide evidence for determining the best cooking appliance for preparing a meal. Since cooking is something that almost all people experience in one way or another, this project would be beneficial to everyone since all people would either like to become good cooks or know people who are good cooks.
Goals and Vision:
My vision is to get students to realize that chemistry plays an integral part of their everyday lives. Cooking provides a meaningful example since students experience cooking to some extent every day. In order to see this connection, students will have to be able to create a menu for a three course meal using a different best method for each food and provide evidence for the choices of appliances. This evidence must be based off of students’ ability to use calculations involving specific heats of the foods, enthalpy changes for grills or gas stoves, and power outputs of appliances. These objectives directly relate to three benchmarks in the state of Florida. Students will present their findings to their classmates and parents in the form of a menu and rationale for choosing each appliance. This project will improve students’ 21st century skills in that students will get experience with navigating a laptop and using appropriate resources from the internet. This knowledge can greatly improve their life skills since cooking is an important part of just about every student’s life. In addition, students can improve their collaborative skills by working in groups. Often students don’t even see the importance of chemistry outside of the classroom. This will give students a clear reason as to how chemistry affects our world. They will see the direct connection in how chemistry influences the world around us, and how we can use what we learn in the classroom to help them in their everyday lives.
Plan of Action:
This two and a half week long project based unit was developed for the goal of educating students on how energy is transferred in chemical reactions, as can be seen in cooking. Students will be studying chemistry concepts relating to reaction energy, including the major topics of exothermic and endothermic reactions, specific heat, and enthalpy. In addition, students will be studying the concepts relating to power. A link to the project calendar has been provided.
In the first week, students will be introduced to the use of different methods to prepare foods (grills, toaster, ovens, etc.) The project and the driving question “How does knowing thermochemistry help a cook create a good menu?” will be introduced. Students will use calorimetry to determine the specific heats of unknown metals. In this students will use the Law of Conservation of Energy to determine that the heat gained by the water is equal to the heat lost by the metal. They can then relate this to their project and discover the specific heats of the food items in the three course meal. Students will also be taken on a field trip to Yamato Japanese Steakhouse in Gainesville to see heat transfers in cooking firsthand. The students will bring the specific heats of the foods with them on the field trip, so they can begin to see the relationship between this and the cooking appliances used to cook each of the foods. The students can ask the chefs why they use different appliances to cook different foods, as well as other relevant questions.
In the second week, students will again use calorimetry to get a better understanding of exothermic and endothermic reactions, as well as enthalpies of reaction. Enthalpies of reaction will then extend to grills and gas stoves, which commonly use propane or methane as their fuel source. An investigative lab looking into the energy given off by a light bulb in water will allow students to see relationship between power and heat (or energy). Students can then extend this information to determining heat transferred from the power output of kitchen appliances and cook time. In learning about the relationship between cooking and energy transfer, the students will use the concepts of and calculations involving specific heat, enthalpy changes, and power to determine which cooking appliance they believe is best for cooking a specific type of food. They will express their choices and rationale in the form of a menu and paper to share their findings with others.
Students will be learning methods such as calorimetry, in order to relate temperature change to heat transfer, to energy transfer. The thermometers used in classrooms today are outdated and almost impossible to obtain an accurate reading, and it is very difficult to analyze temperature data for extremely quick reactions. In order for students to be able to accurately analyze their data, it would be extremely beneficial to have students using probe wear systems, such as those provided by Vernier Technology. These systems allow students to measure not only temperatures, but the temperature change is plotted automatically on a graph. Data collected can also be saved and transferred to separate computers for continued analysis. The even greater advantage of these systems is that there are a multitude of probes, such as pressure, pH, and conductivity probes, that can be purchased to enhance learning on a daily basis.
Staff and Facilities:
Aside from myself, those involved with the project include the cooks at Yamato Japanese Steakhouse. The chefs will demonstrate cooking in front of the students so that they can get first-hand experience with cooking, and they can also share with the students the reason why they use different methods for cooking the food.
In the classroom, the students will be provided with laboratory stations where they can safely and effectively carry out experiments. Unfortunately, the necessary equipment is lacking to ensure the best possible outcomes for this project. Appropriate technology is important in today’s chemistry laboratory in order to effectively analyze any data collected. This is where the necessity for the Vernier probe and interface system comes into play.
Evaluation:
Students will be required to create a final project that uses thermochemistry to determine which cooking appliance would be best for cooking certain foods in a three course meal. The project will be in the form of a menu that presents the foods cooked, the cooking appliance that was chosen, and the cook time for the food, as well as a paper that includes the recipes for the foods, paragraph describing the rationale for choosing the cooking appliance, and calculations to provide evidence for the rationale. These calculations must include specific heat, enthalpy change, and power. A link to the rubric for their final project has been provided in appendix b. After students have finished their project they will present their menus and their rationale for choosing the cooking appliance to cook each food item. In addition, other formative assessments will be used daily to see if students are meeting the project and conceptual objectives.
Budget:
The following budget includes the cost of the equipment, transportation, and food needed for the project based unit. The money will be managed and equipment ordered by the science department chairman for Buchholz High School.
Equipment Purchases from Vernier Software and Technology, LLC
LabQuest 2 Interface (6 x $329, order code: LABQ2)……………………………....$1974
Stainless Steel Temperature Probes (12 x $29, order code: TMP-BTA)………....$348
Field Trip
Bus Rental
$25 per hour (11:30 am – 1:00 pm; 1.5 hours)……………………………….……$37.50
$2 per mile (roundtrip: 3.42 miles)…………………..…………………...…..….....$6.84
Food Expenses
$15 per student (25 students in class)………………………………………………..$375
Lunch for bus driver (maximum)…………………………………………..................$25
Total cost: $2766.34
In addition, chemicals, glassware, and light bulbs will be provided by the School Board if extra of any are needed.